The blue holes of the Bahamas are unique geological features as they are the only tidal blue holes in the world.
Blue holes are underwater caves, so called because of their coloration when viewed from above; the dark blue deep water in the ‘holes’ contrasts with the light blue shallow water surrounding them.
The current theory is that these underwater caves were formed above sea level a number of ice ages ago when sea levels were about 400 feet lower. When sea levels rose many became submerged. Around Exuma there are a number of blue holes that are connected to inland sinkholes.
As the blue holes are tidal, for safety, they can only be visited at a slack tide, as the tidal pull is very strong.
ANGELFISH BLUE HOLE
Angelfish Blue Hole is located in an enclosed bay off Stocking Island, it reaches a maximum diving depth of 92 feet and there is a chamber that you can swim through when at the bottom.
A school of hose-eye jacks circle around the entrance to the hole as large blue parrotfish dart past. The bay that Angelfish blue hole is located in, is home to a school of eagle rays and turtles. They will often pass by the blue hole during our dive trip.
MYSTERY CAVE
Mystery Cave is located at the entrance of the same bay Angelfish Blue Hole is found. This cave system runs under Stocking Island and explorers, including Jacques-Yves Cousteau, have proved that the system links to an inland blue hole.
Requiring technical dive skills to safely visit this cave we visit here as a snorkel site rather than a dive site
The entrance to Mystery Cave is a beautiful snorkeling spot where snapper, grunts, schoolmaster, sergeant major and a school of Atlantic spadefish can be seen.