Diving

The island is located on the continental shelf and provides tremendous underwater scenery including abundant sea life, spectacular coral formations and wreck diving. The wall dives around the island provide a tremendous forum for discovery and are among the most spectacular in the Caribbean. Coral heads, fractures, caves, wrecks and exotic marine life are abundant.

The undisturbed coral formations are in close proximity to the shore and beach dives and yacht dives provide easy access to the cornucopia of diving delights available to divers of all levels.

Dolphins, turtle sightings and other large animal sightings are frequent. Rum Cay is ideal for underwater photography as the undisturbed reefs teem with activity. Countless wreck dives including the HMS Conqueror, which sunk in 1861, provides a glimpse into the Caribbean romantic past.

Caves and mysterious blue holes tempt your exploration while providing excitement for the expert and novice alike. The island is ideal for night dives in sheltered coves. Free diving for lobsters, conch and grouper are popular among the locals. Adventure diving with Bobby Little is also a must when visiting Rum Cay. Rum Cay diving is simply one of the most incredible diving destinations on this planet according to many diving aficionados who have had the good fortune to dive Rum Cay. From a diver’s perspective Rum Cay’s moniker as the “unspoiled jewel of the Bahamas” could not be more descriptive.

Dive Sites

An amazing underwater paradise awaits for scuba divers to explore a limitless variety of diving sites which come alive with all imaginable species of coral, feather worms, brittle stars, purple sea fans, gigantic sponges, and schools of dazzlingly colored friendly fish. Among the sites, you will discover limestone foundations spanning millions of years of creation.

Rum Cay diving covers the coral gamut with beach entry dives to shallow coral gardens, to dives exceeding 110 feet to explore deep water corals along the drop-offs. Rum Cay is especially well known for its spectacular wall dives. According to “Rodale's Scuba Diving Magazine”- “Rum Cay, in the southern Bahamas, features steep and deep wall dives with virgin reef beauty.”

Dynamite Wall is a fine example of the dividable tunnels that cut deep into the reef walls of Rum Cay. Staghorn and other species hang from the wall and sides of the canyons.

On Rum Cay's Northwest Wall deep sites such as Pinder Reef hold predictable sightings of sharks, rays and barracuda. Elsewhere divers explore tunnels and canyons that cut into the reef base under Rum Cay.

The main attraction is the Grand Canyon Dive site, a 60 foot coral wall that almost touches the surface of the water. Wreck diving is popular in Rum Cay as the island owes its name to a Rum Ship that capsized off its shores. HMS Conqueror is a spectacularly preserved Caribbean wreck dive providing a glimpse into the regions swashbuckling past. The HMS Conqueror is known as the “Underwater Museum of the Bahamas” and lies just 30 feet off of the islands shores.

The entire island is virtually surrounded by fine, white coral sand, making it very easy to walk, relax and enjoy. Undisturbed dive sites where staghorn coral thrive and turtle sightings are common including Sumner Reef.

Lessons and Equipment Available

Local dive masters provide diving excursions and tours, equipment, certifications and memories that will last a lifetime. For questions or information on scheduling a dive click here.