Basil Minns Blue Hole: speleothems at 40 m

Cave Type: Inland blue hole - lens based cave

Location: Old Rolle Town, Great Exuma Island

Length: 260 m

Maximum depth: 50 m

Basil Minns Blue Hole: entrance is in far lake

Description: Basil Minns Blue Hole crosses beneath Great Exuma Island from northeast to southwest. The cave is entered through a karst window consisting of a large lake with two openings into the cave. A 10-12 m wide passage extends for several hundred meters at 50 m depth, before opening into a 50 m wide, well decorated room. This circular room contains a breakdown mound in the center with an air dome above, but no apparent opening to the surface.

Hydrology: The cave is tidally influenced, acting as a water source for the lake. Hydrogen sulfide is present at 30 m depth and sporadic in other locations.

Diving Mode: Standard cave scuba

History: First explored by Brian Kakuk on 15 March 1998 with information provided by Mr. Basil Minns and permission granted by Mr. Bob Carol.

Fauna: Copepods, amphipods, ostracods, thermosbaenaceans, remipedes, isopods, etc.

Conservation status: The land above the cave is zoned for development and is currently for sale. This cave, along with all other blue holes in the Great Exuma area, has currently been proposed to the Bahamas Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries as a marine reserve.

Contributor: Brian Kakuk, Caribbean Marine Research Center, Bahamas