Bimini Snorkeling Map

Bimini's underwater geography divides into distinct zones shaped by tidal channels, limestone ledges, and reef formations that run parallel to both islands. The western coastline facing the Gulf Stream features shallow grass flats and patch reefs in three to eight feet of water, accessible from shore at Radio Beach and Bonefish Creek. The eastern Atlantic side drops into deeper reef systems where elkhorn coral, brain coral, and sea fans anchor to limestone substrate between ten and twenty feet. The SS Sapona, a concrete-hulled rum runner that grounded in 1926, marks the most recognizable landmark on any Bimini snorkeling map. The wreck sits in fifteen feet of water approximately a quarter mile offshore from South Bimini's eastern coast, visible from land during low tide. Its fractured hull sections create channels where nurse sharks, sergeant majors, and yellowtail snapper congregate. Victory Reef lies farther offshore southwest of Alice Town, requiring boat access to reach the coral heads and sand channels that stretch across a half-mile span. Navigation between sites depends on water transport, as no continuous swim corridor links the major zones. North Bimini's eastern shore presents calm entry points near Bailey Town when winds blow from the west, while South Bimini's Atlantic side requires attention to current direction and swell height. The shallow western flats remain diveable across most tidal cycles, though spring tides expose some coral heads entirely. Current flows north-to-south along the western shore and south-to-north on the eastern reef shelf, strongest during tidal transitions. Local operators mark GPS coordinates for offshore sites, but the Sapona wreck and nearshore reefs require only basic orientation from visible shoreline features. The islands' compact size means most boat rides last under fifteen minutes from Alice Town harbor. Water temperature holds steady between seventy-eight and eighty-four degrees year-round, eliminating thermal planning from site selection. Visibility ranges from sixty feet on calm mornings to twenty feet after storms stir sediment across the shallow banks.