San Salvador · Bahamas · Reef
Snapshot
Approachable schools of grunts and squirrelfish on a shallow photo reef
Photo: James St. John · CC BY 2.0
Snapshot is a shallow reef off a roadside stone wall near Cockburn Town, seven minutes by boat from the Riding Rock marina. Small star coral heads rise to about 1.5 m (5 ft) from a 5.5 m (18 ft) sand plain, its schools of fish are easy to approach, and professional photographers have used it for some twenty-five years.
Where it is and how deep
No published position for this site — the map shows San Salvador and its other sites; operators know the mooring.
The dive
The boat anchors in 5.5 m (18 ft) on a big sand plain. The main reef covers about 0.8 hectares (two acres) and is built of dozens of small star coral heads that rise to about 1.5 m (5 ft) below the surface. Large schools of grunts, snappers, goatfish and squirrelfish are easy to approach, including a well-known squirrelfish called Crazy Mary and her large family, which stay out in the open.
The dive circles the outside of the reef, then crosses it to the schools of fish, taking time over the marine life and searching for macro critters. A few old anchors serve as photo props, and the site has been a favourite with professional photographers shooting models and products for some twenty-five years. Snapshot is usually the second dive of the day or the last dive before flying.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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.
Know before you go
- Fire coral encrusts the soft corals in the sandy area around the main reef; divers keep clear of them.
Photos from Snapshot
James St. John · CC BY 2.0
Dive videos
2013 03 BAHAMAS PMT Snapshot · Aline Joly on YouTube
Questions divers ask
How deep is Snapshot on San Salvador?+
The sand under the boat is 5.5 m (18 ft) deep, and the star coral heads rise to about 1.5 m (5 ft) below the surface.
Can Snapshot be dived before flying?+
Snapshot is usually run as the second dive of the day or as the last dive before flying; the sand under the boat is 5.5 m (18 ft) deep.
Sources
- Snapshot | Riding Rock Resort & Marina — Riding Rock Resort & Marina
Photo credits
- One red-brown crab with cream spots and pale banded legs resting on a dark coral head. by James St. John, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- A blue-green triggerfish with bright blue face stripes beside algae-covered reef rock and a pale branching coral. by James St. John, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
More dive sites in San Salvador
Wall
Overhanging cliff hung with black coral trees and deep-water gorgonians
Wall
Three crevices and a lone coral head shaped like a claw
Wall
A keyhole tunnel through a split-off ridge, marked by hanging rope sponges
Wall
A crevice over 60 m (200 ft) long, branching into caves and tunnels
Wall
A chimney-like vertical cave dropping into a crevice out over the wall
Wall
A straight cliff to 30 m (100 ft) two minutes from the marina
Wall
Hammerheads occasionally swim parallel to the wall above the deep ledge
Wall
Sharks seen off the deep wall or over the 24 m (80 ft) plateau
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