Abaco Blue Holes'

In August, 2010, National Geographic had a cover story with great pictures of "Bahamas Blue Holes, Dive into Beauty, Danger and Discover."  Well we know what a Blue Hole is, though you probably don't..so we can have a little class time, to learn something new....but first let's describe how we get to one.
First we went into Spanky's liquor store in Treasure Cay, then drive south on the main road, turn left onto a  very straight gravel road and go a long long way, then where the demolition derby cars are parked, turn left again, now on a dirt road and go until it ends.  Why would you need street names, geez, when those instructions are so specific.

Here is the dirt road, how unusual for an attraction to be off the beaten road, with no markers, and no indication of what it is.

See down the side..jagged rocks

Joe, just sitting on the side.

Class time:
Blue Holes are typically sinkholes, that are 80 to 330 feet deep.  The walls of these holes usually are filled with stalactites and columns. and there are usually caves or caverns as well.  They have magnificent colors, like blue, aqua, red and orange.  At a depth of 30 to 36 feet, first there is a bacteria layer, and then a colorless layer of poisonous hydrogen sulfide gas is present.  There is a thin lens of fresh water - supplied by rainfall- on top of a denser layer of salt water.  As a living labratory, inland Blue Holes are compared on the scientific level to Tut't tomb and from a diver's view they are like climbing Mount Everest.  Special divers have gone down and found skeleton bones intact, of mammals no longer living in the Bahamas.  Divers move through the hydrogen sulfide gas level with speed, extremely careful not to run out of air, nor do they want to disturb even one of the stalagmite forest columns which have been there for tens of thousands of years.

So within 3 minutes of getting out of the car, Tracey jumps right in.  Scott follows along with Kelly.   I work my way in.

                                                             slowly, well it is just a bit nippy!

                                                      Finally... I just swim in.

                                                             and poise for a picture with Tracey.

We were not afraid of the poisonous layer, since we were not diving, nor expecting to go down 30 feet.

I found in a booklet that there are other Blue Holes on Abaco Island,  in Saw Mill Sink, Dan's Blue Hole, Owl's Blue Hole, Ralph's Sink, Nancy's Blue Hole, Far Side Blue Hole, Last Reel Blue Hole, besides the Treasure Cay Blue Hole that we enjoyed swimming in.  I don't know where these places are but if you were interested in finding them, I am sure any of the dive shops on the island would be able to give you specific information.

Super Dooper!