Utila Travel Report - Diving
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A dive trip would be pretty worthless without diving and I had great dives to some of the best dive spots around the island. The first dives were aboard the "Octopussy" to "Lighthouse Reef" and "Little Bay" which is near Laguna Beach Resort. Both were with the difemaster Jon from Cross Creek. A couple instructors with students separated from us to practice their skills while we toured a beautiful reef area on the first dive. After returning to the UDC dock for our surface interval we went to the second dive which was a really great location. The corals and fish life were spectacular, but unfortunately the battery in my camera ran low so I got few pictures of them. Utila Map
On the next day we visited "The Haliburton" which is a freighter located at 95' on the south side. A huge snapper had taken up residence in the wheel house and a triggerfish appeared to be guarding the line. This was an interesting dive, but the depth means few pictures are possible without a flash.
The second dive of the day was to "Black Coral Wall" along the southern shore of the island. It was a beautiful dive with lovely coral formations and lots of fish. Just what I like. I give it a 4 star rating!!

North Side Dive Sites

Trips to the north side were of the dual tank type with a dive followed by a surface interval on the boat looking for whale sharks, or at Pelican Caye just to the west of Utila. The first trip was to aboard the "Ulysses" from UDC. Visited "Duppy Waters" and then "Airport Reef" which is right near the dive center on the southeast corner of the island.
The second trip to the north side we visited "The Maze" and "The Aquarium". I could understand the names for both of these sites. They are both great dives with lots to see. I was amazed to lie on the bottom at the aquarium and watch the surge striking the shoreline some 35 feet above.
On our visit to "Blackpoint" we saw at the base of the fist wall in about 60'. We then visited "Little Bite" on the return where we saw lots of large grouper and snapper and a big eagle ray. I only wish it had been a bit closer and shallower so the pictures would have been better.

My last two trips to the north side went around the western end of the island and we enjoyed a surface interval at a little cafe on pigeon caye. Dove "spotted bay" and "stingray point" on the first day and "paradisio" and "cabanas" on the second. . Saw a large variety of fish life including black drum, huge crabs, turtles, baracuda, cowfish, and a large school of spadefish.

Fish - Fish - Fish