Ambergris Caye (San Pedro), the area around Tuffy Canyon

Ambergris Caye (San Pedro) · Belize · Reef

Tuffy Canyon

Canyon reef beside Tackle Box, 18 m average and 25 m max

Area photo: Subhashish Panigrahi · CC BY-SA 4.0

Tuffy Canyon — also known as Tuffy Rocks — sits adjacent to the better-known Tackle Box site off San Pedro, working the same canyon-cut reef at an average of 18 m with a maximum of 25 m. It carries a CMAS two-star / Advanced Open Water rating, and its main practical consideration is the boat traffic overhead.

Also known as Tuffy Rocks.

Where it is and how deep

Depth profile of Tuffy Canyon: typical dive 18–25 m (60–82 ft) 18 m · Open Water30 m · Advanced40 m · Recreational limit18 m25 mtypical dive
Depths on a shared scale to 40 m (130 ft); dashed lines mark common certification limits.

17.8997° N, 87.9493° WApproximate position — the dashed circle shows where the site lies; your operator's briefing has the mooring.

The dive

The site sits right beside Tackle Box and dives much the same way: you drop onto canyon-cut reef and work the structure at an average depth of about 18 m. The cuts bottom out at 25 m, so unlike the deeper canyon sites along this stretch of reef, the whole dive stays inside a standard recreational profile and there is less depth to manage between the spurs.

The listed hazard is boat traffic, so the dive ends the way it should on any site this close to town: back under the boat or a surface marker with a controlled ascent, rather than a free swim to the surface. Between the manageable depth and its position next to the more popular Tackle Box, it works naturally as a second dive of the day.

Marine life and season

The sources we used don't single out particular species here.

Month-by-month season rating for Tuffy Canyon
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
PrimePrimePrimePrimeGoodGoodGoodFairFairFairGoodPrime

Season follows Ambergris Caye (San Pedro): Dry season December–May with the least rain in February–March; wet-season storms, peaking September–October, can suspend diving for two or three days. Thimble jellyfish spawn in May.

Know before you go

  • Boat traffic is the listed danger here — ascend under the boat or a surface marker rather than in open water.

Sources

  1. Tuffy Canyon — Scubago
  2. Tuffy Canyon — wannadive.net

More dive sites in Ambergris Caye (San Pedro)

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Narrow sand-floored cuts dropping fast between coral spurs

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A no-current reef that works for snorkellers and divers alike

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About 100 shallow patch reefs of boulder coral in 2.5–5 m

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Finger canyons off San Pedro working from 18 m down to 40 m

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Sand slope

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Canyons, caverns and tunnels under ten minutes from the pier

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