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Snorkelling and diving in The Bahamas: where to go and what to expect
Where to snorkel and dive in The Bahamas: the Andros wall, Exuma's marine park, Bimini's hammerheads and Grand Bahama's shark dives, plus seasons and rules.
The Bimini Road
In about 20 feet of water off the north-west shore of North Bimini lies a straight line of large, squared limestone blocks that looks for all the world like a submerged road. Discovered in 1968, it has been claimed as the work of Atlantis and much else; geologists have found it to be natural beachrock. Either way it is one of the easiest and most memorable snorkels in The Bahamas.
What it is
The blocks are beachrock, sand and shell cemented into stone along an ancient shoreline and then fractured into regular slabs as the rock settled, a process seen on other coasts. The formation runs for about half a mile and lies in clear, shallow water, so snorkellers can follow it from the surface and divers can swim along its edges.
Visiting
Snorkel and dive operators in Alice Town run short boat trips to the Road, often combined with the SS Sapona wreck to the south and a stop to look for the wild dolphins that live on the banks. Conditions are usually calm in summer; in winter, northerly winds can make the site choppy.
Discovery and legend
The formation was reported in 1968 by divers who were looking for evidence of the psychic Edgar Cayce's 1938 prediction that Atlantis would rise near Bimini in that year, and the Road has carried the association ever since. Geologists who have studied the blocks found them to be beachrock, cemented along an old shoreline and fractured along regular joints as the rock settled, with the same composition as the surrounding seabed. The debate has done the island no harm: the site is one of the most visited in Bimini, and nearby the Three Sisters rocks and the reefs of the north shore add to a snorkelling day.
What to see and do
Snorkel the Road
Follow the line of blocks in clear, shallow water.
SS Sapona wreck
A concrete ship grounded in 1926, snorkelled on the same trip.
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Common questions
Is the Bimini Road man-made?
Geological studies describe it as natural beachrock fractured into blocks. The Atlantis theories are part of its folklore rather than its science.
Can beginners snorkel the Bimini Road?
Yes. It lies in shallow, usually calm water, and operators provide gear and guidance.