| Destination: | Ambergris Caye, Belize | | Depth (ft): | 50 to 90 | Water: | Salt | Current: | None | | Access: | Boat, Less Than 30min | | Difficulty: | Beginner | | Latitude: | | Longitude: | | | | Address: | Belize | | Typical Apparel: | | | Best Feature: | The Coral | | Worst Feature: | All the sand! |
| | | Sandbar lies off the southern tip of Ambergris Caye and is one of the shallower barrier reef dives along the island. A mooring buoy line, anchored on top of a living coral ridge, guides divers down to the reef top at 54 ft. The adjacent sand channel floor to the south descends 17 ft below the top of the reef. There, next to the mooring pin, you will find a coral formation in the center of the channel. From the base of the channel, it looks like a tall chimney but it is actually the beginning of another coral ridge that divides the channel into two narrow canyons. Following the narrow canyons seaward will quickly take you to the reef edge. Along the way, relief between the canyon floor and the top of coral ridges doubles from that found at the mooring pin. The floor of the channel here is about 90 ft.
Coral growth is lush and varied on the ridges. Platy growths of boulder, brain and mustard hill coral are everywhere. Staghorn coral, a rare occurrence elsewhere on the barrier, forms in thickets. A colorful variety of other stony coral forms a loose framework that supports a multitude of protective holes for fish and invertebrates. All the tropicals--wrasses, parrotfish, angelfish, grunts, sergeant majors and many others can be found here, but their numbers seem few against the impressive coral ridges. Many more crinoids, crab, shrimp, brittle starfish, basket starfish and other small invertebrates hide among the coral.
Photographers will find plenty of opportunity to shoot macro or wide angle. A cluster of big barrel sponges in 60-90 ft of water offer good wide-angle opportunities. Keep an eye out for jewfish and other large pelagics that visit these reefs to rest in the many deep caves found toward the base of the channels along the reef front. This deep part of the reef needs much sun, so it is best to visit it during midday when the sun is highest. | | |
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| Monthly Water Temperature | | No data available. |
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