The Bahamas archipelago is made up of more than 700 paradise islands, islets, and cays. All of these, with the exception of Grand Bahama and New Providence (the largest and most heavily populated of The Bahamas’ islands), are collectively classified as the Out Islands. Only 14 of the Out Islands are inhabited, and in this article, we take a look at five of the best destinations for divers. With water temperatures that average 24ºC/ 75ºF in winter and 30ºC/ 86ºF in summer, diving in the Out Islands is positively balmy. Rainfall is quickly absorbed by the land’s porous limestone core, resulting in very little run-off. As a consequence, the visibility here is unparalleled.

Diving in Eleuthera

Sandwiched between The Abacos and Cat Island on The Bahamas’ eastern edge, Eleuthera is just two miles wide. Its name means ‘Freedom’ in Greek, and for divers, that translates as the freedom to explore a wealth of eclectic dive sites ranging from shallow coral gardens to plunging walls and pinnacles. Eleuthera has more natural wrecks than any other island in The Bahamas, thanks in large part to the Devil’s Backbone, a shallow reef to the north of the island. Some of the vessels wrecked on this treacherous shoal include the William, sailed by 17th-century settlers; the USS Boston, an American gun sloop sunk in 1846; and The Carnarvon, a Welsh freighter. All of the wrecks lie in shallow, crystal clear water, making this an underwater photographer’s dream.

Read the full article here:

https://www.deeperblue.com/a-guide-to-diving-the-bahamas-out-islands/

June 6, 2017