Lucayan National Park Survey and Park Expansion Proposal
In 2004, the BCRF was granted a research permit to access the Lucayan Caverns National Park on Grand Bahama Island in order to asses zonation of both anchaline/cave adapted organisms and open water marine organisms within the parks underlying submerged cave system. During these research dives, a new, nearby underwater cave system was discovered by BCRF divers and nearly 4000 feet of passages explored.
This new cave system, now known as Pirate's Mew cave system has passages that are heading directly toward the passages of Lucayan Caverns and a connection appears imminent. The new system currently has 8 entrances located on both sides of the Queens Highway. This new discovery shows that the extensive footprint of the Lucayan Caverns is much larger than previously known.
A proposal is underway for the BCRF to provide the Bahamas National Trust a re-survey of the of the entire system with the emphasis being to show the Grand Bahama Port Authority (land owners of the new cave system) the true expanse of the caves footprint, and to begin discussion on protecting the land above the entire cave system from development.
New surveying techniques, digital mapping programs and GIS compatibility will ensure that the survey data is accurate, and usable by current and future regulating Ministries of the Bahamian Government and the Port Authority. Although a map of the original exploration of the Lucayan Caverns cave system is still in print, the raw survey data collected in the 1980's is no longer available and incorporation into a GIS project is not available.
Please check this page regularly for updates on this proposal.