Belize Barrier Reef, the area around Lindsey's Back Porch

Belize Barrier Reef · Belize · Wall · Reef

Lindsey's Back Porch

Three big parrotfish species along the top of the wall

Area photo: Axelspace Corporation · CC BY-SA 4.0

Lindsey's Back Porch is a wall dive at the north-east end of Turneffe Atoll, where a steep and in places vertical face runs south to north before veering out to sea to the east. The reef flat above it sits at 18 metres, deepening to 24, and the top of the wall is rated the best place in Belize for its three large parrotfish species.

Where it is and how deep

Depth profile of Lindsey's Back Porch: typical dive 18–24 m (60–80 ft) 18 m · Open Water30 m · Advanced40 m · Recreational limit18 m24 mtypical dive
Depths on a shared scale to 40 m (130 ft); dashed lines mark common certification limits.

17.4780° N, 87.7780° WApproximate position — the dashed circle shows where the site lies; your operator's briefing has the mooring.

The dive

The dive starts on the reef flat above the wall, at 60 feet, 18 metres, where sea ferns and sea plumes cover a large amount of the bottom. The wall runs south to north, steep and in some places vertical, before veering out to sea in an easterly direction. Follow it that way and the flat behind you deepens to 80 feet, 24 metres, with a wide sand channel running along the top of the drop.

The lip of the wall is where to spend the dive. It is renowned as the best place in Belize to see the country's three large parrotfish species, rainbow, blue and midnight, all of which grow to more than three feet, so it pays to hold position and let them come past. Black groupers work the same edge, sharks turn up occasionally off the face, and loggerhead turtles are found in this area.

Marine life and season

  • Groupers
  • Sea turtles
Month-by-month season rating for Lindsey's Back Porch
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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