Musk and Zuckerberg aren't the only powerhouses at loggerheads. Grenada and the Bahamas have long been at fisty cuffs over the title for the best diving in the Caribbean. The Bahamas boasts the third-largest barrier reef, blue holes, plunging walls, caves and Hollywood-famous wrecks. As a shark sanctuary, this glistening archipelago attracts some of the world's most sought-after species to its shark-infused waters. On the other hand, Grenada is home to some of the best wrecks in the Caribbean, the world's first underwater sculpture park, beautiful sloping reefs and flurries of marine life. Taking a page from the two tech billionaires, let's decide once and for all in our Grenada vs. the Bahamas diving showdown…
Best for Wreck Diving
Grenada boasts the best wreck diving in the Caribbean, with 12 wrecks catering to every level of diver. The most famous wreck in Grenada, the MV Bianca C is known as the 'Titanic of the Caribbean.' This 600-foot-long luxury cruise liner - swimming pool and all - sank in 1961 and now rests at 50 metres. There are also plenty of shallower wrecks to explore, including the Veronica L wreck, a former cargo ship scuttled to create an artificial reef, which rests at 15 metres.
Over in the Bahamas, a few wrecks continue to shake (not stir) divers across the world. James Bond fans might recognize the Tears of Allah wreck, a 92-foot tugboat featured in the film Never Say Never Again. A few fin kicks away, the Vulcan Bomber was featured in Thunderball.
Wreck aficionados won't be disappointed with Grenada or the Bahamas. In the first round for Grenada vs. the Bahamas diving, we're calling a tie. Grenada, 1, the Bahamas, 1.
Best for Sharks
Shark Arena, off New Providence in the Bahamas, is a regular sell out for the adrenaline-fueled performance of a chainmail-clad diver feeding a frenzy of Caribbean reef sharks. As a shark sanctuary, the Bahamas is undoubtedly one of the best places in the world for shark encounters. Aside from hungry Caribbean reef sharks, see tiger sharks cruise along the crystal-clear, shallow seabed off Tiger Beach in Grand Bahama (October to May). Over in Bimini, divers can see elusive great hammerheads (January to April) while Cat Island offers the rare opportunity to see oceanic white tips in the deep blue (March to June).
While Grenada is not as famous for shark encounters as the Bahamas, it does offer opportunities for shark diving. While divers should keep a beady eye out for sharks on every dive, one site stands out for its shark encounters. The aptly named Shark Reef, located off Grenada's south shore, attracts strong currents, which in turn attracts nurse sharks alongside a huge array of other pelagic species.
As a protected shark sanctuary, the Bahamas had an easy advantage in this round. The Bahamas' sharky waters take the win for this round. Grenada, 1, the Bahamas, 2.
Best for Underwater Sculptures
Granada's main claim to underwater fame lies in the Molinere Underwater Sculpture Park. Located in the Molinere-Beauséjour Marine Reserve, off the island's west coast, the sculpture park was created in 2006 by artist and conservationist Jason deCaires Taylor. Today, divers and snorkellers alike can explore the coral-encrusted Vicissitudes, which features a ring of children holding hands, among others, in depths ranging between five and eight metres.
While Grenada might have created the first underwater park in the world, the Bahamas has the largest. Located off the western coast on New Providence, the BREEF Coral Reef Sculpture Garden and Coral Nursery was created in 2014 by three artists, including deCaires Taylor, to promote marine conservation using art. The underwater art gallery is centred around the largest underwater sculpture in the ocean, Ocean Atlas, which towers at five metres and weighs a whopping sixty tonnes.
Both Grenada and the Bahamas boast the best underwater sculptures in the Caribbean, if not the world. However, Grenada's Molinere Underwater Sculpture Park had an eight-year head start as an artificial reef, giving it a narrow win over the Bahamas due to the beautiful coral formations on display. Grenada, 2, the Bahamas, 2.
Best for Beginner Divers
The Caribbean Sea has long been the preferred choice for learning to dive. No matter which island you choose to blow your first bubbles, calm, clear waters and tropical reef fish are guaranteed - most within a few fin kicks from the beach. Both Grenada and the Bahamas bring a slew of shallow dive sites to the table, from wrecks to colourful coral gardens and underwater sculpture parks. If you opt for Grenada, Dive Grenada is one of the best dive centres in the Caribbean and conveniently close to Mount Cinnamon. Over in Andros in the Bahamas, Small Hope Bay is a dive-focused lodge offering complimentary DSD (discover scuba diving) introductions to budding divers.
Whether you want to learn to dive or have a few dives under your belt, you really can't go wrong with either destination. Beginners contemplating Grenada vs. the Bahamas diving will have to settle with a tie. Grenada, 3, the Bahamas, 3.
Best for Advanced Divers
We already touched upon Grenada's 50-metre-deep Bianca C wreck, and there are plenty of other advanced sites for divers to test their skills. Purple Rain is a vertical wall dive with dramatic drop-offs, that perfectly caters to deep divers. Another Original Diving favourite, Wibbles Reef, is a fast-paced drift dive accompanied by eagle rays, great barracuda and horse eye jacks. Lastly, the HV Hema shipwreck, located three miles off the coast of Grenada, rests at 33 metres and has strong currents, meaning she is best suited to advanced divers.
With epic shark diving, drift dives, dramatic walls, caverns and deep blue holes, the Bahamas is an adventure playground for experienced divers. From Long Island, divers can descend into Dean's Blue Hole, which drops to 202 metres and is the world's second deepest (behind the Dragon Hole in the South China Sea). Andros also has its fair share of advanced dives, including The Crater, another blue hole that opens from the ocean floor into a cave system. Another must-do dive, Ocean Wall, is located along the Tongue of the Ocean, a deep water basin separating Andros from Great Exuma and New Providence.
While both Grenada and the Bahamas cater to advanced divers, the Bahamas wins this round for the sheer variety of advanced dives. In the Grenada vs. the Bahamas diving showdown, the Bahamas takes the crown with a final score of Grenada, 3, the Bahamas, 4.
