West Bay, Roatán, Bay Islands, Honduras

Eel Garden

The West Bay Eel Garden is a shallow sand-and-reef site directly off the famous West Bay beach on Roatán, considered a classic check-out and night dive by the cluster of operators that work the southwestern tip of the island. The site begins in 5 meters near a shallow coral shelf and slopes down to roughly 20 meters across an open sand patch that is densely populated with brown garden eels swaying in the current. The reef edge hosts pillar coral, sea rods and large barrel sponges. Common sightings include yellow stingrays, peacock flounders, sand divers, juvenile spotted drums, southern stingrays gliding out of the sand and hawksbill turtles foraging on the shallower reef. Because of the easy depth profile and sheltered orientation, the site is a popular Open Water training and night-dive location. Visibility averages 15 to 25 meters and currents are usually negligible.