I wanted to mention one of the wonderful tours we took while on the island. Bahamas EcoVentures is a tour that runs on Grand Bahama Island.
We took tour # 1 which is an airboat tour, which consists of a 4 hour nature tour through the mangroves. For $79 per person the tour begins with complimentary pick up at your hotel. While still in the tour bus you are given a waiver to sign in case you are hurt. Next you are taken to Hawksbill Creek where the tour begins. Before taking off on the airboat you are given life jackets and are told safety procedures.
On the airboat you are then handed a pair of ear plugs because the boat is very loud. The boat itself is roomy, comfortable, and the tour guide was not only full of bubbly personality, but she was also very knowledgeable in the plant life, animal life (land and sea), the mangrove, and the history of the area and the island.
The airboat first glides calmly over some large blue holes which plunge at depths of up to 80 feet. These blue holes were spectacular to look into from the boat as the waters are crystal clear. Inside the blue holes numerous fish swim about, and you are able to take photos.
After looking in at the blue holes, the airboat then quickly races off through the mangroves, which are areas that no normal boats could reach due to how shallow the waters are.
While flying at top speeds through the mangroves, the boat would slow up whenever we came across small sharks.
We spotted many different small sharks, and hammerheads were in an abundance in some areas. We also spotted plenty of stone fish, needle nose fish, baby barracuda, reef sharks, black tip sharks and more.
The hammerhead sharks were amongst some of my favorite sharks to spot, and they swam out in the open. The smaller reef sharks stuck to where small trees grew from the sea. We were told they do this to feast on baby birds that happen to fall into the shallow waters.
Can You Spot The Baby Reef Sharks Fin In This Photograph?
About an hour into riding through the area on the airboat we stopped to do some snorkeling in a collection of blue holes. The waters were extremely murky and hard to walk in. The water got no deeper than 3 feet, however while snorkeling around the blue holes you could swim down to deeper levels if you felt up to it. Some of the blue holes plunged down to very deep depths, while others you could easily tough the bottom.
Snorkeling around was an experience to say the least, and was a lot of fun.
After snorkeling, we then switched up on who got to sit next to the guide. The captains chair allows you to see more of the area as it's seated higher up above anyone else. The seating was fantastic and memorable.
Before setting up on Mangrove Cay a small deserted island, the tour guide ran the boat at full speed and showed us what it was capable of doing. Mind blowing turns, twists, and it was able to reach through areas one would not imagine.
A Small Cay In The Distance. There Are Many Of These Small Islands Here
After the fun speed ride around the area we walked off of the boat onto the deserted Mangrove Cay, where picture taking took place. Mangrove Cay was spectacular with tons of tiny sea shells, and scenery that could take your breath away. One really neat picture opportunity was the deadwood bush that stuck up out of the sea.
Homemade lunch and beverages were served on the beach, and the authentic Bahamian cuisine was fantastic.
After lunch we packed up due to an oncoming storm in the distance.
Overall EcoVentures was worth every penny, and an adventure worth writing home about. If in Grand Bahama Island, definitely be sure to check them out, the tour is well worth it. Click for more information.
