Turneffe North
Sheltered and calm waters allow for: Large and healthy soft corals. Good
visibility. Active marine life. Happy divers.
Turneffe Islands are an outer atoll that is separated from the mangrove cayes (such as Caye Caulker) by "the blue" - 3000ft/900m deep. The atoll is built up from the ocean by corals, and covers more than 200 square miles/520 square kilometers.
Black Coral Wall, the first dive site, is named for its impressive wall of the treasured black coral, host to thousands of black-capped basslets. We dive to 80ft/24m; the wall shelves below us at 110/36m. We finish the dive along the top of the wall at 35ft/10m.
At St. Vincent's Wall, the second dive site, soft corals teem with small fish. Our maximum depth is 60ft/ 18m, and we finish the dive along the top of the wall at 35ft/10m.
Sandy Lane, named for its large sloping sandy floor at 40ft/ 12m, is our point of descent. Along this floor, we often see flounder and Bat Fish. From here, we swim to a maximum depth of 50ft/ 15m along a wall which descends to approximately 100ft/ 33m beneath us. Marine life is rich among the healthy coral wall. We end the dive along the top of the wall at approximately 20ft/ 6m.
| Common* wildlife to see: | Eagle Rays, Bat Fish, Nurse Sharks, Groupers, Moray Eels, Lobsters, Loggerhead Turtles, Hawksbill Turtles, Spotted Drums, Pederson Shrimps, Cleaner Shrimps, Arrowhead Crabs, Channel Crabs, Southern Sting Rays, Squid, French Angelfish. |
| Common coral to see: | The famous Black Coral, and many varied species of: Gorgonians, Anemones, Tube Sponges, Barrel Sponges, Encrusting Sponges, Vase Sponges, Staghorn, Brain Coral, Fanworms, Feather dusters, Christmas Tree Worms, Hydroids, Tunicates, Zoanthids, Corallimorphs, Spaghetti Worms |
| Possible to see: | Reef Sharks, Hammerhead Sharks, Dolphins, Nudibranch. |
| Number of Dives: | 3, with snorkeling during the surface interval. |
| Number of Divers: | 6-10. |
| Schedule: | Leaves at 7:30AM. Returns at approximately 2:30PM. |
| Distance: | 1 hour. |
| Includes: | Scuba gear, homemade Belizean lunch: chicken, rice and beans, salad, coleslaw, fried plantains; fruits and snacks; water and soda. |
| Maximum Depth: | 70ft/21m. |
| Experience Level: | All. |
| Price: | $253 Belize/ $126.50 US |
| Experience Level: | All. |
*Of course, we are talking about the wilderness; so every dive is unique.
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information and photos copyright 2005
Website by Heidi Curry