Airport:  There are two airports serving Cat Island – Arthur’s Town Airport (ATC) and New Bight Airport (TBI). Frequent domestic and international service is available via scheduled and charter airlines. Sea service is provided by mail boats to a number of settlements/towns on a weekly (or more frequent) basis.

Currency:  The pound was replaced by the dollar in 1966, at a rate of 7 shillings = 1 dollar (1 pound = 2.86 dollars). This rate meant that the new Bahamas dollar was at a slight discount to the US dollar.

Climate:

Average Temperatures	Water Temperature	Air Temperature	Wetsuit Recommendation
January-February	72-75f/22-24c	72-80f/22-27c	Full Wetsuit 3mm or thicker
March	73-77f/23-25c	72-85f/22-29c	Full Wetsuit 3mm or thicker
April	75-79f/24-26c	76-90f24-32c	Shorty or Full Wetsuit
May	77-80f/25-27c	80-90f/27-32c	Skin or Shorty
June	79-81f/26-27c	80-90f/27-32c	None required
July-Sept	81-85f/27-29c	80-90f/27-32c	None required
October	79-82f/26-28c	76-90f/24-32c	Skin or Shorty
November	77-80f/25-27c	72-85f/22-29c	Shorty or Full Wetsuit
December	75-78f/24-26c	72-85f/22-29c	Full Wetsuit 3mm or thicker

Language:  Bahamian is an English-based creole language spoken by approximately 400,000 people in the Bahamas and the Turks and Caicos Islands.

Dive Landscape:   Cat Island’s 150 square miles can fulfill a traveler’s every desire. There are ancient Amerindian campsites, religious ruins, rolling hills, dense woodlands, caves, high bluffs and deserted beaches. Herons feed in the rich wetlands, bonefish skim through the shallows, blue water fish leap from the sea. And beyond the natural beauty, hints of early cultures mingle among the small inns and guest houses.

The island’s north side is wild, untamed shoreline, with superb diving off its south shore where there is an abundance of caves and coral canyons to traverse. Boating, fishing and world-class diving are among the main reasons to go to Cat Island. The pink-sand beaches are also popular and perfect for activities like kayaking and snorkeling right off the beach, or simply picnicking and sunbathing on the sand.

 

Signature Dive Sites: 

Blue Hole: The circular depression leads to a descent along the outer walls 80-100 feet.

First Basin Wall:  Deep-water drop-off facing the Great Bahama Bank – 100-200 feet.

Santa Maria Teresa:  A 360-foot Spanish battleship sunk in 1898 during the Spanish American War, at 20-30 feet.

The Tunnels:  Shore coral garden with a series of crevices, canyons and fissures – 30 feet.

Third Basin Reef Wall:  Nearly vertical drop-off with giant sponges and black coral bushes – 110-130 feet.

White Hole Reef:  Circular depressions in the limestone basin surrounded by coral mounds.