Resort Report: Cape Eleuthera Resort & Marina

From the movie wrecks of New Providence and the sharks of Grand Bahama to the blue holes of Andros and the big walls of San Salvador, the Islands of the Bahamas offers a lifetime of diving adventures. Some of these are easily accessed from popular resorts, others are visited by liveaboard. Adding to the list are some less-visited hidden gems that reward divers who go the extra mile.

Which brings us to Cape Eleuthera Resort, and a collection of memorable underwater experiences that are not widely known in diving circles, but certainly worth discovering. The resort is located on the southwest tip of it's namesake island, at the point where the waters of the Atlantic meet the depths of Exuma Sound. Yachtsmen are familiar with the destination, as the 4,500-acre Cape Eleuthera property encompasses one of the Bahama's best marinas. It is a quiet, upscale outpost flanked by three private beaches. Fishermen are close to blue water gamefish action and expansive bonefish flats. Divers are equally rewarded by an underwater landscape that transitions from coral mazes to a precipitous wall that stretches for more than 20 miles to either side of the resort.

Resort accommodations are equally well suited for couples, families and dive groups. The marina docks are overlooked by two-bedroom villas, while nearby Sunset Beach offers ocean view bungalows. The grounds include a pool, fitness facilities, restaurant and bar. Guests can enjoy spa services, water sports and complimentary bicycles for exploring the island. The PADI Five-Star dive center is centrally located at the marina, with a number of popular dive sites just minutes away.

Divers who have visited the southern shore of Eleuthera Island give the area top marks for water clarity, marine life and the sheer variety of underwater experiences that can be found within minutes of the dock. The most dramatic dives are along the wall that parallels the coast. Signature sites include Cut N' Run, where a smuggler's airplane wreck sits on a sand and coral plateau adjacent to the drop-off, and Shark Wall, known for the frequent appearance of gray reef sharks. 

Drifting along a mile-deep cliff face in the company of pelagic predators is always memorable, but there's a lot more to experience in south Eleuthera waters. The upper reaches of the wall and the coral formations closer to shore are riddled with caverns and swim throughs. Sites with names like Cave Rock, Split Coral Head and Cut Through City hint at the maze-like tunnels and grottoes that divers can explore at middle depths. The shadowy recesses of these natural grottoes are often filled with grouper and schooling snapper. Eagle rays and stingrays populate sand flats, while scattered coral heads hold a wealth of macro subjects.

A must-do site at Cape Eleuthera is the Cobia Cage. Constructed for an experimental fish farming project, and now abandoned, this pyramid-shaped mass of mesh rises 50 above the seabed and has acquired a coating of corals and sponges. The structure attracts a wide range of marine life, including schooling fish, turtles and sharks.

A must-do site at Cape Eleuthera is the Cobia Cage. Constructed for an experimental fish farming project, and now abandoned, this pyramid-shaped mass of mesh rises 50 above the seabed and has acquired a coating of corals and sponges. The structure attracts a wide range of marine life, including schooling fish, turtles and sharks.

The underwater landscape also includes several of the blue holes that are unique to the Bahamas. Some of these entrances into the Swiss cheese-like limestone sub strait of the Bahamas are dead-end depressions in the seabed, but others connect to underground chambers and cave networks that create an ebb and flow of tidal currents. One of the most notable in the Cape Eleuthera area is Jake's Hole, where the moving waters nurture a ring of coral around a 30-foot-wide window into the underworld.

Accessing the world-class dive sites of Cape Eleuthera begins with a flight to the International airport on New Providence Island. The resort is 20 minutes away by taxi or a resort shuttle, and travers can also rent a car to explore more of the island. Caradonna can arrange all the details of a dive vacation at Cape Eleuthera, call us today or email sales@caradonna.com for more information.