Located on the upper level of the Bonacca Ridge, which parallels an ocean trench thousands of feet deep and which is at the very edge of the Honduran continental shelf, Utila is home to an incredible wealth of marine life. It’s Great Western Barrier Reef is only second in size to Australia’s Great Barrier Reef, and with fringing reefs and sea mounts, it is a diver’s paradise with more than 80 buoyed dive sites. Sit back, relax, and take a moment to explore just five of the amazing sites Utila has to offer.
Great Wall
Located on Utila’s east bank, the Great Wall is home to turtles, grouper, lobsters, crabs, and splendid tunicates. As you hover above the abyss 3000 feet below, you have a good chance of encountering whale sharks, as well as manta rays and ancient loggerheads. Look for creole wrasse, spadefish, and jacks as you explore the wall, which begins just 15 feet from the surface. Covered in giant barrel sponges, sheet coral, and brilliant sea fans that wave in the slight current, the wall is topped with lovely pillar coral formations, each of which is home to more fish and brilliantly colored creatures. While novice divers can explore the reef above, only those with plenty of experience should venture over the edge, as excellent buoyancy control is required. Visibility is usually very good, sometimes exceeding 100 feet. Be sure to keep an eye on the blue – you never know what you might see!
Halliburton 211
Deployed as an artificial reef and dive site in 1998, the Halliburton 211 was a 100 foot long inter-island transport supply vessel. Prior to being sunk, she was cleaned and prepared for easy penetration. Today, after more than a decade beneath 97 feet of water, the ship sits upright, with her topside accessible at 63 feet. Already gaining a colorful coating of coral and sponge, she is home to groupers and snappers, bearded fireworms, and big green moray eels. Clouds of baitfish swirl in dense profusion, followed by larger pelagics including barracuda and tarpon hoping to catch an easy snack.
Experienced wreck divers can penetrate the Halliburton with ease, and those with less experience will find plenty to photograph outside the ship. Visibility is generally good, usually between 50 and 100 feet.
Airport Caves
With swimthroughs and deep cracks bustling with glassy sweepers, Airport Caves is part of a section of reef which begins at just 5 feet below the surface, and which extends to depths well beyond recreational limits on its outer edges. Home to dog snappers, groupers, sea horses, eagle rays, moray eels, and the occasional napping nurse shark, these caves are situated at depths between 10 and 18 feet of water, and are covered in brilliant sponge and coral. Visibility is very good here, sometimes reaching 100 feet or better.
Little Bight
A fascinating site which is ideal for photography, Little Bight is a wide, sandy patch that begins at the beach and slopes to depths beyond 100 feet. Ideal for all divers, the bight features lovely coral walls on each side, where you can find lobsters and crabs among hundreds of other species. The sandy expanse is home to electric rays and eagle rays, the occasional manta ray, and lots of pipehorses and seahorses, as well as nudibranchs galore. You’ll also find sailfin blennies, juvenile green razorfish, and an eel garden. Visibility is usually good at 30 to 50 feet, so long as you use careful finning techniques as you explore.
Black Hills
This offshore bank is deeper than the fringing reefs nearby, and is home to Atlantic Spadefish, Creole Wrasse, Horse-eyed jacks, and thousands of blue and yellow juvenile wrasse. You’ll find French, Gray, and Queen angelfish here too, as well as barracuda and yellowtail snappers, to name just a few! The Black Hills seamount rises up from about 200 feet beneath the surface to just 35 feet. Covered in magnificent sheet coral, massive barrel sponges, vase and tube sponges, and lovely sea fans, sea whips and gorgonians that create an incredible backdrop for photography, this site is washed by a steady upwelling current and is suitable for experienced divers only. Visibility tends to be around 50 to 100 feet, and among the larger residents you’ll find loggerhead and hawksbill turtles, as well as the occasional whale shark.
While it takes planning and preparation to travel to Utila, the diving is spectacular, making it well worth the effort required. There are excellent hotels and dive shops, as well as liveaboards here, so take your pick, and book in advance as space is limited! No matter what you choose, you’re certain to enjoy all the island has to offer.