Utila, Bay Islands, Honduras

Ron's Wreck

Ron's Wreck is a small workboat sunk in shallow water on Utila's south shore as a recreational artificial reef and a popular site for night dives because of its accessible depth and rich invertebrate life. The boat sits upright on a sandy slope in 12 to 18 meters of water. After decades on the bottom, the hull is heavily encrusted with hard corals, encrusting sponges and hydroids and has integrated into the surrounding fringing reef. Resident species include green moray, large lobster, schoolmaster snapper, queen triggerfish, spotted drum and dense aggregations of glassy sweepers in summer. Octopus and decorator crabs are common night-dive subjects, and hawksbill turtles patrol the surrounding reef. The shallow profile makes the site suitable for Open Water divers and as a second tank of the day. Visibility runs 15 to 22 meters and currents are usually negligible.