Page 93 - Central America
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TURTLE CROSSING - Densely packed patch coral at this site pro- WEST END BEACH - The sandy beach gently slopes to the barrier
vides excellent habitat for everything from turtles to eels to lobster reef which is about 10 to 20 feet in depth. All along the beachfront
and other crustaceans. Here a diver will find two sandy plateaus at 20 the coral reef is spotted with channels and coral formations. Fresh
feet and at 45 feet, home to sand divers, jawfish and flounders. The site water springs feed several spots in this area and the water change is
then drops off to a sloping wall, descending beyond recreational lim- dramatic. This is an excellent area for small fish. Steep ridges mark
its, and allows ample opportunity to look for reef-dwelling creatures. the area and are surrounded by flats that have a tremendous amount
Depth: 40 – 150 feet. of large sponges. Narrow fissures and pinnacles dot the underwater
TWO TALL TOO SMALL - Moored in 20 feet, this site offers a shal- landscape. Current is strong in this area.
low wall with a sloping bottom. Gorgeous Sea Fans top the edge of the WEST END WALL - A spectacular precipice borders a deep blue
wall. Watch for East/West surge. abyss, with pillar corals, Azure Vase Sponges and barrel sponges,
UNDERGROUND - Located alongside one of the channels through while in the deeper water divers are likely to find themselves among
the reef, this dive site turns into a tunnel at 20 feet with numerous schools of pelagics and eagle rays. This is one of the best dive sites
cracks letting sunlight stream in, opening out into the deep channel on Roatan. Most of the time this dive is done as a drift dive and you
reaching 80 feet, where you can find starfish, anemones & rays. have the choice to drift over the reef edge and enjoy the drop-off, or
VALLEY OF THE KINGS - The shallow depth makes this a favorite get in close to try and spot the seahorses which cling to the bases of
with the snorkelers. The wall and its ledge are marked with many sea rods. There are spectacular barrel sponges and pillar corals as big
large coral pillar columns. Azure vase sponge is prominent in this as a diver and often you can see turtles, eagle rays, tarpon, jacks and
area. There are many over hangs and they are covered with sponges, barracuda. This dive starts off just west of West Bay beach and ends
white gorgonians, red and pink rope sponges, and a variety of black up at Texas. The wall is gorgeous and the reef gets better and better as
corals. Night dives to this area are routinely scheduled. you get further out and start to catch the current. Clouds of fish cover
the top of the wall, wrasse, durgons, barracuda and chromis all swim-
ming together.
VERSE WALL / VERDE GRANDE - Similar to Spooky Channel,
Verde Grande has a system caverns and cuts through the reef. Most
dive groups are dropped on one side of the reef and then picked up on
the other side after you explore the caverns, elkhorn coral, and other
shallow water corals and marine species.
