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