Making a splash in Bermuda

Bermuda is most famous for its bright pink sands, raffishly English way of life and of course the legendary Bermuda triangle, but it is also blessed with some of the best diving sites in the world.

Even though Bermuda is based just two hours from America's east coast, the wealth of underwater wildlife on show is more closely related to the West Indies than one might expect.

The island's positioning in the midst of the Gulf Stream means it is privy to more than 650 exotic species of fish, including Barracudas, Rainbow Parrotfish and the Foureye Butterfly Fish.

Not only are there plenty of different kinds of fish for divers to observe, the fish themselves are plentiful too, thanks to Bermuda's proactive conservation laws, which have been in place for the last 400 years or so.

There are lots of dive shops on the island that can guide you to the best diving spots in the crystal clear waters, where visibility can reach 80 feet near the reef, and temperatures can rise as high as 86 degrees Fahrenheit.

As well as abundant marine life, adventurous scuba divers can also explore more than 350 shipwrecks – themselves perhaps the product of the Bermuda Triangle legend.

While your diving skill level will determine what wrecks you can take on – the most commonly explored being those in Bermuda's outlaying reef – there is something for most divers to enjoy.

Bermuda's diving authority has also introduced the Shipwreck Certificate Programme, which introduces divers to 18 picturesque, historically significant shipwrecks.

These wrecks include the 1864 English Mary Celestia, a 225-foot paddlewheel steamer and the Xing Da, a Cantonese freighter that was sunk in 1997 and now houses large numbers of fish.

For more information on the Shipwreck Certificate Programme, visit www.bermudatourism.com XXX