Reefwander
Reefwander
Full calendar

Destinations at their peak each month

  1. Jan167
  2. Feb183
  3. Mar192
  4. Apr216
  5. May186
  6. Jun272
  7. Jul307
  8. Aug313
  9. Sep296
  10. Oct180
  11. Nov119
  12. Dec145

Americas

Europe, Africa & Middle East

Indo-Pacific

Aerial view of a turquoise bay with patches of shallow reef, ringed by green forest and a coastal road lined with houses — Port Antonio

Port Antonio · Jamaica · Reef · Sand slope

Turtle Town

Green and hawksbill turtles over seagrass by the Blue Lagoon

Area photo: Layneartz19 · CC BY-SA 4.0

Turtle Town is a reef dive by the Blue Lagoon channel near Port Antonio that mixes seagrass beds, coral passages and sand. Green and hawksbill turtles are the main encounter, and spotted eagle rays sometimes pass over the site off San San.

Where it is and how deep

Depth profile of Turtle Town: typical dive 12–24 m (40–80 ft) 18 m · Open Water30 m · Advanced40 m · Recreational limit12 m24 mtypical dive
Depths on a shared scale to 40 m (130 ft); dashed lines mark common certification limits.

18.1700° N, 76.3856° WApproximate position — the dashed circle shows where the site lies; your operator's briefing has the mooring.

The dive

The dive begins near the Blue Lagoon channel and combines seagrass habitat with coral passages, small swim-throughs and sandy patches, over a range of about 12 m (40 ft) to 24 m (80 ft). Green and hawksbill turtles are the signature sighting, with spotted eagle rays sometimes circling San San.

Marine life and season

  • Sea turtles
  • Eagle rays
Month-by-month season rating for Turtle Town
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
FairGoodGoodGoodFairFairFairFairFairFairFairFair

Season follows Port Antonio: February to April is the drier stretch in Port Antonio, though no month is truly dry and rain tops 60 mm (2.4 in) in all 12.

Sources

  1. Dive sites – Lady G'Diver Boutique Dive Centre — Lady G'Diver Boutique Dive Centre

More dive sites in Port Antonio

Reef

Alligator Long

A narrow coral ridge lined with azure vase sponges and sea fans

24–27 m · max 30 madvanced

Artificial reef

Cactus Drop

Claudia Comte's cactus sculptures leading to a drop-off

10–30 mintermediate

Wall

Dragon Wall

Black coral and gorgonians on two separate wall sections

21–30 madvanced

Pinnacle

Fairy Hill

A coral pinnacle that changes shape with every level circled

15–37 madvanced

Wreck

HMJS Paul Bogle

A retired Coast Guard cutter turning into reef in a fish sanctuary

to 18 mbeginner

Wall

The Crack

Shafts of light and a massive barrel sponge inside a rock crack

15–24 mintermediate

Similar dives elsewhere

Reef

Chinchorrito

Mahahual (Costa Maya) · Mexico

Coral bommies from 15 to 24 m, with eagle rays and garden eels

15–24 mintermediate

Reef

Windsock

Bonaire · Caribbean Netherlands

Rays and turtles in the sandy shallows

6–24 mbeginner

Reef

Isla Aguja

Santa Marta & Tayrona · Colombia

Taganga's main training ground, with a deeper wall close by

2–20 mintermediate

Reef

Sunset House Reef

Grand Cayman · Cayman Islands

A bronze mermaid and a landing-craft wreck on one shore dive

9–18 mbeginner