Dive Sites

Posted by admin on November 6, 2008

Negril has superb diving, with many of the best dive sites
in Jamaica. You will run out of vacation days, before you run out of dive sites.

Deep dives, wreck dives, wall dives, you name it we have it

 

The Arches

Depth: 33 feet
Description: Many overhangs and ledges; Shallow Plane dive often combined with
this dive
Marine Life: Nurse sharks, large sting rays, fairy basslets
Locals’ Tip: Swim through the arches and watch the purple and yellow fairy basslets
hang upside down on the ceilings of the arches and caverns.

Ballard’s Reef

Depth: 90 feet
Description: Hard to find outer reef, relatively untouched
Marine Life: Large kingfish and occasional jew fish

 

Booby Cay Island

The island has been almost surrounded with mooring buoys installed by the
Negril Coral Reef Preservation Society, with the help of Reef Relief from Florida,
Sandals Negril and more. Weather conditions dictate which side of the island
is used. The northwest side (where the least snorkeling occurs) has some healthy
elk horn coral near the surface and a lot of very large Bloody Bay coral heads
as you proceed outward.

Blood Bay (Inner)

Depth: 30 feet
Description: One of the dive sites used for the Resort Course; coral heads rise
up to 20 feet from the bottom of Bloody Bay
Marine Life: Large spiny puffers, occasional seahorses

Deep Plane (Bloody Bay Outer)

Depth: 90 feet
Description: Small, single-engine plane at 90 feet
Marine Life: Spade fish, barracuda, exotic coral, barrel sponges, gorgonians

Gallery

Depth: 30 feet
Description: Interesting overhangs and ledges, many places to explore
Marine Life: Large crabs, turtles, nurse sharks, sting rays, morays, black coral,
occasional sea horses

King Fish Point

Depth- 70 feet
Description: Begins with spectacular coral formations to a depth of 90 feet;
reef drops to sand flats at 130 feet
Marine Life: Turtles, nurse sharks, enormous barrel sponges, large gorgonians.

Middle Shoal Reef

Depth: 30 feet
Description: One of the most common dives used in the Resort Course; coral reef
to sand bed at 30 feet
Marine Life: Clusters of French grunts at cleaning stations on coral heads;
squirrel fish gather at other cleaning sites; turtles, many blue chromis, Creole
Wrans, parrot fish

Shallow Plane

Depth: 35 feet
Description: Plane at 55 feet, located on the south of the edge of the reef,
which is full of overhangs, ledges, caverns, sponges, seafans and coral
Marine Life: Soldier fish at the plane, sting rays at the reef
Locals’ Tip: Look for the long snout butterfly fish that has made his home in
the back seat of the plane

Throne Room

Depth: 38 feet
Description: This dive should not be missed. Start on top of the reef. Descend
through the chimney into the Throne Room, a large room open on the west side
with a sand floor at 70 feet. Exit the Throne Room up the chimney.
Marine Life: Spotted drum fish, banded shrimp, fairy basslets, lobster
Locals’ Tip: Follow the same reef edge south, and you’ll find another, smaller
throne room, complete with a chimney in the rear.

 

Blue Castle Shipwreck

Depth- 40 feet
Description: Unidentified bare metal hull close to the west end cliffs; broken
remains of the Caribbean Queen, a wooden-hulled ship that burned while under
tow lies to the east
Marine Life: Lobsters, groupers, occasional nurse sharks

Bond Wreck

Depth: 45 feet
Description: Wreckage of Tears of Allah lies near coral reefs, largely broken
up due to rough seas

The Caves

Depth: 30 feet - 50 feet
Description: Two connecting caves (24 feet wide and 12 feet wide); old anchor
nearby with a chain that ends at 50 feet; cannon on the bottom in about 10 feet
of water

40 Million Year Old Cave(s)

Depth: 60 feet
Description: Series of caves
Marine Life: Morays, lobster

Frenchman Hole

Depth: 60 feet
Description: Deep dive, located directly offshore from Orange River, with many
ledges; cave very similar to the Throne Room
Marine Life: Nurse sharks, morays, groupers, occasional hammerhead

Porpoise Pens Wall

Depth: Starts at 40 feet and continues down
Description: Area abounds with soft and hard coral
Locals’ Tip: Keep your eyes open for the solitary shark that occasionally cruises
just off the wall.

Sands Club Reef

Depth: 38 feet
Description: Many overhangs and ledges; spectacular view at the drop off at
more than 150 feet
Marine Life: Turtles, puffers, occasional nurse sharks

Sharks Reef

Depth: 38 feet
Description: Follow reef down to a sandy bottom sloping seaward at 75 feet.
Marine: Nurse sharks, large sting rays

Snapper Drop

Depth: 38 feet
Description- Large, encrusted anchor is hooked under a coral head on the south
edge of the sand.
Marine Life: Nurse sharks, morays
Locals’ Tip: Look for the nurse sharks and morays, resting in the eaves.

Spadefish Reef

Depth: 90 feet
Description: Deep dive with spectacular coral formations
Marine Life: Usually a school of spadefish, turtles, lobsters, large gorgonians.