Dive Exuma - Long Island
Long Island often gets overlooked for its flashy neighbours, but for a certain kind of diver, that's exactly the appeal. We're talking about Dive Exuma, not a single site, but a whole philosophy of exploring the lesser-known fringes. Forget the big pelagics for a moment. This is about the macro. We love spending an entire dive just combing through the turtle grass and sandy patches here. You'll spot more weird and wonderful bottom dwellers than you ever thought possible. Think Sand Stargazers peeking out with only their eyes, Pallid Snake Eels weaving through the sand, and a dozen species of gobies – the tiny, brilliant Orangeside and Goldspot Goby are our favourite. The real trick here is to go slow, like, glacial slow. Bring a good magnifying glass for your camera, if that's your thing. It’s perfect for divers who find joy in the miniature, for those who’d rather spend 45 minutes with a Speckled Worm Eel than five seconds with a passing reef shark. It's a true treasure hunt.
- Location
- Long Island, Bahamas, Caribbean
- Coordinates
- 23.506943, -75.767130
Marine Protected Area: Moriah Harbour Cay National Park
Best Time to Dive in Long Island
The warmest water temperatures in Long Island occur in September, averaging 30.1°C. The coolest conditions are in January at 25.1°C.
Monthly Water Temperatures
- January: 25.1°C
- February: 25.3°C
- March: 25.5°C
- April: 26.9°C
- May: 28.1°C
- June: 29.2°C
- July: 29.9°C
- August: 30.0°C
- September: 30.1°C
- October: 29.1°C
- November: 27.5°C
- December: 26.0°C
Nearby Dive Sites in Long Island
- Angelfish Blue Hole - 30-50m (cenote)
- Barracuda Shoals - 10m
- Black Forest - 10-25m (reef)
- CAPTAIN MOXEY - 2m (wreck)
- CARIBBEAN EXPRESS - 10m (wreck)
- Columbus Point
- COMMERCIAL DISPATCH - 5m (wreck)
- Connected dott - 10-20m (reef)
- Deans Blue Hole (cenote)
- Deep South Reef (reef)
- Grandma s Secret Garden (reef)
- Great Cut
- Greenwood Reef (reef)
- Halloween Reef (reef)
- HMS CONQUEROR - 2m (wreck)
Marine Life in Long Island
Home to 366 recorded species including 321 reef fish, 15 hard corals, 7 whales & dolphins, 6 sea snails & nudibranchs, 5 sharks & rays, 4 other.
Notable Species
- Parrotfish (Thalassoma bifasciatum) - Reef Fish
- Bony-eared Assfish (Acanthonus armatus) - Reef Fish
- Saddled Blenny (Malacoctenus triangulatus) - Reef Fish
- Blackcheek Blenny (Starksia lepicoelia) - Reef Fish
- Conklin's cardinalfish (Phaeoptyx conklini) - Reef Fish
- Goldspot Goby (Gnatholepis thompsoni) - Reef Fish
- Yellowhead Wrasse (Halichoeres garnoti) - Reef Fish
- Spaghetti Eel (Moringua edwardsi) - Reef Fish
- Rosy Blenny (Malacoctenus macropus) - Reef Fish
- Rusty Goby (Priolepis hipoliti) - Reef Fish
- Blackfin Spiderfish (Bathypterois phenax) - Reef Fish
- Sharpnose Pufferfish (Canthigaster rostrata) - Reef Fish
- Fairy Basslet (Gramma loreto) - Reef Fish
- Blue Doctor (Acanthurus coeruleus) - Reef Fish
- Tripod Spiderfish (Bathypterois grallator) - Reef Fish
- Slippery Dick (Halichoeres bivittatus) - Reef Fish
- Long-fin Smooth-head (Conocara macropterum) - Reef Fish
- Flamefish (Apogon maculatus) - Reef Fish
- Sand goby (Coryphopterus glaucofraenum) - Reef Fish
- Graysby (Cephalopholis cruentata) - Reef Fish
Recommended Packing List for Dive Exuma
Based on average water temperature of 27.7°C, currents 12 cm/s.
- Shorty or Rashguard - warm 28°C water needs minimal exposure protection
- Mask - essential for every dive
- Fins
- BCD - buoyancy compensator
- Regulator - your most safety-critical piece of gear
- Dive Computer - tracks depth, time, and NDL
- Surface Marker Buoy (SMB) - essential for boat pickups
- Dive Torch - useful for crevices and colour at depth
- Underwater Camera - capture your diving memories