South Side, Cayman Brac, Ilhas Cayman

Butterfly Reef

Butterfly Reef is a shallow reef-top dive on Cayman Brac's south side, named for the dense and varied population of tropical reef fish that flutter above the coral heads like butterflies. The site sits on the reef shelf in roughly 12 to 18 metres of water on a healthy hard-coral reef of brain coral, boulder coral, sea plumes, sea rods and sea fans, scattered across patches of white sand. The south-side exposure is sheltered from the prevailing easterly trade winds, keeping water clear and conditions calm. Resident wildlife includes large schools of yellowtail snapper, schoolmaster, sergeant majors, blue tangs, ocean surgeonfish, queen and French angelfish, midnight parrotfish, stoplight parrotfish, Creole wrasse, hawksbill turtles foraging on sponges, southern stingrays cruising the sand, green moray eels in the crevices, the occasional spotted eagle ray, and Caribbean reef squid. Visibility commonly exceeds 25 metres in the dry season from December to May. The shallow depth, near-zero current and easy navigation make Butterfly Reef an excellent beginner dive and a perfect second dive after a deeper north-wall morning.