The Islands of the Bahamas
Airport: There are two airports serving The Abaco Islands – Marsh Harbour International Airport (MHH) and Treasure Cay International Airport (TCB). Frequent domestic and international scheduled air service is available and charter services can be arranged through any of the certified local and international carriers. Sea service is provided by Bahamas Ferries and 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.
Diving
Our waters will take your breath away. The diving is excellent throughout The Abaco Islands, with several protected underwater areas such as Fowl Cay National Reserve and Pelican Cays Land and Sea Park, with massive reefs with swim-through caves that are seasonally filled wall to wall with silver baitfish. At dive spots on the edge of the reef, you’re almost guaranteed to see reef sharks.
Reef Diving
Directly exposed to the Atlantic, the reefs of The Abacos take a different form from much of The Bahamas. Many sites are relatively shallow, 60 feet or less. Subjected to slightly cooler temperatures during the winter, they are just on the edge of what hard corals require to survive. The general form of the fringing reefs is an ornate, extinct coral base with a healthy top growth of star and elkhorn corals. The base reef has been etched out by tidal flow to form a maze of interconnecting tunnels and cathedral-like caverns.
Green Turtle Cay features shallow reefs as well as superb fish life, one of the earmarks of The Abacos. There is a huge selection of sites for snorkeling and diving at Marsh Harbour. Maxi-Caves is an historically great spot for comfortable cavern dives where you’ll find friendly groupers and barracuda. Treasure Divers has a full, PADI-certified dive operator located at Treasure Cay Marina.
Cave & Shark Diving
Walker’s Cay, the northernmost island, has been a diving tradition for decades. In addition to myriad mazes of shallow and complex caverns, an abundance of fish and some deeper sloping walls, Walker’s Cay features one of the most unique shark dives in The Bahamas. Groups of up to 150 sharks gather at the sound of the dive boat’s engines in a coral arena to feed on the bait, while divers mingle with them. Some refer to this as an underwater cocktail party.
Signature Dive Sites
THE ORIGINAL TARPON DIVE
Founded by Brendal. Dive with Tarpon at 50′ and hand feed Brendal’s pet “Grouper Junkanoo” all along a wall of coral.
