Bay Islands Big 5
CJ's Drop Off
Location
Utila, North
Highlights
Drop off wall over 300 metres, pelagic creatures passing zone
Visibility
35metres
Currents
Caribbean Light to Rum Punch Mild
Site Depth
7metres
Difficulty
Easy to Advanced (Advanced Open Water)
Duration
57minutes
Sight-seeing
Spotted Trunkfish, Foureye Butterflyfish, Red Porgy, Tarpon, Branching Tube Sponge, Azure Vase Sponge, Branching Fire Coral, Flamefish, Permits, Green Moray, Scrawled Filefish
Hotspot Watch
Channel Clinging Crab, Great Barracuda, Cushion Sea Star
DIVE BRIEF: This is one of Utila's most impressive sites, especially when the water is clear. With a wall that runs to a depth of almost 300 metres, it makes your descent over the plateau feel like your jumping off a cliff with a parachute. The sensation of its depth is unforgettable. The buoy site is at 8 metres on an extensive plateau where a diver will see many different types of brain coral. East of the plateau you will spot a deep sand channel (17 metres) that is often visited by the Great Barracuda and the occasional Nurse Shark.
Aquarium
Location
Utila, North East
Highlights
Tarpon Hole and other overhangs, arches, caverns, soft coral plateaus
Visibility
24metres
Currents
Caribbean Light to Rum Punch Mild
Site Depth
13metres
Difficulty
Easy to Advanced (Advanced Open Water)
Duration
17minutes
Sight-seeing
Tiger Groupers, Scrawled Filefish, Goldspotted Eel, Yellow Stingrays, Bent Sea Rods, Grooved Blades, Caribbean Reef Octopus, Blade Fire Corals, Symmetrical Brain Corals, Christmas Tree Worms
Hotspot Watch
Roughtail Stingray, Goliath Grouper, Caribbean Reef Squid
DIVE BRIEF: Aquarium was named for the colorful wall that coral and encrusted sponge produce near the coast and for the great variety of soft coral found on the plateau between the coast and the reef wall. Below the boat (10 metres), the wall runs parallel to the coast and descends to 100ft. The sandy bottom will continue to 40 metres where it is common to find Southern Stingray. On the plateau at 12 metres a diver will find a great congregation of Sea Plumes.
Blackish Point
Location
Utila, North East
Highlights
Long over arching tunnels, caves and chimneys
Visibility
25metres
Currents
Caribbean Light to Rum Punch Mild
Site Depth
10metres
Difficulty
Easy to Advanced (Advanced Open Water)
Duration
53minutes
Sight-seeing
Hog Fish, Black Margates, Midnight Parrotfish, Spotted Morays, Yellow Sea Whips, Yellow Stingrays, Longspine Squirrelfish, Spotted Scorpion fish, Mountainous Star Corals, Ocellate Swimming Crabs
Hotspot Watch
Caribbean Spiny Lobster, Flamingo Tongue, Cushion Sea Star
DIVE BRIEF: Blackish Point site gets its name from the colour of the volcanic rock that forms the wall which runs parallel to the shore. Its main attractions are the caverns. At a depth 7 to 10 metres the upper part of the reef is generally flat and is abundant with soft coral and hard coral heads. At the depth you will be able to see holes which act as skylights to the caverns below at 16 metres. Although the caverns are not deep, inside you can see a great variety of sponges attached to the wall.
Blue Marlin
Size
400.00cm
Genus
Makaira nigricans
Avg. Size
200.0cm
Depth
0.0metres
Endangered?
Critical
Local Hotspots
Diver Interaction
The most often interactions divers may have with the Marlin are during surface intervals where marlins on the hunt slashing around at the surface.
Habitat & Lifestyle
The Atlantic blue marlin (Makaira nigricans) is a species of marlin, endemic to the Atlantic Ocean. It is a predator that feeds on a wide variety of organisms near the surface. By using its bill, it can slash while swimming through schools of fish, and then return to eat the stunned or dead prey. It is highly sought as a game fish to be caught by the means of rod and reel and has commercial value because its meat has a relatively high fat content.
Distribution
The Atlantic blue marlin lives in the tropical and temperate waters of the Atlantic Ocean. The distribution of Atlantic blue marlin expands in a northerly direction during the warmer months and contracts towards the equator during colder months.
Unique Physique
The bill is long and stout. Both the jaws and the palatines (the roof of the mouth) are covered with small, file-like teeth. The lateral line system is a group of neuromasts rooted in lateral line canals that are used to perceive weak water motions and large changes in pressure. It has the appearance of a net. It is obvious in immature specimens but unclear in adults, as it becomes increasingly embedded in the skin.
Abundance
Occasional - Sightings are not unusual, but not on a regular basis.
Rough Tooth Dolphin
Size
270.00cm
Genus
Steno bredanesis
Avg. Size
190.0cm
Depth
0.0metres
Endangered?
Medium
Local Hotspots
Diver Interaction
The Rough Tooth Dolphin is a gregarious species found in groups of 10-30 on average, as well as schools of up to 160 dolphins containing up to 8 smaller subgroups. Like other dolphins, rough-toothed dolphins communicate and echo-locate using clicks and whistles. Divers can simulate their noises in order to attract their attention. It is unknown whether the wild dolphins interact with divers out of curiosity, playfulness or to distract the unknown divers whilst their young can swim away.
Habitat & Lifestyle
The species is social. Group sizes are commonly as large as fifty and groups as large as 100 have been reported. The dolphin has not been observed to bow-ride but does ‘skim’ and swim with their heads and chin above the surface of the water.
Distribution
The distribution and population of the Rough-toothed Dolphin is poorly understood. Most of the research activity concerning the dolphin has been directed in the eastern Pacific Ocean where a population estimate of 150,000 has been obtained. There have been numerous reports from other warm seas, usually as a result of by-catches. Populations of unknown sizes exist in the Mediterranean and Caribbean Seas and the Atlantic, Indian. Live sightings are almost universally made far off-shore beyond the continental shelf.
Unique Physique
The characteristic feature of this dolphin is its conical head and slender nose. The flippers are set back further than in other similar dolphins (at sea this dolphin maybe confused with Spinner, Spotted and Bottlenose Dolphins).
Abundance
Occasional - Sightings are not unusual, but not on a regular basis.
Hawksbill Sea Turtle
Size
102.00cm
Genus
Eretmochelys imbriocota
Avg. Size
60.0cm
Depth
0.0metres
Endangered?
Critical
Local Hotspots
Diver Interaction
Occasionally encountered by divers on reefs, often amongst areas of broken coral. Can often be approached, especially if they are too distracted whilst feeding. Divers are warned not to hassle sea turtles as when these mammals panic they tend to dive down further to avoid danger. This can leave them susceptible to drowning as they are too over-exerted to head to the surface to get a fresh supply of air.
Habitat & Lifestyle
Adult Hawkesbills are primarily found in tropical coral reefs. They are usually seen resting in caves and ledges in and around these reefs, throughout the day. As a highly migratory species, they have also been seen in a wide range of habitats, from the open ocean to lagoons and even mangrove swamps in estuaries. Not a great deal is known about the habitat preferences of early-life stage of Hawksbills, however like other sea turtles' young, they are assumed to be completely pelagic and thus make the open sea their home until they mature.
Distribution
Hawksbill turtles have a wide range, found predominantly in tropical reefs of the Indian, Pacific and Atlantic oceans. Of all the sea turtle species, E. imbricata is the one most associated with tropical waters. Two major subpopulations are acknowledged to exist, the Atlantic and Indo-Pacific subpopulations.
Unique Physique
1. An overhanging upper beak resembles a ‘hawk’s bill’. 2. Four coastal plates, the first of which does not touch the nuchal, further distinguish them from Loggerheads. They also have two pairs of plates between the eyes, which distinguishes them from similar appearing Greens which have only a single pair of plates between the eyes.
Abundance
Occasional - Sightings are not unusual, but not on a regular basis.
Bushy Black Corals
Size
480.00cm
Genus
Antipathes caribbeana
Avg. Size
61.0cm
Depth
12.5metres
Endangered?
Critical
Local Hotspots
Diver Interaction
Unresponsive. Due to the impact of overharvesting black bushy coral for the purpose of jewelry-making, most divers first encounter with the coral will be at market stalls and other tourist traps where locals may still be selling. Help stop the demand for black coral by spreading awareness on how depleted black coral actually is in the ocean.
Habitat & Lifestyle
In shallow water, occasionally found under large overhangs and in caves. In deep water inhabit wall faces and canyons with some periodic water movement. They are most common between 24 and 74 metres; In many locations are rarely found above 45 metres, because of overharvesting.
Distribution
Common to uncommon Bahamas, Caribbean; rare South Florida. Because of over-harvesting, rare in many locations.
Unique Physique
These coral colonies are bushy and consist of primary stalks with long thin untidy branchlets. The colours of the primary branches vary from golden brown to brown to black and are maybe tinted red, green or blue. Branchlets are often a lighter colour. Sadly due to overharvesting it is rare to see colonies over four feet in height.
Abundance
Uncommon – Sightings are unusual
Whale Shark
Size
1700.00cm
Genus
Rhincodon typus
Avg. Size
600.0cm
Depth
0.0metres
Endangered?
High
Local Hotspots
Diver Interaction
Ignore divers. Do not react dangerously if ridden, however apparently they are irritated. They tend to dive and disappear shortly after such activities, but often remain close by and can make numeroue passes if left alone which can be a great experience for the diver.
Habitat & Lifestyle
Considered open-water oceanic. Cruise occasionally along walls and steep slopes. Feed on plankton, baitfish, tuna, squid, and pelagic crustaceans that are sieved from the water.
Distribution
Rare Florida, Bahamas, Caribbean; also Gulf of Mexico; Bermuda; circumtropical.
Unique Physique
1. Bold patterns of large, white spots covering body.
Abundance
Uncommon – Sightings are unusual
