Wander Far From Home: Sapphire Blue Hole Eleuthera
Wander Far From Home are small snippets from our travels beyond North Georgia. Whether exploring the coast of Maine or the turquoise waters of the Caribbean, Wander Far From Home shares our thoughtful recommendations about the best places to eat, wander, and stay from around the world. Sapphire Blue Hole: Eleuthera’s Best Adventure Ever dream […] The post Wander Far From Home: Sapphire Blue Hole Eleuthera appeared first on Wander North Georgia.
Wander Far From Home are small snippets from our travels beyond North Georgia. Whether exploring the coast of Maine or the turquoise waters of the Caribbean, Wander Far From Home shares our thoughtful recommendations about the best places to eat, wander, and stay from around the world.
Sapphire Blue Hole: Eleuthera's Best Adventure
Ever dream of diving into a natural wonder that feels otherworldly? The kind of place that makes you feel like an adventurer uncovering hidden secrets from long ago? Sapphire Blue Hole in Eleuthera, Bahamas, is precisely that kind of spot—a gem tucked away in a landscape that is stunning. Whether you’re planning a trip or simply daydreaming about your next adventure, this post will take you through everything you need to know about Sapphire Blue Hole, from its fascinating history to how to find it, and what to expect once you’re there.
SAFETY
This should go without saying but please be smart and use common sense. There are no lifeguards here and there are no hospitals on the island of Eleuthera. This is a special place that deserves a healthy respect. We recommend wearing shoes as climbing out can be a little tricky with the rocks. Climbing out isn’t particularly hard with a little bit of upper body strength to get going on the rope. Once up and out of the water, our advice is to use the rope as a guide and just climb the rocks using foot holds versus the ladder. And if you bring any food or drinks, please pack out your trash and leave the area better than you found it.
The Details
The jump itself is about 25 feet while the water is about 90 feet deep. The Bahamas have about 2,000 blue holes spread across the islands and Sapphire Blue Hole in Eleuthera is one of the best. It was only discovered in the past ten years as a drone flew over and noticed it. Since then the local government has built a platform and cleared out some of the area along with putting a small road with limited parking in.
Located at the very north end of the island near the settlement of Bluff and Preacher’s Cave, the hole is pretty easy to get to if you flew into the north part of the island. If you’re coming or going to Spanish Wells, it’s a short drive from Genes Bay Dock which is where the main ferry service between the islands is. We did our grocery shopping on the island at the North Eleuthera Shopping Center so anytime we made a grocery run, we drove a few extra minutes to Sapphire Blue Hole and let the kids jump for a bit.
Nature's Hidden Pool
Blue holes are natural sinkholes or underwater caves that form when limestone bedrock collapses, creating a deep, water-filled pit. What makes this one so interesting is the striking blue color, which contrasts with the surrounding green growth. You feel like you’re in the middle of nowhere or have stepped back in time. The vibrant blue color comes from the depth of the water, which absorbs light and reflects back those deep blues.
Standing at the edge of the Sapphire Blue Hole, the first thing you’ll notice is its size. Unlike ocean blue holes, which tend to be vast and open, this one is more intimate and tucked into a natural limestone bowl. Even if you decide not to jump in, just walking up to the edge and looking over at the intense blue color and its clarity is worth the drive.
If you do decide to jump, the water is cold but not freezing. But considering how hot and humid it usually is, we didn’t mind. The key is to time it when there aren’t a lot of people there. We went a couple of times and the difference between a massive group being there and having the place all to yourself is pretty wild. I highly recommend sticking around until the crowds thin out. Although to be fair, the only time it felt really busy was when a couple of big families all showed up at the same time. The other couple of visits there were only 3 or 4 people there with us.
Getting out isn’t super hard like we mentioned as there is now a rope ladder and additional rope hanging along the edge. But again our advice would be not to try and wrestle with the ladder but rather find good foot holds and then use the rope to kind of guide you along as you climb the rocks. Shoes are going to be super helpful to avoid the rough rocks.
If the big platform (about 25 feet) is too high or you want to work up some courage, our youngest son found a little spot near the rope ladder to jump first. It was only 10-12 feet high and he worked up his courage by jumping there a few times before moving up to the bigger platform.
Sapphire Blue Hole is an insanely interesting natural gem. If this was on a more populous or touristy island, it would be overrun with trash and parking fees and way busier than this. So we felt a certain kind of privilege being there and having the opportunity to experience it. The people and places of Eleuthera were awesome across the board so just please keep in mind that while we’re passing through, they call this place home. So be respectful and treat this place with respect so that it stays open and able to be enjoyed by others well into the future.
The post Wander Far From Home: Sapphire Blue Hole Eleuthera appeared first on Wander North Georgia.
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