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