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