Belize Scuba Diving

The Aquarium (long Caye Wall) is located right off the northwestern side of Long Caye. Clear, long coral ridges and sandy canyons run perpendicular to the reef.

The coral ridges here have many holes and grottos, providing a sanctuary for a variety of marine life. The Aquarium is breathtaking for intermediate level divers with depths of 30 plus feet, visibility of 80 feet with the possibility of strong currents. Moderate to strong currents flow across the reef here almost all the time. When exploring the north-facing wall of the point, you may find troublesome currents too. These currents by the point usually go across the reef from the east. To feel less of the current, you should go down to the reef surface.

If you swim east at the beginning of the dive, you will have an easier trip back to the boat. Named for its wide-ranging invertebrate life, the Aquarium is where you will see the ordinary and extraordinary. Many of the animals that are usually hidden deep in the reef at other dive sites are more visible at the Aquarium. A good place to check is next to the crest of the wall. By the top 50 feet of the wall, deep-water lace coral and black coral are also seen. All different types of parrotfish can be seen on the algae patches covering the reef top. The fish are definitely colorful and diverse at the Aquarium.

The Blue Hole was just voted “The Best Dive Site in the World” by the readers of Scuba Diver Magazine! Located just eight miles from Long Caye. It was made famous by Jacques Cousteau in his 1970 Calypso journey. In the last ice age, seawater was frozen in glaciers lowering the sea level more than 350 feet, exposing the limestones of the Lighthouse Reef Atoll.

As a result larger subterranean caverns were created when fresh water flowed through the limestone deposits. Since this ice age, the top of the cavern has collapsed to form this sinkhole. With 100 feet of visibility, there are no currents and there are depths of over 400 feet making the Blue Hole an amazing site for advanced level divers. The Blue Hole is a round, deep depression in the center of more than 75 square miles of blue-green water, making up the Lighthouse Reef Atoll. Its diameter is just over 1,000 feet, with a maximum depth just over 400 feet. Besides two narrow passages on the eastern and northern rims, the Blue Hole is entirely surrounded by living coral. Visitors may dive either the north or south side to depths of 100 to 150 feet where the closest caves may be seen.

You can begin by snorkeling to the coral rim. A good way to keep your sense of direction while you are descending in the Blue Hole is to not get to far from the wall. There is an overhang that shapes a cave-like ceiling that stalactites hang with a width of more than three feet and up to 20 feet in length. As you descend below the ceiling, the bottom of the cave has numerous detached stalactites. Occasionally you may see a shark or turtle casually swimming by. Red algae, hydroids and gorgonians cover most of the corals.

You may also find sharing brush, mermaid’s fan algae, elkhorm, club finger, shallow-water starlet corals, giant green anemones and arious urchins. The most diverse and abundant marine life is found on the reefs that border the outside of the Blue Hole. Snorkelers will also enjoy observing the many life forms that surround the Blue Hole.

Tres Cocos was named from a group of three tall coconut palm trees just east on Long Caye. This spot is about one mile north of the Hat Caye Drop-off. It is another marvelous dive site on the western side of the Lighthouse Reef Atoll, right next to Long Caye.

It has a shallow coral reef and wall with big overhangs. With visibility of about 80 feet and depths starting at 30 feet with minimal to medium currents, makes this a great site for beginners also. While algae covers a lot of the shallow reef, there is plenty of other marine life to see. Coral shrimp, large spotted moray eels, lion’s paw sea cucumbers, urchins, arrow crabs and sea feathers are also found at Tres Cocos. There are many parrotfish, damselfish and blue tang there for the algae and in the water above you will see many jacks and large black groupers.

You may also see turtles, Spanish mackerels, Creole and Black coral on the wall. Further north on the wall, you will see large sand flats that replace the reef and a wall with gorgeous coral arches below the surface. Rays, Conch and peacock flounders can be seen here. Hanging from the wall and arches are tube sponges and soft corals.

Close to Long Caye is an island called Hat Caye, where there is a reef drop-off, which is where it got its name. It is found along the central wall in the western part of Lighthouse Reef and it has an alluring shallow reef and is the southernmost site divers regularly go to in the atoll.

There is a wide shallow reef, with a wide patch of sloping sand separating two reefs. One is very shallow close to the island and the other is a narrow line that is on top of a drop-off. Dive boats usually anchor above the sloping sand areas near the wall, which provides a great dive with dramatic wide-angle picture opportunities. Also check out the sandy slope behind the reef against the wall. The visibility on this site is about 50 feet, with minimal currents, making this a good site for beginners. Right at the perimeter of Hat Caye Drop-off there are massive basket sponges. Many divers try to climb into the basket sponge’s opening, but sponges take a long time to grow, and usually get damaged when divers do so.

Damaged sponge tissue is vulnerable to disease, which eventually destroys the sponge. These sponges are also home to many other marine animals. A plethora of starfish may be seen. Also look for coral shrimp with their white antennas. Giant yellow tube sponges and deep-water lace coral, as well as many fish may also be seen at the Hat Caye Drop-off.

Unlike other parts of the Long Caye reef system, those at Cathedral are profoundly segmented. The Cathedral Reef starts shallow with the wall cresting at 30 feet. Sculptured by and rising above the sand channels are coral formations, which is how it got the name Cathedral.

The Cathedral’s depths are 30 feet plus, with 50 feet visibility and a light current making it great for the intermediate skill level diver. Divers can see narrow passages and tunnels along with some fascinating and diverse marine life. Coral gardens decorate the reef top and sponges color parts of the coral stacks red and orange. There is also cactus coral to be seen and photographed. The many and varied fish at this site are also an attraction.

There are groupers, French angels, stoplight parrots, trumpets and yellowtail snappers. Past the reef, large sheet coral up to six feet across cover the wall with huge basket, rope and long yellow tube sponges. Wire coral, deepwater lace and other soft coral growths extend up to five feet. You will also find turtles, lobsters, eagle rays and groupers.