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Bahamas

NEW PROVIDENCE ISLAND

New Providence Island, home to Nassau,

the Bahamas capital is also the locale for two

world-class resort areas--Cable Beach and Paradise

Island.

Reefs surrounding the island have been used as sub-sea settings for Disneys 20,000 Leagues Beneath the Sea, Splash, Cocoon, and the James Bond thrillers, Thunderball, Never Say Never, For Your Eyes

Only, and Jaws IV. Shallow reefs and wrecks entertain

thousands of snorkelers each year.

Best Snorkeling Sites

All New Providence reefs and wrecks are boat access. Dive shops cater

to scuba divers, but will take snorkelers along if space is available.

PPP Thunderball Reef, named for the James Bond film, is a beautiful

shallow reef on the north coast of New Providence, a short boat ride

from Athol Island. Visibility is exceptional and photo opportunities

abound with surrounding clusters of pastel tube sponges, branching

gorgonians, feather corals, pink-tipped anemones, staghorn, and elkhorn

corals. Friendly grouper and French angels determined to find a handout

will follow you around. Spiny lobsters and small critters hide in

the crevices. Sea conditions are usually calm with little or no current.

Depths range from 10 to 35 ft.

PP Southwest Reef, a wall dive encompassing several other dives, has

depths from 15 to 30 ft. Sunken aircraft, small wrecks, and a profuse

fish population await. Gigantic southern stingrays bury themselves

in the sandy plateaus.

PPP Gouldings Cay, a tiny island located off the west end of New Providence,

shelters a very pretty coral reef which was used as the setting in

the films, Cocoon, Never Say Never, 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea and

Splash. The area encompasses several acres and offers shallow snorkeling

sites. Eagle rays, turtles, old wreck sections, schools of tropicals,

morays, and acres of elkhorn make this area a prime site.

BLUE LAGOON ISLAND (aka Salt Cay)

Fast ferry service to Blue Lagoon Island (242-363-1000), a small watersports

and picnic island located approximately one-half mile from Paradise

Island in Nassau, is provided by Nassau Cruise and Ferry Service from

Paradise Island. Watersports programs, (listed below) on the island

are also offered by Nassau Cruise and Ferry 242-363-3577 or 242-363-1653.

Website: www.dolphinencounters.com. Boats depart the Paradise Island

Ferry Terminal at 8:30 am, 10:30 am, 1:30 pm and 3:30 pm.

PP Stingray City on Blue Lagoon Island is surrounded by a three-acre

marine park, home to grouper, moray eels, crawfish, barracuda and

a group of affectionate southern stingrays who will eagerly rub up

against you looking for a treat. Brutus, the largest female at Stingray

City is the favorite. She stands out because she has no tail, a mishap

she encountered in the wild. She arrived one day with an old rusty

fish hook in her mouth which she allowed one of the staff members

to remove and has been an endearing presence ever since.

PPP Dolphin Encounters at Blue Lagoon offers a Swim-With-The- Dolphins

Program that includes a lengthy learn-about-dolphin session that allows

you to get close up, followed by a half-hour swim. The entire trip

takes approximately 2 hours including the boat ride to and from Blue

Lagoon Island and educational lecture. tel: 800-327-1584 or 242-327-5066.

New Providence Snorkeling Tours & Rentals

Stuart Coves Dive South Ocean, located at the South Ocean Resort offers

snorkeling trips aboard a custom, roomy boat, the Zambezi and new

"sub" tours, which are sort of self-contained underwater motorcycles

with a large two-foot clear dome over your head--no scuba or snorkeling

experience needed. They offer gear rentals and sales. Snorkeling

trips visit shallow reefs with depths between 15 and 40 ft. Pick

up from cruise ships and all major resorts. Tel: 800-879-9832 or 242-362-4171,

fax 954-524-5925. Write to: P.O. Box CB-13137, Nassau, Bahamas. E-mail:

info@stuartcove.com. Website: www.stuartcove.com.