Matthew Town, Inagua, Bahamas

Hogfish Reef

Hogfish Reef sits on the rarely-dived southern Bahamian island of Great Inagua, operated by the small dive scene based out of Matthew Town. The reef occupies a shelf in 18 to 25 meters of water along the western coast of the island and is characterized by exceptionally healthy coral cover thanks to the remoteness of the area and minimal diver pressure. The reef hosts large numbers of resident hogfish — the site's namesake — alongside Nassau grouper (still abundant here, in contrast with most Caribbean locations), schools of horse-eye jacks, queen and French angelfish, and large green moray eels. Caribbean reef sharks patrol the wall edge where the shelf drops into deeper water. The remoteness of Inagua means logistics are challenging but rewards include pristine reef, very low diver traffic, and consistent pelagic encounters. Visibility is typically excellent. Inagua is best known above water for its enormous flamingo population at the Inagua National Park, but the underwater ecosystem benefits from the same isolation and protection. Currents are usually mild but tide changes can pick up flow along the shelf edge. Divers visiting the island typically stay several days and dive a rotating roster of reefs and walls along the western coast.