Grand Cayman · Cayman Islands · Cave & cavern · Reef
Snapper Hole
An 1872 anchor ringed by grunts beside a cavern labyrinth
Area photo: c&rdunn · CC BY-SA 2.0
Snapper Hole is an East End reef cut into a labyrinth of swim-throughs, tunnels, caverns, crevasses and arches, all within 18 m (60 ft). Divers come for the maze of passages, an old Spanish-style anchor ringed by grunts and snappers, and the ledges where porkfish and a green moray live.
Where it is and how deep
19.3439° N, 81.0778° WPublished position for this site.
The dive
The dive starts right under the boat, where a cavern opens in the reef. Just outside it, a sizeable Spanish-style anchor from 1872 rests against a freestanding coral head, always surrounded by bluestriped grunts and schoolmaster snappers.
From there the reef becomes a maze of swim-throughs, tunnels, crevasses and arches to a maximum of 18 m (60 ft). Porkfish live under the countless ledges, and a green moray often swims through the canyons. On the way back to the boat the route passes Papa Smurf's House, a coral head nestled in the reef that looks like a giant mushroom.
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 Grand Cayman: December to April is drier and calm enough for the exposed south side; August to October is hurricane season, and the rain peaks in October.
Know before you go
- The tunnels and caverns are overhead passages, and a green moray that swims through them can meet divers face to face in a confined space.
Dive videos
Tarpon Feeding on Silversides at Snapper Hole, Grand Cayman · Ocean Frontiers on YouTube
Sources
- Snapper Hole — Ocean Frontiers
- Snapper Hole — ScubaGo
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Similar dives elsewhere
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