Bahamas

The La Crevasse dive site is a fifty minute ride from the Riding Rock Marina.
The dive site is offshore near the blow hole on French Bay.
Type of mooring: Fixed line with a pickup line on a float ball.

Site briefing: The bottom under the boat is 35 feet of heavy growth coral reef. The wall at the La Crevasse dive site is 35 feet and runs parallel to shore. There is a series of big crevices and tunnels that runes through the wall from a sandy area to the edge of the wall at 100 feet. The main crevice is over 200 feet long and branches off into several caves and tunnels. There is a smaller series of crevices to the east. The entire dive can be spent swimming through and exploring la crevasse. There is an abundance of coral and fish along the edge and on top of the wall. The visibility is usually not good if the site is rough. The wall is very sheer and drops from 40 feet to 150 quite dramatically.

How to dive it: Swim out over the wall and descend to 100 feet at the mouth of the crevice. Follow it in towards shore watching for the connecting tunnels to your right. Turn around at 50 feet and return to the wall edge through some of the parallel crevices and tunnels. Finish up the dive on top of the wall near the boat.

We go there: Usually as the first dive of the day or as a shore dive.

The Double Caves dive site is thirty five minute ride from the Riding Rock Marina.

Dive site is offshore from the end of Sandy Point beach.

Type of mooring: fixed line with a pickup line on a float ball.

Site briefing: The bottom under the boat is 35 feet deep on a heavy coral reef. The Double Caves dive site got its name because there is a big cave formation with two parallel caves leading out to the wall at 115 feet. The caves begin as sand crevices that start in the shallow sand flats and they are joined in the middle section of the wall by a long crevice at 80 feet. The wall itself is very dramatic and fall abruptly from 40 feet to over 150. The coral and sponge growth is very heavy along the side and top of the wall. There is an additional cave system about 120 feet west from the double caves. Sharks and schools of jacks are often seen here. There will be lots of fish activity along the top of the wall.

How to dive it: Swim out into the shallow sand flat at 40 feet below the boat. Swim into the crevice under the boat and follow it down to 85 feet to the entrance to the first cave, you will see blue water about 70 feet out. Go through the cave and exit near the big black coral trees. The second cave is somewhat smaller and to your right and will lead you back up to the top of the wall. Or take a left and swim along the wall looking out and down. Spend all of the dive within 250 feet of the boat on the outer edge of the wall or the sand plain side.

We go there: Usually on the first dive of the day.

The Black Forest dive site is thirty five minute ride from the Riding Rock Marina.

Dive site is offshore from the south end of sandy point.

Type of mooring: Boat anchor in the sand flats.

Site briefing: The depth under the boat is 40 feet on a mixed sand and coral bottom. The wall here is a straight cliff from 40 feet down to 160 and is an overhang in many places. Several big tunnels and crevices run through the wall and open out at 90 to 100feet on the side. There are plenty of deep water gorgonians, black coral trees and elephant ear sponges hanging off the side of the wall. Visibility is generally excellent and sharks are often seen. The top of the wall has heavy coral growth due to the frequent current around the end of the island. There is generally lots of fish activity. There are two smaller crevices near the boat anchorage that lead through the wall. Going west along the wall there is a small tunnel leading back to the top of the wall at about 100 feet. Beyond that is a huge cut in the wall about 60 feet across with a bottom at 110 feet. This leads into the wall and branches in two as you ascend through it back to the top of the wall.

How to dive it: Swim across the sand and down into the first crevice you see that heads toward the drop off. Take a left after you come out over the wall and swim along at 100 feet scanning out and down. Turn into the biggest cut and ascend back up to the top of the wall. Turn around and swim east to return to the boat.

We go there: usually as the first dive of the day. French Bay is generally rough and is not on the lee side of the island. Dives at the Black Forest dive site are only done when the weather and sea conditions are appropriate.

The Dolittle’s Grotto dive site is thirty minute ride from the Riding Rock Marina.
Dive site is offshore from a house on the end of sandy point.
Type of mooring: fixed line with a pickup line on a float ball.

Site briefing: The depth of the Dolittle’s Grotto dive site under the boat is about 40 feet on a gradual sand slope to the wall. The wall here is basically a sand slope from 30 to 140 feet. It is broken up by two parallel ridges of coral each over 50 feet thick. The ridges are riddled with tunnels that allow you to make your way down the wall through them. The big ridge near the boat has four tunnels that lead to a sand bottom valley between the shallow and deep ridges. The second coral ridge has two bigger crevices splitting it into three sections. The top of the outer coral is 60 feet and the deeper crevices will bring you out to a big sand valley at 120 feet. There is usually a big school of horse eye jacks meandering over the reef the entire dive. Big corals and barrel sponges are common about the reef.
How to dive it: Swim across the sand slope to the tunnel on the south end of the shallower ridge. Go through that tunnel and then follow the big crevice in front of you out to the deeper valley. Bear right around the outer ridge at 120 feet and follow the second crevice back up to 80 feet. Pick one of the two tunnels in front of you to return back toward the boat. Finish the dive above the shallower ridge near the boat.

We go there: usually as the first dive of the day.

The Sandy Point Cave dive site is a thirty minute ride from the Riding Rock Marina.
Dive site is offshore from grotto beach.
Type of mooring: boat anchor in large sand patch.

Site briefing: The depth under the boat is 35 feet. The reef on top of the Sandy Point Cave dive site is hardpan and coral and there is a big sand area that leads to a sandy bottom crevice which spills over the wall. To the south is a sheer mini wall from 30 feet to 110 that looks over a sandy slope to the wall. To the north the wall slopes quickly down to 120 where it is a sand slope to the outer wall. A large cave runs from 110 feet through the first wall and leads up to a plateau at 90 feet. Beyond the plateau is a huge coral head about 80 feet across that rises up to 70 feet. There are big barrel sponges all around the reef and wall. Sharks are occasionally seen over the deeper wall. Lots of schools of chromis and Creole wrasse hovering over the shallow south side wall.

How to dive it: Swim across the sand flat to the cut at the edge of the wall. Head right and down the wall to 80 feet swim north about 150 feet looking for a big cut in the wall. Enter the cut under an overhang at 110 feet and swim through past the big black coral trees to the plateau at 90 feet. If you have time and air go out and around the big coral head and then follow the shallow wall south back to the boat.

The Orbit’s Canyon dive site is twenty five minute ride from the Riding Rock Marina.
Dive site is offshore from Clear Pond.
Type of mooring: fixed line with a pickup line on a float ball.

Site briefing: The depth under the boat is 45 feet on a hardpan and coral bottom. The wall is behind the boat and drops from 45 feet to 120 feet on a rolling slope cut by several tunnels and caves. The main canyon starts with a crevice on the south side which leads down to a tunnel at 90 feet. The tunnel bottoms out at 115 feet in the sand. Two caves lead out over the second wall at 120 to 130 feet. Going north the tunnel leads to a plateau at 90 feet and then a huge coral head out on the edge of the wall about 200 feet north of the boat. The wall becomes more vertical about 150 feet south of the boat and there are big schools of grunts and schoolmaster around a beautiful shallow reef area. Sharks are often seen at the Orbit’s Canyon dive site out over the deeper plateaus at 90 to 100 feet. There are plentiful fish varieties and rich coral growth on the slope.

How to dive it: Swim across the top of the wall to the crevice leading down to the canyon. Descend through the canyon and into the tunnel. Go through the tunnel and exit out over the plateau at 90 feet. Go out to and around the coral head before ascending back to the top of the wall. Swim south along the edge of the wall under the boat and further south to the pretty reef area with schools of fish. Return north to the boat.

We go there: usually as the first dive of the day.

The Great Cut dive site is a twenty five minute ride from the Riding Rock Marina.
Dive site is offshore from Clear Pond.
Type of mooring: fixed line with a pickup line on a float ball.

Site briefing: The depth of the Great Cut dive site under the boat is 40 feet on a hardpan and coral bottom. The wall is behind the boat and drops from 40 feet to 110 feet into a huge crack in the reef. A ridge is formed by a section of the wall that has split off and runs parallel to the wall about 50 feet away. This ridge is about 60 feet at the top and is about 250 long. In the middle of the ridge a tunnel passes through to the outer wall. It is shaped like a keyhole with the top at 95 feet and the sandy bottom going from 110 to 150 feet on a slope. Going north the ridge ends in a vertical cliff and to the south it reconnects with the wall in a rolling slope from 40 to 80 feet. There are several schools of grunts on the top of the ridge and huge elephant ear sponges on the north end of the ridge. The face of the shallow wall section has several big coral outcroppings hanging over the big cut.

How to dive it: Swim across the top of the wall and drop down into the great cut. Look for several hanging rope sponges at 85 feet, they mark the entrance to the tunnel. You will see blue water through the tunnel. Pass through the tunnel and bear right around the ridge at 120 to 100 feet. Follow around the ridge until it brings you back to the tunnel. Ascend to the top of the ridge and follow it south about 200 feet and back up to the edge of the wall. Follow the 40 foot wall edge north back to the boat.

We go there: usually as the first dive of the day.

The North Pole Cave dive site is a twenty five minute ride from marina.
Dive site is offshore from tall pole north of Clear Pond.
Type of mooring: fixed line with a pickup line on a float ball.

Site briefing: The depth under the boat is 35 feet on coral and hardpan bottom. The wall of the North Pole Cave dive site is just behind the boat and drops sharply from 40 feet to over 150 feet. To the north slightly the reef slopes gently to 65 feet and in the middle of the slope is a vertical cave leading down to a crevice that runs out over the wall at 110 to 150 feet. The cave looks like the kind of chimney that Santa Claus might drop through, hence the name. The vertical cave is half moon shaped and big enough for a diver to go down horizontally in free fall position. The crevice that it becomes is 4 to 10 feet wide and goes to the south. You need to watch your depth gauge as it is easy to drop well below 130 feet as you swim through the crevice. No light is needed. There is a long cut to the north of the cave that leads back up to the shallow top of the wall. This is the fishiest reef on the lee side. There are big schools of grunts, schoolmasters and Bermuda chubs. There is heavy coral growth along the wall edge and big sponges on the side of the deep wall around 100 feet. The mooring line is anchored near some beautiful pillar coral. Hammerheads are frequently seen passing on this dive. One of our favorite dives.

How to dive it: Swim across the top of the wall to the cave. Descend through the cave and swim over the big coral bridge at 100 feet. Go through the crevice at 120 feet and swim out over the deep drop. Take a left and swim north around the massive coral outcropping as you ascend to 100 feet. swim north about 150 feet to the big crevice on your right. Go up the cut to the top of the wall and work your way back to the boat on top of the wall.
We go there: usually on the first dive.

The Hole in the Wall dive site is offshore from the settlement of Longbay.
Type of mooring: fixed line with a pick up line on a float ball.

Site briefing: The depth under the boat is 35 feet at the shallow coral ridge and 50 feet over the sand cut. The boat may hang over a shallow reef or over the Hole in the Wall dive site depending on the wind shift. The wall here is a combination of a double wall and a straight wall. There are two narrow crevices that join together and lead out to a long groove between the main reef and a long ridge that runs parallel to it about 60 feet away. The top of the main reef is 40 to 50 feet and the outer ridge is 60 feet on top. At the south end of the groove on the left is a huge indentation in the wall. The indentation is about 100 feet across and penetrates in about 150 feet. The bottom drifts from 90 feet to 120 feet. To the south of the big cut the wall becomes vertical again. The outer side of the ridge has many big sponges and soft corals. One of the largest gorgonians on the island is at the joining of the ridge and the wall at about 70 feet. The north side of the hole in the wall has lots of fish primarily schoolmasters. The shallow ridge on the north side of the mooring leads to a magnificent pillar coral in 50 feet.

How to dive it: This dive site frequently has a current due to tidal water flowing over nearby Gardeners Reef. Swim along the top of the wall to the smaller crevices and then through them and out to the hole in the wall. If the current is strong along the wall edge take a left up into the hole in the wall and finish up the dive in this area before heading to the boat. If there is no current swim out over the deep wall at 100 feet and around the outer ridge. Go around it and then left (northeast) for about 150 feet. Come back up to the top of the ridge and then cross it and swim into the hole in the wall.
We go there: usually as first or afternoon dive.

The Shark Alley dive site is a twelve minute ride from the Riding Rocks Marina.
Dive site is located offshore of the settlement of Longbay.
Type of mooring: fixed line with a pick up line on a float ball.

Site briefing: The depth under the boat is 45 feet on a hard pan and sand groove type bottom with scattered coral heads. The wall is behind the boat with the drop off running away from shore at an angle. The wall is staggered with a drop from 45 feet to 80 feet and then again to 120 feet. Several large coral heads come up to 60 feet of depth and 50 feet away from the wall and form a ridge that runs about 200 feet to the right or northeast. There are several coral tunnels that penetrate this ridge and lead out over the wall. At the end of the ridge are a few more coral caves. A large pillar coral head is on top of the wall just north of the first coral head. Sharks are frequently seen off in the deep of the Shark Alley dive site or over the 80 foot plateau. Plenty of reef fish on top of the wall and some rare hamlets in the deeper area.

How to dive it: Swim across the reef and then over the wall to the first big coral head on the right. Follow the outside of the ridge looking out and swim along about 200 feet then double back on the edge of the wall. If time and air remain swim to the south west along the edge of the wall before returning to the boat.
We go there: usually as the first or afternoon dive.

The Devil’s Claw dive site is a fifteen minute ride from the marina.
Dive site is offshore from the settlement of Longbay.
Type of mooring: fixed line with a pick up line on a float ball.

Site briefing: The depth under the boat is 45 feet on a hard pan bottom with small sand grooves and scattered coral heads. The claw is a triple crevice formation with a free standing coral head offshore of the wall. From above the three cuts look like the fingers of a claw with the coral head being the heel of the paw. The wall here is a double drop, first from 45 feet to 80 feet then again from about 100 feet to 150 where the wall slopes out to the deep cliff. Big marine life like sharks are seen out over both deep plateaus. There are lots of nice corals around the crevices and some big elephant ear sponges in the deeper area. Two small pillar coral colonies mark the ends of the crevices. Quillfin blennies have been seen many times at the bottom of the Devil’s Claw dive site. This dive site usually has a good variety of fish.

How to dive it: Swim across the reef bottom to the series of crevices. After exploring them continue to the right or northeast and swim along the outer wall about 100 feet more, there are a few more coral caves to look through. Return along the wall past the devils claw and swim over it and descend along the wall in a southwesterly direction to a large coral outcropping about 150 feet away. After checking this area out return along the top of the wall to the boat.
We go there: usually as the first or afternoon dive.

The Snapshot dive site is a seven minute ride from the Riding Rock Marina.
Dive site is located just offshore of a stone wall along the roadside about one mile from Cockburn Town.
Type of mooring: boat anchor in a big sand plain.

Site briefing: The depth under the boat is 18 feet, 20 with a shovel. The reef area consists of dozens of small star coral heads that come up to about 5 feet of depth. The main reef at is about two acres in size and has several large schools of fish. Grunts, snappers, goatfish and squirrelfish are easy to approach. At the Snapshot dive site you will see a famous squirrelfish named Crazy Mary and her large family that are out in the open to see and photograph. There are a few old anchors used as photo props and a nice colorful reef to see. This has been a favorite dive site of professional photographers to shoot models and products over the last twenty-five years. Watch out for the fire coral encrusted soft corals in the sandy area surrounding the main reef.

How to dive it: Swim around the outside of the reef and then across to see the schools of fish. Take your time observing the marine life and looking for macro critters.
We go there: usually as the second dive of the day or as the last dive before flying.

The Shangrila dive site is an eight minute ride from the Riding Rock Marina.
Dive site is located offshore about a mile and a half south of Cockburn Town.
Type of mooring: fixed line with a pick up line on a float ball.

Site briefing: The depth under the boat is about 40 feet in a sand and scattered coral rubble area. The top of the reef is over 150 feet wide before becoming sand and small coral heads. The drop off is behind the boat and forms a big curve about 200 feet from end to end. This big curve in the wall drops down sheer to about 100 feet where a plateau stretches between the two ends. Many days you can see from one side to the other. A beautiful pillar coral head at 50 feet marks the north end of the dive site. Sharks, barracuda, groupers, and hamlets are commonly seen at the Shangrila dive site. Excellent growth of sponges along the bowl section of the wall. Lots of good small creatures in the shallow rubble and sand area.

How to dive it: Swim to the pillar coral head at the north end of the reef and descend over the wall to about 80 feet, swim the length of the curve at depth and ascend to the top of the wall beyond the south end of the curve. Follow the top edge of the wall back to the boat.

Vicky’s Reef dive site is a seven minute ride from the Riding Rock Marina.
The dive site is located offshore about one mile from Cockburn Town.
Type of mooring: boat anchor in a big sand plain.

Site briefing: The depth under the boat is 35 to 40 feet to the sand. The reef is a strip of coral 50 to 120 feet wide. The wall drops vertically from 40 feet to 110 and forms a narrow plateau that rolls down to 140 feet before dropping straight again. The wall face has lots of black coral trees, encrusted sponges and small creatures like bluebell tunicates. Vicky’s Reef dive site is also a continuous reef monitoring project of the local field station and there are several colored makers spread around the top of the wall. The name stems from a diving guest named Vicky who lost a watch on the dive. It was recovered several weeks later hanging on a coral along the wall. Stingrays, turtles, groupers and mutton snappers are commonly seen.

How to dive it: Swim along the lip of the wall in both directions about 200 feet. Do the return swims where the sand meets the reef to make a rectangular pattern. Descend along the edge of the wall is bottom time permits.

We go there: usually as the second or afternoon dive of the day.

The Grouper Gulley dive site is a six minute ride from the Riding Rock Marina.
The dive site is located offshore four telephone poles south of the concrete sluice.
Type of mooring: boat anchor in a big sand plain.

Site briefing: the depth under the boat is 35 to 40 feet in the sand. The wall is behind the boat parallel to shore. A beautiful coral head at the edge of the reef marks the middle of the dive site. It always has a big school of blue chromis hovering above. There are several gullies to swim through along the wall. Two of them are right in the middle of the dive site. The wall makes a big curve with a deep plateau that the gullies lead to. At the north end of the curve the wall runs as a straight cliff up to telephone pole. To the south it has several ledges and rolls gradually down to 120 feet. There are plenty of schooling goatfish and snappers in the middle reef area. The Grouper Gulley dive site is a great reef for tame fish, small creatures and big coral formations. Sharks, barracudas, stingrays and turtles are often seen. Swimming crinoids, nudibranchs, neck crabs and wire coral shrimps are found on the lip of the wall.

How to dive it: Swim along the edge of the wall for 250 feet in both directions and check out the action where the reef meets the sand. Go into some of the caves and gullies if you have the time at depth.
We go there: usually as a second or night dive.

The Telephone Pole Dive Site is a five minute ride from the Riding Rock Marina.
This dive site is located directly off shore from a drainage sluice for one of the ponds.
Type of mooring: boat anchor in a big sand plain.

Site briefing: The depth under the boat is 35 to 40 feet of open sand flats. The wall is behind the boat running parallel to shore. The coral strip on the edge of the wall varies from 40 to 100 feet in width. A large crevice runs through the face of the wall starting in 35 feet in the sand flat and dropping to 100 feet at the bottom of the cut out on the edge of the wall. The Telephone Pole dive site got its name from the time there was a telephone pole wedged over the crevice in the sandy entrance to the cut. It has been broken in half by storm surge and flushed down into the chute. The reef remains a sheer wall for about 200 feet north where it breaks up into a series of coral heads and a sand slope. Going south it remains a straight wall up to the next dive site grouper gully. Big southern stingrays, friendly grouper, mutton snappers, turtles and ocean triggerfish are common here. Several schools of goatfish hover over the edge of the reef. A huge purple gorgonian marks the northern edge of the telephone pole cut and has been often photographed for magazine articles since 1974. This dive has been a divers favorite for some 24 years.

How to dive it: Swim over to the cut and follow through it and out over the wall. Head north along the wall and follow it until it breaks up to coral heads. Return along the edge of the sand flats past the boat and follow the wall south about 200 feet. Turn around and follow the edge of the reef back to the boat.
We go there: usually as the second dive of the morning trip.

The RRI Wall dive site is a two minute ride from the marina. This Dive site is located directly in front of the Riding Rock Resort.

Type of mooring: fixed line with pick up line on a float ball.

Site briefing: The depth under the boat is forty feet with the back of the boat trailing over the wall. The drop off of the RRI wall dive site is very dramatic and forms a straight cliff down to 100 feet. The edge of the wall varies from 40 to 50 feet. There is a sloping plateau that drifts from 100 to 160 feet before becoming vertical to la la land. The top of the wall is fairly flat with some excellent macro subjects along the edge. One of the few sites that we see fingerprint cyphomas. We frequently dive here at night and find lots of small creatures like orange ball corallimorphs, neck crabs and nudibranchs. There are some large sand patches to search towards shore. Hammerheads are occasionally seen swimming above the plateau.

How to dive it: Cover a rectangular area along the wall in both directions and also 100 feet in from the wall. The deeper wall from 60 down has some beautiful growth and a few large coral heads in 120 feet of water. We go there: usually as a second or night dive.

The Runway 10 dive spot can be reached within a short three-minute boat ride from the Riding Rock Marina. This particular dive location lies directly offshore of the island’s airport runway. The mooring setup here consists of a fixed line with a pick-up line attached to a float ball, making it convenient for divers to anchor.
Before diving, a thorough site briefing is provided, revealing that the water depth under the boat is approximately forty feet, with the vessel positioned close to the edge of an impressive wall. Along the edge of this drop-off, divers will find a multitude of large coral heads, creating a captivating underwater landscape that varies in depth from forty to sixty feet before dramatically plunging to a depth of 100 feet. Beyond that, a sloping ledge leads to even greater depths, reaching 200 feet before transforming into a striking vertical wall once more.

Site Briefing: The marine life at Runway 10 is abundant and diverse. Schools of grunts gracefully hover around the top of the reef, offering a mesmerizing sight. Towards the shore, several large sand patches provide habitat for fascinating creatures such as queen conch, yellow head jawfish, sand tilefish, and yellow stingrays. Divers can also anticipate encounters with friendly groupers and mutton snappers, adding to the allure of this site.

Remarkably, Hammerhead sharks have been known to make occasional appearances, swimming parallel to the wall above the deep ledge, an awe-inspiring spectacle for those fortunate enough to witness it. When night falls, the underwater world at Runway 10 transforms, with frequent sightings of basket starfish, octopuses, crabs, and pufferfish. Additionally, lucky divers might come across lobsters and rare nudibranchs, adding a touch of excitement to the nocturnal experience.

Make The Most of Your Dive: To make the most of the dive, it’s recommended to explore a substantial 200-foot section in each direction along the wall, providing ample opportunities to encounter the diverse marine life and witness the stunning underwater topography. For the return swim, divers are advised to venture 100 feet in from the wall, further immersing themselves in the breathtaking surroundings.
The depths of 60 to 100 feet along the wall face offer a particularly enchanting display of nature, boasting beautiful elephant ear sponges and a plethora of sponge and coral encrustations, creating an immersive and unforgettable dive experience.

Divers often choose to visit Runway 10 as either their second or night dive, maximizing their underwater adventures during the day. With its captivating marine life, stunning coral formations, and occasional appearances of majestic Hammerhead sharks, this dive site promises to be an unforgettable and cherished destination for all diving enthusiasts.