Turneffe Islands, Turneffe Atoll, Belize

West Point I

West Point I is a wall and coral garden dive on the western side of Turneffe Atoll, on the lee side of the prevailing trade winds, which usually keeps the surface calm. The reef top sits in 10 metres of water and slopes through a coral garden of brain coral, mountainous star coral, sheet coral and pillar coral down to a sandy plateau at 18 metres before the wall drops past 35 metres. The wall is decorated with deep-water sea fans, large barrel sponges, vase sponges and black coral colonies. Reef life is abundant: schools of yellowtail snapper, schoolmasters, French and queen angelfish, midnight parrotfish, large groupers and the occasional big horse-eye jack school. Caribbean reef sharks pass along the deeper wall and eagle rays cruise the rim at depth. Hawksbill turtles and southern stingrays are common. Currents are usually mild to moderate, visibility 20 to 30 metres. Suitable for divers from open water level upward; popular as a check-out dive.