Rum Cay
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This beautiful cay is among the smallest of those inhabited in The Bahamas. Located 360 miles east of Miami, Rum Cay is said to get its name from a shipwrecked cargo of rum. It was first called Mamana by the Lucayan Indians. Later renamed Santa María de la Concepción by Columbus. But it was Spanish explorers who found the lone rum keg washed up on a shore who provided the name that we have today. Imagine that!
Rum Cay, which has a rich history is home to many monuments, ruins and shipwreck sites. Known especially for its miles of unspoiled secluded beaches, and crystal-clear waters. Divers have up to 150ft of visibility.
One such wreck, is of the 101-gun man of war HMS Conqueror, built in Devon in 1855 and which served in the Crimean War, which lies in 30 feet of water on Sumner Point Reef, off Rum Cay. HMS Conqueror sank in 1861. All 1,400 aboard survived. The wreckage is preserved as the Underwater Museum of the Bahamas. It is the property of The Bahamas Government and none of the contents of the ship may be removed.
Beautiful lakes cover the interior of the island, which is only 30 sq. miles. The surrounding waters are home to deep reefs and drop-offs, believed to be hideaways to many former pirates. There is also a staghorn coral, that is a branching coral with cylindrical branches ranging from a few inches to over over 6 ft in length and height. At one dive site called the Grand Canyon, there are huge 60-foot coral walls, which almost reach the surface.