Originally named “Yuma” by Arawak Indians, the island was renamed “Fernandina” by Christopher Columbus in 1492. "The Tropic of Cancer" led him right to us. Since then the English, Scottish, Irish, and Greeks have immigrated to this new world to work salt ponds, fish, and sponge dive. However, Long Island earned its current name because a seafarer felt it took too long to sail past the island. After all, it is 80 miles long, but no more than four miles wide at its broadest point.
The Tropic of Cancer runs directly through the island, giving it two very different coastlines—the dramatic cliffs and caves of the east coast that front the crashing Atlantic waves, and the sandy edged lee side which slopes calmly into the Bahamas Bank. Here you’ll find Dean’s Blue Hole, historic twin churches built in the 1800s and one of the largest caves in The Bahamas. The Bahamian government has major plans for Long Island, one of which is a stem cell research facility. Now is a perfect time to invest in this Bahamian gem, Long Island!
You can have a great dive experience visiting varied reefs and watching sharks feed right before your eyes, or diving a wreck sitting upright in 90 feet of water, and along walls that begin at 40 feet and drop to 6,000 feet. You will gaze in wonder at Dean’s Blue Hole, where the free-diving world record was set in April 2007 by William Trubridge, who dove about 410 feet on a single breath. Every year, free-divers from all over the world come here and try to beat that record.
Arrangements can be made with the dive team at Stella Maris Resort Club for you to experience the best Long Island has to offer.
Dean's Blue Hole is said to be the deepest blue hole in the world, and the second largest underwater chamber. This warm salt-water swimming pool dips some 663 feet (203 meters) into the ocean floor right offshore. At the surface it is 80 x 120 feet (25 x 35m), but opens out after 60 feet (20m) into a cavern with a diameter of at least 330 feet (100 m).
This cotton plantation was granted to Mr. Abraham Adderley in the year 1790, on 700 acres of land that once comprised all of Stella Maris. Mr. Abraham Adderley was a British born subject with a business established in Nassau, Bahamas.
In the 1970's, Diamond Crystal opened an extensive salt plant west of the town called Hard Bargain. Many Long Islanders have stories to tell about the plant, where the majority of Bahamians who wanted to work were employed. The plant was said to have closed in February 1982, due to its main plant in the US filing for bankruptcy.
After the salt plant closed, a shrimp farming company called World Wide Protein (Bahamas) Ltd. moved in, only to close a few years later.
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