San Salvador · Bahamas · Wall · Night
Runway 10
Hammerheads occasionally swim parallel to the wall above the deep ledge
Area photo: James St. John · CC BY 2.0
Runway 10 is a wall dive directly offshore of San Salvador's airport runway, three minutes by boat from the Riding Rock marina. Large coral heads line the drop-off before it plunges to 30 m (100 ft), sand patches towards shore hold yellow stingrays, and hammerheads occasionally pass along the wall.
Where it is and how deep
24.0636° N, 74.5411° WApproximate position — the dashed circle shows where the site lies; your operator's briefing has the mooring.
The dive
The boat moors in about 12 m (40 ft) of water, close to the edge of the wall. Along the drop-off, large coral heads stand at 12 to 18 m (40 to 60 ft) before the wall plunges to 30 m (100 ft). Below that a sloping ledge runs down to 61 m (200 ft), where the wall turns vertical again. The face between 18 and 30 m (60 and 100 ft) carries elephant ear sponges and dense sponge and coral encrustation.
The usual plan covers about 60 m (200 ft) of wall in each direction, then returns about 30 m (100 ft) in from the edge. Schools of grunts hover over the reef top, and the sand patches towards shore hold queen conch, yellowhead jawfish, sand tilefish and yellow stingrays. Hammerheads occasionally swim parallel to the wall above the deep ledge.
Runway 10 is often run as the second dive or as a night dive. After dark, basket stars, octopuses, crabs and pufferfish are seen frequently, and lobsters and rare nudibranchs turn up on some nights. By day, friendly groupers and mutton snappers are regular company along the reef, alongside the schools of grunts over the top.
Marine life and season
- Hammerheads
- Stingrays
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Good | Good | Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Good |
Season follows San Salvador: Hammerheads are seen in the cooler winter months; June to November is the Bahamas hurricane season, when rain storms are expected.
Questions divers ask
How deep is Runway 10 on San Salvador?+
Coral heads along the edge sit at 12 to 18 m (40 to 60 ft) before the wall drops to 30 m (100 ft); a sloping ledge then runs to 61 m (200 ft) before the wall turns vertical again.
Are hammerheads seen at Runway 10?+
Hammerheads are occasionally spotted swimming parallel to the wall above the deep ledge.
Sources
- Runway 10 | Riding Rock Resort & Marina — Riding Rock Resort & Marina
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