THE BAHAMAS – New Providence, Clifton Pier // Thunderball (1965)
Whenever James Bond goes below the surface, it’s just a matter of time some sharks are instantaneously circling the agent. Many of the underwater encounters have been filmed off the south shore of Bahamian main island New Providence. Right at the spot, a diving school offers shark dives.
Why Bond was here
The Bahamas are quite a 007 paradise. Due to the clear (and warm) water the sea south of New Providence played host to several film crews over the time. The islands southern shore at Clifton Pier doubled as Mediterranean Sea in The Spy Who Loved Me , For Your Eyes Only and The World Is Not Enough or as South China Sea in You Only Live Twice. But its most famous appearence – and the credits as original place – had been at Thunderball.
James Bond (Sean Connery) investigates the loss of two nuclear warheads, that villain Emilio Largo (Adolfo Celi), an Spectre aficionado, had hijacked along with a Vulcan bomber. The remains of the Vulcan are still there to be scuba-explored – but it’s West of New Providence while most underwater scenes had been usually filmed on the earlier mentioned south coast.
How you gonna get here
First, you need some scuba diving experience – then you’ll need a boat. Stuart Cove’s Dive Center can help you with both. They operate a base and a fleet with some dive boats right at Clifton Pier. And they even have a special shark dive in their program, that leads you to the area where the movies had been filmed.
The trip takes you roughly 15 minutes south and includes two tank dives. While the first is to get accustomed to the sharks, the second is about the thrill. The dive instructors will bring some fish to feed the sharks while you sit next to it. Expect to get hit by a sharks fin or even nudged by one as the make their way to the fish box. Usually Bahamian reef sharks and Nurse sharks are around, a Tiger shark may appear if you’re lucky. Stuart Cove’s does not tease the sharks too much, as other dive bases are doing it with blood and fish scum before a dive. They try to find a balance between the divers expectations and a full respect for nature. Their “Shark Adventure” costs 170 USD.
However, if you want to join a more private dive and let your luck deside on a shark encounter, there is also Bahamas Divers. They offer some decent two tank dives starting from 140 USD.
Both bases offer a free pick-up service. They are a good choice, as taxi fares on The Bahamas are quite expensive and the local jitney buses don’t run south the Clifton Pier.
Don’t miss
When you love being under water, you should join in Stuart Cove’s trip to the James Bond wrecks as well. The Vulcan bomber never has been a real plane, but the remains of the model are still out there and now overgrown with nice corals. Some hundred meters next to it is the drowned “Tears of Allah”, the ship that had been featured in the unofficial Thunderball remake Never Say Never Again. If you’re up for the famous Golden Grotto, you’ve got to make an extra trip. It is on Staniel Cay at the south east island chain The Exumas, at least a day trip away from New Providence.
If you need to rest Bond style after your dive, there is a decent yet luxury restaurant not far from Clifton Pier. Check out The Mahogany House!
Diving at the Bahamas is frankly beyond beautiful – and not only because the water is so crystal clear. Watching turtles glide elegantly through the water and sharks wrestle with each other for a piece of fish is both amazing and thrilling. Our tip: Don’t try to go-pro all dive long, but enjoy the show and you maybe gain a “toothy” smile.
All pictures: © 2015 Huntingbond