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