East End, Grand Cayman, Ilhas Cayman

Tarpon Alley

Tarpon Alley is a Grand Cayman North Wall dive famous for the resident school of large Atlantic tarpon (Megalops atlanticus) that hovers motionless in the coral canyons running parallel to the wall lip. The dive starts on the shallow reef plateau around 12 metres and works through a series of coral-walled canyons in 18 to 23 metres, where the silver tarpon — many over 1.5 metres long — drift in the shadows under coral overhangs. Beyond the canyons the reef shelf rolls over into the wall and drops thousands of metres into the Cayman Trench. The site also delivers Caribbean reef sharks patrolling the drop-off, eagle rays passing through, hawksbill turtles, schooling horse-eye jacks, queen angelfish, French angelfish and large midnight parrotfish. Visibility regularly tops 30 metres during the dry season from December to May. Currents can run moderate when the wind shifts onshore. Operated by East End and West Bay shops on calm-day North Wall trips.