Dangriga, South Water Caye Marine Reserve, Belize

Carrie Bow Caye Reef

Carrie Bow Caye is a tiny sand caye that sits directly on the barrier reef and hosts a Smithsonian Institution field station that has run continuous reef research at the site since 1972, making it one of the longest-running coral reef monitoring programmes in the world. The reef in front of the caye is a classic spur-and-groove formation, with the reef crest in 4 to 8 metres and sand channels descending to about 30 metres at the wall edge. Healthy stands of mountainous star coral, brain coral, sheet coral and pillar coral structure the dive, accompanied by deep-water sea fans, large barrel sponges and elephant-ear sponges. Reef life includes schools of horse-eye jacks, big mutton snappers, schoolmasters, midnight parrotfish, French and queen angelfish, large groupers, hawksbill turtles and southern stingrays. Caribbean reef sharks patrol the wall edge. Currents are usually moderate, visibility 20 to 30 metres. Access from Dangriga or via liveaboard.