The fourth annual Bahamas Diving Symposium kicked off at the Sheraton Nassau Beach Resort today on New Providence Island (Nassau) with a welcome reception on the Telegraph Terrace overlooking the pool and Atlantic Ocean. Earl Miller, General Manger of the Bahamas Ministry of Tourism and Aviation, Neal Watson, President of the Bahamas Dive Association, and Brendal Stevens, Owner of Brendal's Dive Center on Green Turtle Cay, greeted the attendees and gave a presentation that details all the more than 700 islands of the Bahamas have to offer.

"Each island in the Bahamas is uniquely different," Neal Watson told the attendees. "You can't go to the island of Bahama. There are more than 700 islands and they all have something different. People go to one island and they think they've seen the Bahamas, but I could have two more lifetimes and not see everything the Bahamas have to offer."

Attendees will be split into groups and visit Nassau, Grand Bahama, Andros and Bimini during the symposium, which ends Nov. 10th.

And I am lucky enough to be here. Tomorrow: Off to Andros!

Photos: On home page: Attendees gather on the Telegraph Terrace of the Sheraton Nassau Beach Resort on Nassau's Cable Beach.

Above: A view of the hotel's pool.