Roatan Island Dive Sites 1 to 5

Whale Shark and Craig
Photo by Annette Ruddy at Spooky Channel

Spooky Channel is located directly off the end of the Sunnyside pier.  There is a maze of zigzags and tunnel like effects leading throughout the reef at depths of up to 95 feet.  Snorkelers and divers have very easy access to this area from the end of the pier.  Boat moorings are on the inside and outside of the reef.   Fish is very abundant in this area and include blue runner, harlequin bass, black durgon, butterfly fish, grouper, angelfish, parrotfish, octopus, lobster, shrimp, spider crab, trunkfish, porcupine fish, turtles, and rays.  Snorkelers spend hours swimming and diving in this area.  Be sure to stop and visit the folks at Bay Islands Beach Resort and they will tell you about their underwater aquarium trail located on the inside of Spooky Channel.  During our last snorkeling visit to the trial, they had 10 marker buoys around spots of interest.  We spotted an eagle ray, green moray, trumpetfish, barracuda, reef squirrelfish, blue hamlet, fairy basslet, black grouper, tiger grouper, Nassau grouper, rock hind, octopus, lobster, flounder, jack, dog snapper, trunkfish, blue stripped grunt, foureye butterfly fish, intermediate queen angelfish, yellowtail damsel fish, Spanish hogfish, rainbow parrotfish, stoplight parrotfish, queen triggerfish, black durgon, and honeycomb cowfish. The corals included flower coral, smooth starlet, ribbon coral, brain coral, sea rod, sea fans, tube sponges, and basket sponges.

2  Bear's Den
Latitude 16� 20.21 minutes North
Latitude 86� 34.148 minutes West
Depth 30 to 105 feet with boat access:

Nassau grouper
Photo by Carlos Gordon

Bear's Den is located just to the west of Spooky Channel and is well known for its honeycombed vertical coral wall, a large underwater cave, and a tunnel.  The tunnel is about 80 feet deep and located very near the boat mooring.  The tunnel runs 100 feet before opening at a large steep canyon.  The cave is located by swimming further to the east from the mooring (five minutes).  Recently, several large black grouper have been greeting divers as they enter the water at the mooring site.  The entrance is located in at a depth of 40 feet.  If you enter the cave in the late morning, you will get a lot of reflected light from the small openings at the top of the cave.  Here you will find large reef crabs.  Be sure to enter this cave with a local guide and be sure to have an underwater light.  At least four people can easily fit in the cave and follow the instructions of the guide.

3  Peter's Place
Depth 10 to 130+ feet with boat access:

African Long Tails
Photo By Bill Orr

Peter's Place is known for its diverse variety of fish and the mini wall that rises from a depth of about 40 feet.  Triggerfish, black durgon and sea fans mark this mini wall.  Near the deeper ledge are pillars of coral.  Grouper, parrotfish, angelfish, tang, and yellow snapper will greet you during the daylight.  Night dives will be rich with colors from sponges and giant spider crabs.  Eels, brittle stars, basket stars, octopuses, and flounders will greet you in the evening. 

4  Eagle's Nest
Depth 25 to 130 feet with boat access:


Purple tips sea anemone
Photo by Carlos Gordon

Eagle's Nest or Perch has a high knoll along the shelf of the reef.  Water depth ranges from 25 to 130 feet along this area.   Large spotted eagle rays are commonly found here along with turtles.  Large barrel sponges and sea fans are seen between the black durgon, triggerfish, and grouper.  

5  Fish Den 
Depth 10 to 130 feet with boat access:

Turtle
Photo By Bill Orr