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The Lonely Planet Diving & Snorkelling Bahamas Guide by Michael Lawrence
The Lonely Planet Diving & Snorkelling Bahamas Guide by Michael Lawrence
The Bahamas are among my favourite diving destinations, not least because, within a week's time-frame, they are so easy to get to and from. Not to be confused with the islands of the Caribbean, they lie well out into the Atlantic, north of Cuba and east of Florida.
Their name comes from baja mar, Spanish for 'shallow sea', and many islands are surrounded by the vibrant turquoise effect that you get with such waters. However, other islands lie in very deep water, so Bahamas diving offers a tremendous degree of variety. And being so close to the deep waters of the Atlantic, the shallow seas get more than their fair share of visiting pelagics.
This is not one but several diving destinations. There is something for everyone, but it's important that you choose the part that suits you.
This is where the new Lonely Planet guide comes in useful. It covers sharks, dolphins, wrecks, reefs and walls; and the Bahamas offers all these types of dive, though not necessarily in the same place. There are also blue holes and bluewater dive sites for those with the skills and inclination to tackle them.
The book might look a bit American in its presentation but the USA must represent the primary source of business for Bahamas dive-centre operators, who are among the most switched-on to the advantages of publicity in the world. I'm sure they have all given maximum assistance to the author, Michael Lawrence, in his collation of the material. It all seems to be accurate and little seems to have been omitted.
The book follows the usual Lonely Planet diving and snorkelling guide format, listing sites by their suitability for various levels of diver, and the author has plenty of his own photographs to whet the appetite. These give a very fair impression of what you might expect to see.
Few of the dives are classified as being 'advanced'. If you are not interested in diving close to sharks or disappearing into a cenote-style cave system, you might find the diving rather tame. It is generally easy and often not very deep, but what's wrong with that? Get a copy of this book before choosing your island, and avoid disappointment when you get there.
John Bantin
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The Lonely Planet Diving & Snorkelling Bahamas Guide by Michael Lawrence (Lonely Planet , 0207 428 4800). Softback, 176pp, £10.99
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