The Caribbean, no doubt, has a lot of spectacular dive sites this planet has to offer every diving enthusiast looking for a great adventure. For those that happen to come to this side of the world, Lighthouse Reef is definitely a place you have to see for yourself. Situated just 50 miles off the East coast of Belize, this atoll is houses some of the world’s best dive sites such as the Half Moon Caye and the Great Blue Hole, and is even home to the rare Red-footed Booby. The Lighthouse Atoll, as others have come to know it by, is a sand island that combines breathtaking lagoons and reefs and occupies a land mass of approximately 16 miles. Before indulging in the dive adventure of a lifetime, it is best to know the top dive spots beforehand.
One of the atolls key destinations is the Great Blue Hole. It is said that this wonder was formed millions of years ago when a meteorite plunged into our planet. As a result, this site has a depth of at least 400 feet and is considered one of the top 10 dive sites in the world. Divers who travel to the Blue Hole are set for the experience of their life. Because it is a well protected sanctuary for marine life, divers often have the chance to see rare fishes and large groupers which they are not able to see elsewhere. It is also home to squadrons of majestic eagle rays, southern stingrays, and various sharks.
Just as vibrant as the Red-footed Boobies in the Half Moon island reserve, divers can experience a similar adventure down at the Half Moon Caye Wall. It is another diving spot that is known worldwide for its selections of aquatic life. From the first few steps of walking on shallow water you will be able to see eels and stingrays along your descent to the wall. Once on the wall, divers are able to swim with groups of angelfish, pairs of butterfly fish, squirrel fishes and grouper fishes that form part of the astounding marine life in the area. As divers explore deeper depths of the wall, they are able to see various sponges, sea fans, and giant brain corals of different colors and sizes. If you are a little more adventurous and ever decide to go seaward, you will be able to sight white tip sharks, large manta rays, and jewfishes.
As part of your diving adventure, you will come across the western side of Lighthouse reef where you will find the Hat Caye Drop-Off. As visitors have put it, it is known for its wide and shallow reefs that are also home to a lot of species of marine life. The shallow areas are known for its vibrant life and must therefore be explored extensively. Divers who are also into wide angle photography will learn that this is a good place to practice their craft. When you have the chance to, explore the outer rim of the reef as it is home to basket sponges that are larger than the divers themselves. This area is separated by two reefs and has a depth of at least 50 ft. Divers will be able to explore these reefs as well as the different sizes of deep water lace corals and yellow tube sponges.
On the northern side of Lighthouse reef, there is yet another diving wonder that you must explore. The West Point One to the south and West Point Two to the north are other dive spots that are rich with corals and spectacular marine life. In particular, this site is well known for its abundant aquatic life where photographers can shoot away and get that perfect shot. To begin your adventure, you will find that the shallows have a rich abundance of various stingrays. West Point has a wall that supports different tube sponges and sea fans that appear in a variety of colors. As you go down further in depth, you will be able to swim with fishes such as the hogfish, barracudas, angelfish, groupers, moray eels, and many more.
Lastly, divers will want to explore the waters of the Tarpon Caves which are home to schools of tarpon and grouper that breed and live in the surrounding area. In general, the dive site has an 18m depth and is supported by a wall that has gigantic tube and monster sponges along with breathtaking black corals. Diving here would give you a chance to see razor fishes, stingrays, eels, and parrot fishes.
Diving in the Caribbean is never complete until you have experienced the Lighthouse Reef and its majestic underwater kingdom for yourself. For the diving enthusiasts, this could well be a paradise worth coming back to year after year.