It is not only the rich underwater environment that beckons visitors, but the unique topside culture of the islands and its interconnection with the surrounding ocean.Beaches and boating, fishing and farming, eating and drinking, conch salad and cool tropical breezes, the quiet lilting sound of the local language - all of this is part of the thick, rich tapestry that defines the Bahamas.The islands’ history is rich with stories of smuggling, piracy, ship wrecking (the practice of drawing unwary ships onto the shallow reefs surrounding the islands and plundering their cargo) and the lives of marooned sailors, escaped slaves, wanderers and an eclectic population simply seeking a new way of life. This sense of life exploration has drawn the people of the Bahamas together to form a union of strong and distinct citizens.

As a visitor, one may expect to be greeted warmly and treated with the normal Bahamian sense of hospitality. As a diver, one may expect to encounter virtually anything the central southwestern corner of the Atlantic has to offer. There are rich shallow reefs, plunging walls, and a wealth of reef inhabitants along with oceanic visitors cruising in from the surrounding depths. The islands of the Bahamas will never fail to surprise you, both above as well as beneath the waves