Belize is one of the premiere diving destination in the world. Water visibility in Belize waters commonly reaches 100+ feet, water temperature hovers around 80 degrees Fahrenheit, and the barrier reef makes for calm water most of the year. In recent years visitors to Belize have rated the "marine attractions" as the primary reason for coming to Belize.
Belize's barrier reef has been named a UNESCO World Heritage Site. With an unrivaled barrier reef in this hemisphere the marine attractions are as varied as the natural formations that make up this 176 ml. coastal treasure. Divers and snorkelers can experience the barrier reef, coral atolls, fringing reef, patch reefs, each offering differing underwater coral formations and a variety of flora, fish and marine creatures.
What is an Atoll? An atoll is a ring of coral that originally grew completely around the shoreline of an island, and which continued to grow upward on top of itself as the island subsided or eroded away.
The ring reef we see today at Glover's Reef outlines the shoreline of an ancient island that once existed at this location. This island was exactly the size and shape of present day Glover's Reef Atoll, today an oval ring of coral 54 miles in circumference surrounded by the Caribbean Sea. One can observe the various stages of this geologic process on islands and atolls found in the Pacific. The Hawaiian Islands can be considered relatively "young" islands, with coral reefs growing around their perimeters very close to the shoreline.
A "mid-stage" atoll would be represented by Tahiti, with a central island surrounded by a ring reef several miles offshore, sheltering a large shallow lagoon between the reef and the island. Examples of "mature" atolls can be seen among many island groups in the Pacific such as Bora Bora where slender circles of coral surround huge lagoons full of coral formations but with few, if any, central islands remaining.
Small islands of sand and rubble, such as those found at Glover's Reef, are commonly situated on the edges of these atolls. Within this necklace of coral, you'll find more than 700 pristine patch reefs brimming with the richest variety of marine life in the Caribbean - from the delicate fan coral and spiny urchin to the colorful stoplight parrot fish and elegant southern sting ray. Snorkelers and divers alike are enchanted by Cross Section of southern Belize the spectrum of sea life here, whether they're wading just off shore or exploring the depths along The Wall, a world-class dive site off the back of Long Caye.
The Barrier Reef
Spanning Belize's coastline for 185 miles is the Belize Barrier Reef with dive sites inside and outside of the reef. Just outside look for Spur and Grove formations - narrow canyons of corals are great for spotting grouper and the occasional eel. Inside the reef, patch reefs are covered with hundreds of brightly colored fish and coral species. For something a little different, try snorkeling or diving near a mangrove colored island "the nursery of the sea" where you are sure to find tiny barracuda, snapper and other fish whose parents you might have seen in deeper water.
The Coral Atolls. Belize boasts three major offshore atolls:
Together they easily provide over a hundred dive and snorkeling sites for the adventurous visitor.
Turneffe Atoll, the largest of three atolls found in Belize, is 30 miles long. The water dept measures between 55 and 65 feet. Glover's Reef, which is most south of the three, is often overlooked by divers but still has some of the most beautiful dive sites. It has a diameter of some 40 miles with over 700 shallow patch reefs in its interior. And the Lighthouse Reef is the farthest from the mainland but unlike Glover's Reef gets plenty of visitors. Depth near the reef is around 9 feet, it also boasts the Great Blue Hole, one of the seven underwater wonders of the world. Read More
The Turneff Atoll Dive Site
The Turneffe Atoll area stretches 30 miles long and 10 miles wide. It has often been described as a myriad of different dive destinations all bundled into one.
The 12-acre island is surrounded by one of the most fertile marine ecosystems in the world. The Eastern side of the 30-mile long Atoll is lined with pristine and productive flats. A network of flats, creeks, and lagoons dotted by literally hundreds of mangrove islands runs throughout the shallow interior of the Turneffe Atoll. It's home to millions of baitfish, crabs, shrimp (including the Stone Crab) , and other small aquatics, serving as the first link in the undersea food chain that supports the most abundant marine life in the Caribbean.
The site includes Northern (also known as Vincente) Lagoon.
The marine life at Turneffe Island makes the scuba diving an adventure like no other dive destination in the Caribbean. The vastness and variety of marine life and coral formations are truly unmatched.
The Turneffe Islands have been recognized for over three decades as one of the Caribbean's top destinations for bonefish, tarpon and permit as well as a long list of other saltwater game fish. Saltwater anglers thrill in the challenge of chasing the difficult, prestigious "Grand Slam"- catching a bonefish, permit and tarpon all in one day. Read More
Glover's Reef Dive Site
Glover's Reef Atoll, the southernmost of Belize's offshore atolls, located approximately 45 km off the mainland, is oval-shaped and runs 32 km long and 12 km wide. This Atoll is considered the prototypical atoll of the Caribbean. It is not only the best developed biologically, but also possesses the greatest diversity of reef types. Its deep lagoon is studded with about 850 patch reefs and pinnacles rising to the surface. Glover's Reef Research Station Six and cayes lie on the reef crest along its southeastern edge. The peripheral reef of the Atoll is broken in only three places by deep channels, allowing for the tidal flow of water between the lagoon and the open sea. A large grouper spawning site is located at the northeastern end of the atoll.
The Wildlife Conservation Society runs the Glover's Reef Research Station on Middle Caye. Since opening in 1997, the Station has hosted more than 100 scientific expeditions and has served as a platform for many researchers and students. The Station's mission is to promote long-term conservation and management of the Belize Barrier Reef complex through institute research, cooperative management, training, and education. Read More
The Lighthouse Reef Dive Site
Of the three atoll reefs off the coast of Belize, Lighthouse Reef is the farthest offshore. It is far from neglected, however, since dive boats from San Pedro visit the atoll regularly and the larger live-aboard vessels are always found in the vicinity. Within the confines of the reef, the depth is generally about 9 feet (2.7 m) with sufficient room between the numerous patch reefs to maneuver any craft with shallow enough draft.
The seabed is sandy and this, at least, allows the skipper to see the darker-colored patches of coral. As long as the sun is over the shoulder, the patch reefs are clearly seen. However, as soon as you turn and face the sun, the glare from the surface obscures the coral and extreme caution is advised. There are also six cayes. In the north, Sandbore Caye is one of the two cayes equipped with lighthouses occupied by a keeper and his family. Nearby is Northern Caye and these two cayes are known locally as Northern Two Cayes. On Northern Caye is one of the newest offshore diving resorts. Much of the caye has well-matured mangroves and there is an internal lagoon. The caye is noted for its saltwater crocodiles and snowy egrets.
Halfway down the west coast, there is a small caye called White Pelican Caye. The white pelican is not regarded as a species indigenous to Belize, so their being here is unusual. They were first spotted in 1988, and frequently stop at this point when in transit. Further south, there is Long Caye, which is a veritable jungle and home for far too many mosquitoes for reasonable comfort. However, some of the best diving is found to the west of Long Caye. The nutrients are pushed westward by the prevailing winds and there are no lagoons of fresh or brackish water to destroy the reef. just below Long Caye is Hat Caye which is very small and inaccessible by boat.
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The Great Blue Hole
The Great Blue Hole is a circular hole in the middle of Lighthouse Reef Atoll. About 1000 feet across and just a little over 400 feet deep. In it, the diver will find coral only at the very top, on the rim of the hole. The lack of sunlight prevents coral growth on the inclining walls of the hole. Lack of coral leads to few fish as well. At about 130 feet of depth, one can see huge stalactites hanging off the overhang. Some of them more then 20 feet in length. Also at this depth several reef sharks and an occasional bull shark greet the divers. At certain days more than 20 of them chill out in the cool depth of the Blue Hole. These sharks have just recently named the hole their home and make for a very exciting dive.
