The Marine Life of Eleuthera
Keep your eyes peeled for a wide variety of underwater animals during a snorkel in the clear waters near The Cove.
Eleuthera’s warm, crystal-clear waters are abundant with marine life. A short swim from The Cove’s beaches brings you to a variety of coral reefs perfect for exploring.
Because we’re protected by our namesake coves, snorkeling is accessible even for beginners. The transparent water, pleasant temperature and soft sand make it an appealing activity year-round. (The water temperature hovers around 75 degrees Fahrenheit in the winter and reaches around 88 degrees in the summer, so you won’t need a wetsuit.)
Here, some highlights you’ll likely see on your outing.
Tip: When snorkeling, it’s important to look but not touch.
Sea stars or starfish
These marine invertebrates, who linger in shallower waters, come in a range of colors and sizes and have an average lifespan of 35 years. Red cushion sea stars are the most common here. They have five limbs, can grow up to 50 centimeters in diameter (that’s nearly 20 inches!) and are distinguished by the hard, blunt spines that cover their upper surface and red, orange and/or yellow coloring.
Coral
Slower growing, stony corals are the architects of reefs. Brain, star, finger and staghorn corals are all plentiful in the water a bit further out from the cove. This is natural habitat for turtles with an abundance of sea grass, algae and the occasional jellyfish which make up their diet.
Stingrays
We often spot small rays hiding (or hunting for worms and crustaceans) along the sandy bottom around the point. The most common are Southern stingrays, particularly during the winter months when they seek out shallower—and therefore, warmer—water.
Nurse sharks
Around the point, you may also find nurse sharks, who sift through the sand searching for shellfish. Unlike reef sharks, these carnivores have rows of backward-curled teeth that they use to suck up and crush their food. These gentle, slow-moving bottom feeders are a natural and essential part of the ecosystem – more interested in shellfish than humans.
Tropical fish
Of course, there are hundreds of species of fish swimming around the area. You’re almost guaranteed to see parrotfish, angelfish, French and blue-striped grunts and blue tangs (or surgeonfish).
Tip: We keep fish identification cards in the Beach Hut, and your snorkel guide will also point out various species and share interesting facts about them.