Bimini · Bahamas · Reef
Sponge Gardens
Spur-and-groove ridges dropping from 13 m to 27 m
Area photo: mattk1979 · CC BY-SA 2.0
Sponge Gardens is a sloping spur-and-groove reef on the edge of the Gulf Stream south of Bimini, starting at 13 m and bottoming out at 27 m. The coral ridges are cut with swim-throughs and channels that make the site easy to move around, and its position on the current line means it can be prone to flow.
Where it is and how deep
25.5251° N, 79.3030° WPublished position for this site.
The dive
The reef starts at 13 metres and slopes away to 27, laid out as spur and groove: coral ridges running down the slope with sand channels between them. The channels are the easiest way to move around the site, and the ridges are cut with swim-throughs that let you cross from one groove to the next without having to climb over the top of the coral.
Because the site sits at the edge of the Gulf Stream it can be prone to current, and the sensible plan is to work the deep end of the slope early, then come back up through the ridges and finish shallow. The 27 metre sand is the limit rather than the objective; most of the structure worth spending time on is above it.
Marine life and season
The sources we used don't single out particular species here.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prime | Prime | Prime | Good | Good | Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Good | Good |
Season follows Bimini: Great hammerheads are most consistent December–March; September–October bring peak hurricane risk to the northern Bahamas.
Sources
- Sponge Gardens — Scubago
More dive sites in Bimini
Reef
Coral heads standing 8 m off the sand, full of swim-throughs
Wreck
A 60 m barge upright on sand at the Gulf Stream's edge
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Rows of beachrock slabs in 6 m, argued over since 1968
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Resident female reef sharks over a maze of coral heads
Sand slope
Great hammerheads on open sand at roughly 6 m
Reef
Coral patches worked as a mild north-bound drift
Wreck
A shallow seagrass wreck with resident loggerhead turtles
Reef
Research cables and old anchors scattered over white sand
Similar dives elsewhere
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A shore dive across Bonaire's double reef system
A narrow coral ridge lined with azure vase sponges and sea fans
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