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
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.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Good | Good | Good | Fair | Fair | Fair | Good | Prime |
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
- Tuffy Canyon — Scubago
- Tuffy Canyon — wannadive.net
More dive sites in Ambergris Caye (San Pedro)
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About 100 shallow patch reefs of boulder coral in 2.5–5 m
Wreck
A small unnamed wreck at 15–22 m, home to morays and coneys
Nurse sharks and southern stingrays at arm's length in 3 m
Reef
Finger canyons off San Pedro working from 18 m down to 40 m
Reef
Canyons, caverns and tunnels under ten minutes from the pier
Reef
Spur-and-groove formations in the 18–24 m band
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A no-current reef that works for snorkellers and divers alike
Similar dives elsewhere
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A sand plateau at 11 m (35 ft) with the wall dropping off its edge
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Six miles of sloping coral from the harbour to Point Saline