Anyone who has visited or seen photos of the Bahamas knows of the clear, turquoise blue waters surrounding these beautiful islands. But has anyone ever wondered why the water is so crystal clear compared to other oceans like, say the Gulf of Mexico?
One reason for this is attributed to the shallow waters surrounding the islands. In fact, the word Bahamas comes from the Spanish phrase “Baja Mar,” which means shallow ocean.
The blue color of the ocean comes from the absorption of red and green light wavelengths by the water. The blue is reflected to be received by your eyes and the light blue is a response to sunlight reflecting off the powdery white sands and corals on the bottom. You can sometimes gauge the depth of the water by the lightness or darkness of the blue waters.
The next time you gaze upon the crystal clear blue waters of the Bahamas, realize how lucky we are for all of the miracles that came together to give us such a natural marvel.