| Destination: | Ambergris Caye, Belize | | Depth (ft): | 8 to 16 | Water: | Salt | Current: | None | | Access: | Boat, Less Than 30min | | Difficulty: | Beginner | | Latitude: | | Longitude: | | | | Address: | Belize | | Typical Apparel: | | | Best Feature: | The Colors |
| | | Another pass through the barrier reef, known as Mata Cut, occurs just a few miles north of Punta Arena Canyons. Remains of an old barge some call Changa's Wreck lies just inside the reef in less than 10 ft of water. A variety of soft corals and encrusting sponges decorate the barge's frame and the rusted out hull is a hang-out for a small school of snappers.
It's a great place to combine fish and wreck photography. Especially dramatic scenes exist when the midday sun sends shafts of light through holes in the hull.
Resting just behind the reef but within the cut, the wreck lies in water that can get rough. Even on calm days, the incoming ocean swells passing through the cut create mild currents and wave surge. Water conditions get significantly worse when the prevailing northeasterly winds are strong. During such periods, a wave surge scours the sandy bottom and suspends clouds of sediment in the water column.
Near the barge are sand, grass and coral flats. You can find stingrays searching for crustaceans and mollusks on the sand flats. Large orange and red starfish prowl the turtle grass areas for clams. Conches of all sizes reside on the grass meadows. Scattered soft and hard coral formations create a third biotic zone. Colorful tropical reef fish can be seen everywhere among the coral. Stoplight parrotfish, trumpetfish, bluestriped grunts, triggerfish, blue tang and rock beauties are an abbreviated list of what is here.
Canyon formations, tunnels, and brilliantly colored coral. Occasional eagle rays and plenty of snappers, groupers, jacks, and spider crabs. Only a short 8 minute ride to the dive site for a easy, fun dive. Excellent visibility. 60 to 80 ft. Grown over canyons. Tarpon run. | | |
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| Monthly Water Temperature | | No data available. |
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