Page 205 - The British Big Four

S hark Alley - The depth under the boat is 45 feet on a hard pan lead out to a long groove between the main reef and a long ridge
and sand groove type bottom with scattered coral heads. The that runs parallel to it about 60 feet away. The top of the main reef
wall is behind the boat with the drop off running away from shore is 40 to 50 feet and the outer ridge is 60 feet on top. At the south
at an angle. The wall is staggered with a drop from 45 feet to 80 feet end of the groove on the left is a huge indentation in the wall. The
and then again to 120 feet. Several large coral heads come up to 60 indentation is about 100 feet across and penetrates in about 150
feet of depth and 50 feet away from the wall and form a ridge that feet. The bottom drifts from 90 feet to 120 feet. To the south of the
runs about 200 feet to the right or northeast. There are several coral big cut the wall becomes vertical again. The outer side of the ridge
tunnels that penetrate this ridge and lead out over the wall. At the has many big sponges and soft corals. One of the largest gorgo-
end of the ridge are a few more coral caves. A large pillar coral head nians on the island is at the joining of the ridge and the wall at
is on top of the wall just north of the first coral head. Sharks are about 70 feet. The north side of the hole in the wall has lots of fish
frequently seen off in the deep or over the 80 foot plateau. Plenty primarily schoolmasters. The shallow ridge on the north side of the
of reef fish on top of the wall and some rare hamlets in the deeper mooring leads to a magnificent pillar coral in 50 feet.How to dive
area. How to dive it: Swim across the reef and then over the wall to it: This dive site frequently has a current due to tidal water flowing
the first big coral head on the right. Follow the outside of the ridge over nearby Gardeners Reef. Swim along the top of the wall to the
looking out and swim along about 200 feet then double back on smaller crevices and then through them and out to the hole in the
the edge of the wall. If time and air remain swim to the south west wall. If the current is strong along the wall edge take a left up into
along the edge of the wall before returning to the boat. the hole in the wall and finish up the dive in this area before head-
ing to the boat. If there is no current swim out over the deep wall
H ole in the Wall - the depth under the boat is 35 feet at the shal- at 100 feet and around the outer ridge. Go around it and then left
low coral ridge and 50 feet over the sand cut. The boat may (northeast) for about 150 feet. Come back up to the top of the ridge
hang over a shallow reef or over the hole in the wall depending on and then cross it and swim into the hole in the wall.
the wind shift. The wall here is a combination of a double wall and
a straight wall. There are two narrow crevices that join together and