Ocean water is clear due to the shallow sandy plateau of the Bahamas. Ocean depths are only 10 — 30m with white sand bottom for miles around the islands. Crystal clear.
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The Bahamas is known for its stellar beaches. With over 2,000 breathtaking islands and cays, and the clearest water on Earth, it's no wonder visitors come here from all around to sink their toes into miles of pure white, and in some places pink, sand-the very definition of paradise.
The waters around the Bahamas are light blue because the water is shallow. The blue color comes from the absorption of red and green light wavelengths by the water. The blue is reflected to be received by your eyes. The light blue is a response to sunlight reflecting off the sand and corals on the bottom.
These color changes are due to variations in water depth and sediments suspended in the water. As seen in the top photo, there are stark color differences between shallow waters surrounding the island and deeper waters nearby.
Currently, desalinated ocean water is the primary source of drinking water, providing 90% of the potable water on the island, supplemented by groundwater (Water Sewerage Corporation, 2022b).
Ocean water is clear due to the shallow sandy plateau of the Bahamas. Ocean depths are only 10 — 30m with white sand bottom for miles around the islands. Crystal clear.
There's no problem drinking the water in the Bahamas. It depends on where you are in the Bahamas, some of the outer island, or family islands have brackish water out of the tap and the hotels will provide bottled drinking water. If you are on Nassau or Freeport the water is fine and you won't have any problems.
The Weddell Sea has been claimed by scientists to have the clearest waters of any ocean in the world. Described by a historian as “the most wretched and dismal region on earth”, due to the flash freezes that caught Shackleton's ship, its clarity is only belied by the sheer depth of the ocean below.
White sand, no silt and shallow water are the main reasons for the pale blue/green colour of the carribean waters. The areas that have the cleanest, clearest waters are regions where the islands are surrounded by coral reefs, the white sand is coral debris and fragments of sea shell.
The almost indescribable pale pink color of the sand comes from microscopic coral insects, known as Foraminifera, which have a bright pink or red shell full of holes through which it extends pseudopodia, footings that it uses to attach itself and feed.
The higher cost of living in the Bahamas are due to the fact that most goods need to be imported, and all of these items are taxed, when they arrive and clear customs. Unlike the US, there is no income tax in the Bahamas.
EXUMA, BAHAMASExuma is an archipelago of 365 islands surrounded by sapphire blue water. The most famous of the beaches is Pig Beach where you can swim with the wild pigs that inhabit the island. You can also pet a stingray while there or just snorkel in the gorgeously clear water.
Exuma, specificallySpecifically, the bluest waters of the Caribbean is said to be at Tropic of Cancer Beach on the island of Exuma in the Bahamas. Its long sweeping sandbar is flanked by an eager shoreline expressing every gradient of blue. On a clear day at this Exuma beach, it looks like the sea flows into the sky.
The best time of year to visit is from December to May. Temperatures at this time are between 21 to 24 25°C (70-75 F), and the risk of tropical storms is low. Swimming year round is also possible however, because seawater temperatures usually stay above 25°C (80 F).
While the team found that Prassa Beach in Kimolos, Greece, had the clearest water on Earth (more than 40 percent of its Tripadvisor reviews mention the term), it also found that the U.S. is home to three of North America's top 10 clear-water beaches.
Because the tropics have warm surface water, even in the winter, the thermocline never goes away, and the nutrients stay trapped down below in the depths. So even with ample sunlight, phytoplankton growth is severly limited. In the tropics, predators like coral make good use of what little plankton there is.
Nissi Bay Beach, Ayia Napa, CyprusIt's located on the island of Cyprus, which is known to have some of the clearest waters in all of Europe. A tiny strip of soft, pale sand divides two sections of light blue shallows, ensuring picturesque views no matter where you set up camp.
With some of the world's best islands, it's no surprise that the Maldives is a favorite destination for travelers who want to be surrounded by the clearest water in the world.
I've seen lots of sharks on our Bahamas trips while snorkeling & diving not far from shore. Just be smart and you'll be ok. Like a previous poster said, never swim at dusk or dark. That is why the 'beach closes' at 5:00 or so.