Sandy Bay, Roatán, Bay Islands, Honduras

Pirate's Point

Pirate's Point is a north-shore wall dive in the Sandy Bay marine reserve, named for its location off the headland of the same name. The site begins on a healthy reef shelf at 10 to 12 meters that runs out to a steep wall dropping past 40 meters. The shelf is dotted with large barrel sponges, pillar coral colonies and brain coral, and the wall is densely covered in deep-water sea fans, rope sponges and black coral. Caribbean reef biodiversity is strong here: divers commonly see queen and French angelfish, creole wrasse, hawksbill turtles, southern stingrays cruising the sand patches and small schools of horse-eye jack. The site benefits from the Roatán Marine Park's no-take zone and is operated under permanent moorings. Currents are usually mild; visibility averages 20 to 30 meters and the site is diveable year-round with the best conditions during the dry season.