WESTERN VENTURER - Long Island
The Western Venturer isn't a deep dive, but don't let the zero-meter depth on paper fool you. This isn't a snorkel site. We’re talking about a serious wreck, a 59-meter carrier vessel built in 1944 that met its end in 1970. She sits largely intact, just beneath the surface in some sections, but the majority of her hull and superstructure are submerged, often in currents that make for a lively drift. What we love about the Venturer is her accessibility for penetration. You can swim through cargo holds that once carried supplies from Cape Canaveral, imagining her journey through the Bahamas. Sunlight filters down, illuminating schools of snapper darting through the rusted metal. Look closely and you'll spot lobsters tucked into every crevice, and occasionally a curious reef shark will cruise by, checking out the commotion. Our pick for the best time to dive is definitely slack tide, which can offer a calmer experience for exploring the deeper sections of the engine room. It's a wreck that really comes alive under your fins, making you feel a part of its history.
- Location
- Long Island, Bahamas, Caribbean
- Coordinates
- 23.100000, -73.750000
- Type
- wreck
- Maximum Depth
- 0m
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)
- Dive Exuma
- Grandma s Secret Garden (reef)
- Great Cut
- Greenwood Reef (reef)
- Halloween Reef (reef)
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 WESTERN VENTURER
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