Jamaica's underwater wonders
Over the years many songwriters have referred to the beauty of
this green pearl in the string of Caribbean islands, and today
it is known throughout the world for its lush vegetation, reggae
music, rum and coffee. One of the most overlooked attractions
is, however, that part of the island that lies below the surface
of the ocean that surrounds it. Divers typically do not think of
Jamaica as a prime diving destination, except for those who have
explored its reefs and have found it to be the best destination
of all. Where else can you do a breathtaking wall dive in the
morning, enjoy the sea life on a shallow reef at noon, and have
plenty of time left in the afternoon to go river rafting,
horseback riding, play golf, visit a great house or indulge in
any manner of activities. Jamaica as one of the largest islands
in the Caribbean has many excellent diving and snorkeling sites:
shallow and deep, reefs and walls, wrecks and caverns, home to
all manner of sea life: spectacular coral, exotic sponges, spiny
lobsters, moray eels, sea turtles and multitudes of colorful
fish, big and small. Below we have selected by region some of
the unique diving opportunities available to you based on your
level of experience. All dives offered by commercial operators
in Jamaica are guided dives. The dive guides must have,
according to regulations, at least a dive master certificate
from an internationally recognized association and be licensed
by the Jamaica Tourist Board. Although this limits your freedom
to dive wherever you like, this regulation increases the safety
and fun of diving in an unfamiliar area. The dive
classifications employed below were assigned based on the
following principles: Novice divers: Persons who are recently
certified, or who have done only a limited number of dives with
considerable gaps in between; this could include divers with as
many as 20 dives. Dives in this category will tend to be less
than 60 ft (18 m) or will not require advanced diving skills.
Intermediate divers: Persons who have been diving on a regular
basis but lack further training beyond certification, also those
with advanced training who have not been diving for the past
several months. The environment of this category of dive
necessitates greater experience. Advanced divers: Persons with
training beyond the open water diver certification that have
been diving regularly in the last several months. This
requirement will apply to most sites deeper than 80 ft (24 m)
because those dives require a mastery of buoyancy and a thorough
knowledge of the dive tables. These dives may also be accessible
to the less experienced diver after a couple of refresher dives.
MONTEGO BAY Rose Hall Reef Depth: 20-45 ft (7-14 m) Class:
Novice Named for the famous great house that overlooks the sea
just a couple of miles east of Montego Bay, this shallow reef is
teaming with marine life. At this location you'll discover
"Fairy Castle", a massive colony of pillar coral, and "Fairy
Bridge", a coral formation that connects two sections of reef
over a sandy "river". The reef forms an intricate system of
tunnels that are home to squirrelfish, goatfish, porcupinefish,
bar jacks and grunts.
The Spanish Anchor Depth: 50-90 ft (15-28 m) Class: Intermediate
Located on the west side of the marine park, the shallow reef
drops to a sandy bottom at 50 ft. The site derives its name from
the large anchor, undated but of Spanish origin, that rests on
the sandy bottom. Within the reef wall one can explore tunnels
and caverns with abundant sponge colonies. Sightings of eagle
rays are quite common here, and in the deeper water large mutton
snappers- and sometimes a docile nurse sharkmay pass by.
Widowmaker's Cave Depth: 40-80 ft (12-24 m) Class: Advanced A
deep dive along a wall with a vertical, narrow crack which forms
the entrance to Widowmaker's Cave. Inside the tunnel leading to
the cave, there is wire coral with, in the beam of your dive
light, red polyps, and the walls are covered with multicolored
sponges. On this dive you'll likely encounter schools of silvery
blue bogas, glassy sweepers, schoolmaster snappers, balloonfish,
trumpetfish, hamlets, wrasses and parrotfish.
NEGRIL The Throne Room Depth: 40-70 ft (12-21 m) Class: Novice
The entrance to the Throne Room, a fairly wide but low cavern,
is a crack in the reef about 25 feet long and 8 feet wide. The
walls on the inside are covered with colorful sponges and on the
bottom near to the exit you can see a large orange elephant ear
sponge for which the site is named. Ceros, cruising along over
the sandy bottom, are a common sight, as are small groups of
yellow tail snapper.
The Caves Depth: 40-70 ft (12-21 m) Class: Intermediate This
site is named for the two caverns, one small and one slightly
larger, with a narrow tunnel connecting the two. You can find a
variety of sponges here along with soft gorgonians. On the sand
flat you will see the usual occupants: furry sea cucumbers,
stingrays, jacks and some lane snappers.
Kingfish Point Depth: 80-90 ft (24-27 m) Class: Advanced Among
the elephant ear sponges and yellow tube sponges, you may find
Spanish hogfish, smooth and bandtail puffers, and of course the
everpresent damselfish. Golden crinoids are tucked in between
star and brain coral, and in the surrounding sandy area sand
tilefish hover near their burrows. Kingfish, the Jamaican name
for ceros, can be seen passing by. These silvery fish are
generally solitary and are seen on reefs and drop-offs near deep
water.
RUNAWAY BAY Reggae Queen Depth: 50-60 ft (15-18 m) Class: Novice
The "Reggae Queen", a 100-ft tugboat with a wooden hull, was
sunk here in early 1993. The wreck lies upright in the sand in
between two reef reas. Hovering over the wreck is a large school
of blue chromis, bogas and creole wrasse. Southern stingrays
have also been reported cruising the adjacent areas. In the reef
you can see clusters of yellow tube sponges and green rope
sponges covered with tiny zoanthids.
Pocket's Reef Depth: 90-120 ft (27-36 m) Class: Advanced A wall
at 80 ft dropping down to over 200 ft adorned with clusters of
bright azure vase sponges, elephant ear sponges and large red
sea fans. Large schools of fish go back and forth, and ceros and
bar jacks pass overhead. Rainbow jacks are seen regularly and
sometimes you may encounter an ocean triggerfish. A shallower
reef plateau at 50 ft is home to grunts, goatfish and blackbar
soldierfish.
OCHO RIOS Jacks Hall Depth: 30-50 ft (9-15 m) Class: Novice This
medium-profile reef has finger coral, brain coral, star coral,
an occasional elkhorn coral on the shallower end, and a variety
of sponges. Drifting with the current you pass over a section of
reef, followed by a sand chute, another reef section and another
sand gully and so on. Nurse sharks frequent the area and can
often be found napping in the sand.
Top of the Mountain Depth: 60-80 ft (18-24 m) Class:
Intermediate Near Dunn's River Falls, a massive underwater
mountain plateau rises up from the sandy ocean floor to 60 ft
below the surface. The top of the reef is covered with many
different species of soft gorgonians and small coral heads,
consisting of sea rods, sea plumes, sea fans, brain coral, star
coral, and clusters of smooth flower coral. Look out for golden
hamlets that frequent this area and the rare yellowcheck wrasse.
Hiding in the coral heads are glasseye snappers, graysbys, and
squirrelfish.
Snorkeling opportunities abound in Jamaica for guided tours to
areas reachable only by boat or solo, shore entry reef
exploration. Be sure to employ guides licensed by the Jamaica
Tourist Board or if you have the experience to venture out on
your own be sure to seek local advice on the currents and other
potential hazards.
Excerpted with permission from the book "Diving and Snorkeling
Guide to Jamaica" by Hannie and Theo Smit. This book is out of
print but copies are available for purchase at the Montego Bay
Marine Park visitor centre at Pier 1.
Montego Bay Marine Park Covering an area from the airport to
the Great River west of Montego Bay, officially opened in 1992,
mooring buoys and boundary markers are maintained, rangers
patrol the area and spear fishing is banned from the park.
Training programs exist to assist displaced fisherman in
learning new skills and finding alternative employment. A zoning
plan addresses the impact of various user groups on the park.
Also, an extensive public education program seeks to make
Montego Bay citizens more aware of the importance of preserving
the marine environment. The effect of destructive environmental
practices on land, which influences to a great extent the health
of the reefs, is emphasized. For more information, call (876)
952-5619 or visit the head office and visitor centre, located at
Pier 1. www.mbmp.org
Friends of the Sea Determined to halt the destruction of the
marine environment in the areas of Discovery Bay, Runaway Bay
and Ocho Rios this group of concerned citizens seeks to increase
public awareness of this problem through education,
water-quality monitoring and various conservation initiatives.
For more information about their activities, you can write to:
Friends of the Sea, P.O. Box 327, St. Anne's Bay.
Negril Environmental Protection Area Covering over 80 square
miles and including the Negril Marine Park and the Great Morass,
as well as rain and limestone forests, cliffs, caves and blue
holes. The marine park includes demarcation of recreational,
fishing and replenishment zones with over 150 marker and reef
mooring buoys, and the program incorporates educational projects
and mariculture projects as well as an alternative to
destructive fishing and farming practices, and a unique reef
restoration program using mineral accretion to create artificial
reefs. These efforts are financed by user fees, ecotourism
activities, souvenir sales, donations and environmental levies.
For more information, call (809) 957-4472.
**for more information visit www.jam-boree.com,
Jamaica's visitor website, the complete source for travel and
tourism information featuring hand-picked deals on vacation
packages, hotels, villas, flights and car rentals**