Family Islands: gdje stvarno možeš loviti
New Providence (Nassau) i južna obala Freeporta praktički su zatvoreni za lov: miljom široka zabrana pokriva cijeli rub grebena (reg. 6). Pravi lov je na Family Islands (vanjski otoci), gdje je pravilo samo 200 jardi od obale — što u praksi znači greben i zidove na pučini, ne plažu. Ovdje bistra voda, oceanski zidovi i plave rupe čine Bahame onim što jesu.
Obilazimo otoke jedan po jedan, s dvije stvari koje definiraju bahamsko ronjenje: pravilo od 200 jardi i cutovi — kanali među hridima gdje struja teče jako i roni se samo u zatišju (slack). Ključne vrste: hogfish, mutton rumenac i mahi na pučini; pazi na zabranu nasauske kirnje (1. pro–28. velj) i sezonu jastoga (1. kol–31. ožu).
Open the flagship — Andros →Pravilo od 200 jardi u praksi
Na bilo kojem Family Islandu ne smiješ koristiti harpun unutar 200 jardi od obale (reg. 6(c)). To nije kazna: najbolji teren — rub grebena, zidovi, rub plavih rupa i cutovi — ionako je na pučini. Zapamti reg. 11: unutar 200 jardi, samo hrana za tebe i obitelj. I pazi na parkove: Bahamas National Trust vodi ih ~32, svi no-take; Exuma Cays Land & Sea Park (no-take od 1986.) je zaštitni znak.
Eleuthera i Harbour Island
Spanish Wells, na sjeveru Eleuthere, prijestolnica je jastoga u zemlji, s bogatim bankama na pučini. Current Cut je poznati drift jake struje (3–5 čvorova): samo u zatišju. Harbour Island dodaje plaže ružičastog pijeska i dobar pristup s obale i broda. Plijen: hogfish, mutton rumenac i mahi na pučini.
Abaco
Zaštićeno More Abaco i barijerni greben izvana daju opcije uz gotovo svaki vjetar; radi oceansku stranu grebena po mirnom. Uokolo ima mnogo no-take parkova (pazi na granice). Vrhunski teren za hogfish i ribu grebena, sa zidovima i koraljnim glavama dostupnima brodom.
Long Island
Dean's Blue Hole (~202 m) svjetska je meka apneje: koristi ga za trening dubine i smirenosti. Za lov, zidovi Stella Marisa i dramatične strmine uz obalu stavljaju duboku vodu na jedan zamah peraje, s pelagičnim prilikama. Izvrsna vidljivost i malo prometa.
Andros
Zaštitni znak: 3. najveći barijerni greben na svijetu i, tik iza njega, Jezik oceana (TOTO), jarak ~2000 m priljubljen uz obalu. Zid, pelagične vrste i stotine plavih rupa. Pazi na parkove: Andros West Side NP i Joulter Cays NP su no-take. To je velika voda — roni s partnerom i poštuj struju.
Exuma, Bimini i čitanje cutova
U Exumi, Land & Sea Park (no-take od 1986.) počinje sjeverno od Conch Cuta: lovi JUŽNO od njega. Cutovi među hridima teku 3–5 čvorova — roni samo u zatišju, mjereći plimu. Bimini, ~80 km od Floride, zid je Golfske struje: bistra voda, pelagične vrste i olupina Sapona; također najveća gustoća morskih pasa, pa brzo zbrini svoju ribu.
Where to dive, by region
New Providence
New Providence (Nassau) — the No.1 hub, but hunting is banned within 1 mile of shore: legal hunting is on the offshore banks and cays. Gin-clear water, a launch point.
- Nassau — Nassau is the country's №1 traffic hub, but spearfishing is banned within 1 mile of New Providence's coast — so the city itself is an info stop, not a shot.
Grand Bahama
Grand Bahama — Freeport-Lucaya on the south shore under the ≥1-mile rule; the famous Theo's Wreck (a dive site). West End — the western gateway from Florida on the bank edge.
- Freeport–Lucaya — Freeport–Lucaya sits on Grand Bahama's south coast, where spearfishing is banned within 1 mile — the famous Theo's Wreck and UNEXSO reefs are dive sites, not shots.
- West End — West End is Grand Bahama's westernmost point (Old Bahama Bay), a classic gateway from Florida on the edge of the Little Bahama Bank.
Bimini
Bimini — the islands closest to Florida (~80 km): the bank's western edge drops in a wall to the Gulf Stream. Gin-clear water, pelagics, the iconic Sapona wreck.
- Alice Town (Bimini) — Bimini is the closest Bahamas to Florida (~80 km): the western edge of the Great Bahama Bank drops into the Gulf Stream — gin-clear walls, pelagics and a verified spot array.
Abaco
Abaco — the sheltered Sea of Abaco between the mainland and the barrier reef, plus the ocean side with reef and wrecks. Many no-take parks around (Pelican Cays, Fowl Cays).
- Marsh Harbour — Marsh Harbour, the country's third-largest town, is the boat and charter hub of the Sea of Abaco — a sheltered lagoon between mainland Abaco and the barrier-reef cays.
- Hope Town — Hope Town on Elbow Cay (the candy-striped lighthouse) sits on the ocean side of the Abaco barrier reef — reef and wall past 200 yd, plus the sheltered Sea of Abaco behind.
- Treasure Cay — Treasure Cay — famous beach and marina on mainland Abaco — fronts the sheltered Sea of Abaco with the barrier reef offshore.
- Green Turtle Cay (New Plymouth) — Green Turtle Cay (New Plymouth) is a fishing settlement on northern Abaco — barrier reef and the historic San Jacinto wreck offshore.
Eleuthera
Eleuthera — Spanish Wells, the country's lobster capital with rich banks; nearby is Current Cut, a famous strong-current drift (slack only). Harbour Island's pink beaches.
- Spanish Wells — Spanish Wells (St. George's Cay) is the crawfish capital — the country's biggest lobster fleet, so proven productive banks all around. Legal hunting past…
- Harbour Island (Dunmore Town) — Harbour Island (Dunmore Town, the pink-sand resort) fronts the Devil's Backbone reef on its ocean side — a shallow, jagged ship-graveyard, so navigate carefully.
- Governor's Harbour — Governor's Harbour is Eleuthera's administrative centre, set on a sheltered leeward bay with the Atlantic reef on the ocean side.
- Rock Sound — Rock Sound, southern Eleuthera, sits on the sheltered side by the inland Ocean Hole (a landlocked blue hole, an info curiosity) with Atlantic reef offshore.
Exuma
Exuma — the ECLSP park (no-take since 1986) starts north of Conch Cut: hunt SOUTH of it, outside the park. George Town and Staniel Cay are hubs; 20–30 m clarity.
- George Town — George Town (Great Exuma, Elizabeth Harbour) is the Exumas hub and regatta anchorage.
- Staniel Cay — Staniel Cay sits mid-chain in the Exuma Cays (the swimming pigs, Thunderball Grotto) — but the Exuma Cays Land & Sea Park (no-take) begins just north at Conch Cut, so hunt only SOUTH of Conch Cut, outside the park.
Andros
Andros — the flagship of Bahamian spearfishing: the world's 3rd-largest barrier reef and, right behind it, the Tongue of the Ocean (TOTO), a ~2,000 m trench off the coast, plus hundreds of blue holes.
- Fresh Creek / Andros Town — Fresh Creek / Andros Town is the heart of the Bahamas' spearfishing flagship: Andros carries the world's third-largest barrier reef, and just beyond it the Tongue of the Ocean drops to ~2,000 m right off the east shore.
- Nicholls Town — Nicholls Town, northern Andros, is the quiet northern approach to the great Andros barrier reef and the Tongue of the Ocean wall.
Long Island
Long Island — Dean's Blue Hole (~202 m), a world freediving mecca and trust for a «breath-hold» brand, plus the Atlantic walls of Stella Maris on the east side.
- Clarence Town — Clarence Town, Long Island, is home to Dean's Blue Hole — the world's second-deepest blue hole and the Vertical Blue freediving arena.
- Stella Maris — Stella Maris, northern Long Island, is a resort with dive infrastructure and Atlantic walls off the east shore (Shark Reef, the Comberbach wreck, Cape Santa Maria).
San Salvador
San Salvador — a remote ocean plateau island (fly-in): dramatic wall drops 100–200 m off the beach and the clearest water in the Bahamas (25–30 m+).
- Cockburn Town — Cockburn Town is the main settlement of San Salvador, a remote oceanic plateau where the reef drops into deep water 100–200 m off the beach — dramatic walls and the clearest water in the country (25–30 m+).
Cat Island
Cat Island — remote, with minimal fishing pressure: walls, The Cut and high visibility on the leeward west coast.
- New Bight — New Bight is the main settlement of Cat Island (Mount Alvernia's Hermitage above it), a remote, low-pressure island with walls, The Cut and coastal dropoffs into deep water.
Frequently asked questions
Rules current as of 2026 — always confirm with the Department of Marine Resources before you go. Spearguns are banned country-wide (Hawaiian sling / pole spear only, breath-hold); keep ≥1 mile off New Providence and south Grand Bahama, ≥200 yards off any Family Island; national marine parks are no-take.
Koji je najbolji Family Island za lov?
Andros zbog zidova i plavih rupa, Long Island zbog strmina uz obalu, i Eleuthera/Exuma zbog raznolikosti. Sve na pučini iza linije od 200 jardi.
Koliko daleko od obale moram biti?
Najmanje 200 jardi od bilo kojeg Family Islanda. Najbolji teren je ionako na pučini.
Je li sigurno roniti u cutovima Exume?
Samo u zatišju (slack): struja teče 3–5 čvorova. Izmjeri plimu i ne ulazi u punom toku.
Mogu li loviti u Exuma Cays Land & Sea Parku?
Ne, potpuni je no-take od 1986. Lovi južno od Conch Cuta, izvan granica parka.
Koje ribe i koje zabrane?
Hogfish, mutton rumenac i mahi na pučini. Nasauska kirnja zatvorena je 1. pro–28. velj, a jastog je u sezoni samo 1. kol–31. ožu.