Belize Barrier Reef, the area around Alfredo's

Belize Barrier Reef · Belize · Reef

Alfredo's

Gullies cut across a submerged spur-and-groove reef

Area photo: Axelspace Corporation · CC BY-SA 4.0

Alfredo's sits in the Lindsey's area at the north-east end of Turneffe Atoll, a submerged spur-and-groove reef lying between 15 and 25 metres. Several distinct gullies cut across the coral fingers, and much of the dive is spent following them; it is also a reliable spot for Caribbean reef squid and for nudibranchs.

Where it is and how deep

Depth profile of Alfredo's: typical dive 15–25 m (50–82 ft) 18 m · Open Water30 m · Advanced40 m · Recreational limit15 m25 mtypical dive
Depths on a shared scale to 40 m (130 ft); dashed lines mark common certification limits.

17.4800° N, 87.7750° WApproximate position — the dashed circle shows where the site lies; your operator's briefing has the mooring.

The dive

The reef here is submerged rather than rising towards the surface, lying between 50 and 80 feet, 15 to 25 metres, and running as spur and groove: coral fingers separated by channels. What makes Alfredo's unusual is that several distinct gullies cut across the reef, so rather than swimming one groove out and another back you can work across the structure and find your way through it.

It rewards a slow pace. Caribbean reef squid are a regular sighting over the reef, and the coral carries several types of nudibranch, among them the blackspotted white nudibranch and the yellowlined sea goddess. With 15 to 25 metres of depth and structure to explore rather than a wall to run along, this is a dive to spend on small subjects rather than on distance covered.

Marine life and season

  • Squid
  • Nudibranchs
Month-by-month season rating for Alfredo's
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
GoodGoodPrimePrimePrimePrimeGoodFairOff-seasonOff-seasonFairGood

Season follows Belize Barrier Reef: Whale sharks aggregate at Gladden Spit around the March–June full moons; September–October bring the highest hurricane risk.

Sources

  1. Turneffe Atoll dive sites — Dive The World

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