One of the questions our guests most often like to ask the dive staff is if we have favorite dive sites we like to visit. One of the great things about life as a Divemaster is that you get to dive all the sites, all the time. We don’t have to pick favorites. That having been said, if I did have to pick a few favorites, Little Caverns would definitely be at the top of that list.

Little Caverns is the northernmost mooring site on the deep reef line off the western shore of North Bimini (other sites close by include Moray Alley and Blacktip Reef). The reef line runs parallel with the island approximately 1.5 miles offshore. On a good day it only takes about 12 minutes to get on site once you leave Bimini Harbor.

Little Caverns has a depth range of 60 ft on it’s shallow, inside border and 78 ft along it’s outside border. Like other reefs along North Bimini, it has a well defined sand plateau designating it’s eastern and western borders. There are however no such clearly defined north and south borders as the reefline runs continuously for the better part of ½ mile.

 The bottom consists of isolated coral heads dispersed about a gently sloping sandy bottom. The coral occupies about 70% of the white sandy bottom. The coral heads themselves have grown quite tall ranging in height from 10 to 14 ft.

One of the first things we tell divers about Little Caverns is not to spend a lot of time looking for Caverns! Because, there really aren’t any “Caverns” to speak of! Why then the name you might ask. Good question. First of all, when I first got here to Bimini in 1984, the site was already named. Not one to fiddle with tradition and history we never entertained the idea of changing the name. The name was explained to me however like this. “Over the decades, many of the larger coral formations had grown together to form small swim-throughs. The operative word there  being small!”  In our briefings we caution divers not to attempt to swim completely through these openings. For most, there isn’t room for both them and their tanks to get through without causing damage to the coral. These small tunnels do however provide some great environments to observe some of the more recluse reef creatures that call these locations home.

As far as the marine life goes, here’s my very basic rule of thumb. The deeper the reef, the larger the fish. The fish tend to be swimming individually or in pairs as opposed to large schools, and, for every rule there are numerous exceptions. Little Caverns is a great place to spot Blacktip and Caribbean Reef Sharks, large Groupers and Snappers, as well as the occasional Spotted Eagle Ray. It’s proximity to the Gulfstream (less than ½ mile) also makes it common to see Amberjacks, Horse Eyed Jacks, and other smaller pelagics. All in all, it’s more likely that you will run out of dive time before you run out of things to see on Little Caverns.

The site’s proximity to the Continental Shelf and Gulfstream can also at times create some challenging  dive conditions. Usually in the form of current. It is not uncommon to find ¼ to ½  knot current on the site on any given day. With a few tips from our staff and basic dive navigation skills, the current poses no real problems and can actually be beneficial in helping divers navigate around the reef. On days where there is no current, don’t be surprised to find some of the staff cruising along the reef next to you, sharpening up some of their free diving (breath hold diving) skills.

Many sites you dive have a specific feature or highlight to the location. Then there are others that are just outstanding overall sites. Great places to burn a tank of air. Little Caverns is definitely one of those sites. Along with such sites as Tuna Alley and the Bimini Barge, Little Caverns is one of those sites that veteran Bimini divers always request whenever they return. On your next visit to Bimini, be sure to tell your captain that you want to be sure that Little Caverns is part of your dive itinerary during your stay.