Airport Caves

Airport Caves

Location: 
Utila, South East
Highlights: 
Shallow Caves and swim throughs

DIVE BRIEF: Airport Caves was named for its proximity to the island’s old airport and its caves and sand channels. The reef’s wall starts at 15ft and descends to 40 ft where the sandy bottom gradually goes down to more than 120 ft. In both directions there are sand channels that lead you to the entrance of different caves. Going West at 15ft, a diver will discover one of the site’s interesting points, a U- shaped sand channel that takes you to the entrance and exit of the site’s biggest tunnel.

Normal Visibility: 
20metres
Currents: 
Caribbean Light
Site Depth: 
0metres
30metres
Divesite Difficulty : 
Easy (Open Water)
Time to Site : 
15minutes
Common Marine Life Sightings: 
Scorpion Fish, Yellow Stingrays, Glassy Sweeper, Shy Hamlet, Longlure Frogfish, Queen Angelfish, Northern Stargazers, Green Morays, Rock Beauty, Measled Cowries
Dive 25 Hotspot Watch: 
Channel Clinging Crab, Sea Walnut, Caribbean Spiny Lobster
Dive Site Map: 

Sea Walnut

86279_large.jpg
Academy Award: 

Family: Comb Jellies - Tentaculata

Diver Interaction: 
If there is enough cloud cover during a night dive and a swarm of sea walnuts are in proximity, divers can switch off their torches and see the blue-greenish bioluminescence spark around them in the dark.
Species in Action: 
Habitat & Lifestyle: 
They often appear in large groups over reefs, in bays and harbours especially during the summer months. Bioluminescent; when disturbed at night produce a greenish blue light.
Genus: 
Mnemiopsis mccradyi
Maximum Size: 
10.00cm
Average Size: 
5.0cm
6.5cm
Depth: 
0.0metres
5.0metres
Endangered Rating: 
Low
Global Distribution: 
Common Florida, Bahamas, Caribbean.
Unique Physique: 
Walnut or occasionally pear-shaped, with large oral lobes and some lateral compression. Often bespeckled with numerous small warts. Opalescent or translucent, frequently with a greenish amber cast.
Visual ID: 
Local Hotspots: 
Bay Islands: Ron's Wreck - Moon Hole, Airport Caves
Abundance: 
Abundant - At least several sightings can be expected on nearly every dive.

Caribbean Spiny Lobster

Caribbean Spiny Lobster - By Tim Doherty
Academy Award: 

Family: Spiny Lobsters – Palinuridae
Order: Decapoda
Infraorder: Palinura

Diver Interaction: 
Wary, when approached retreat into their protective recesses.
Species in Action: 
Habitat & Lifestyle: 
Live in reefs and hide in protective recesses during the day, and forage in the open at night. They can swim backwards rapidly when disturbed, using powerful strokes of their tails. Females, during reproduction, should be left alone and not disturbed, since they carry clusters of tiny orange eggs under their abdomens. Occasionally after winter storms, mass migrations of up to 50 individuals move in single file across-open terrain.
Genus: 
Panulirus argus
Maximum Size: 
61.00cm
Average Size: 
15.3cm
25.4cm
Depth: 
0.5metres
61.0metres
Endangered Rating: 
Low
Global Distribution: 
Common Florida, Bahamas, Caribbean. May be abundant in areas that have not been harvested.
Unique Physique: 
The abdomen is brown and tan banded with some light spots, while the carapace has shaded areas of brown and tan with a few dark spots. Above their eyes they have a sharp ‘horn’ and a pair of long, conical antennae. JUVENILE: Dark brown body with lavender markings, brown and white banded legs, and a whitish band on tail.
Visual ID: 
Local Hotspots: 
Bay Islands: Airport Caves, Blackish Point
Abundance: 
Occasional - Sightings are not unusual, but not on a regular basis.

Channel Clinging Crab (a.k.a. King Crab)

Channel Clinging Crab
Academy Award: 

Family: Spider Crabs – Majidae
Order: Decapoda (True Crabs – Brachyura)

NOTE: Also commonly known as ‘Reef Spider Crab’, Spiny Spider Crab’, and ‘King Crab’.

Diver Interaction: 
Relatively confident; when approached retreat for their safety.
Species in Action: 
Habitat & Lifestyle: 
Found in rocky areas and coral reefs, often in caves or under ledge overhangs during day; forage in the open at night. Frequently covered with algae and debris.
Genus: 
Mithrax spinosissimus
Maximum Size: 
153.00cm
Average Size: 
61.0cm
92.0cm
Depth: 
3.0metres
40.0metres
Endangered Rating: 
Low
Global Distribution: 
Common to occasional throughout the Caribbean.
Unique Physique: 
Largest species of Caribbean Reef Crab,they have a reddish brown carapace and walking legs, with smooth purplish grey claws with blunt claw tips. Around their outer edge a single row of nodules can be found whereas numerous short spines and nodules cover their legs.
Visual ID: 
Local Hotspots: 
Bay Islands: Airport Caves, CJ's Drop Off
Abundance: 
Occasional - Sightings are not unusual, but not on a regular basis.
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