Sint Maarten · Sint Maarten · Reef
Mike's Maze
Maze-like swim-throughs between coral heads from 12 m
Area photo: Gillfoto from Juneau, Alaska, United States · CC BY-SA 4.0
Mike's Maze is one of the shallowest sites in the Man of War Shoal Marine Protected Area, a reef starting at about 12 m where passageways wind around coral heads, through arches and over bridges. It is dived for the swim-throughs and the healthy coral, and sharks and turtles are regular on the site, which the Nature Foundation has used for coral restoration.
Where it is and how deep
17.9916° N, 63.0567° WPublished position for this site.
The dive
You descend from the boat onto the top of the reef at about 12 m. The site is a cluster of coral heads with passageways running between them, and the maze that gives the site its name is the route itself: the corridors wind around the heads, pass through arches and go over bridges of coral, so the dive is a matter of following the guide through one passage and out into the next rather than swimming a straight line along a reef edge.
The coral is the point of the site. Mike's Maze has healthy hard-coral formations by Caribbean standards and the Nature Foundation has used it for coral restoration, so keep off the heads in the tighter passages. Many sharks and turtles are present, and PADI's description names spotted eagle rays, squid, Caribbean reef sharks, nurse sharks, French angelfish, foureye butterflyfish, spiny lobster and sexy shrimp in anemones, with elkhorn and staghorn coral formations. Because it starts shallow there is time for a long slow circuit before ascending back to the boat.
Marine life and season
- Reef sharks
- Sea turtles
- Eagle rays
- Squid
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Good | Good | Fair | Fair | Fair | Good | Prime |
Season follows Sint Maarten: Conditions vary little through the year; Jun–Nov is hurricane season and Dec–Apr plus Jul–Aug are the crowded months.
Know before you go
- The swim-throughs and arches put you close to the coral heads, which are part of a restoration site; keep fins up, control buoyancy and stay off the coral.
Questions divers ask
How deep is Mike's Maze?+
The reef starts at approximately 12 m (40 ft), and the Nature Foundation's marine park site list gives a maximum depth of 15 m (50 ft), which makes it one of the shallowest sites in the Man of War Shoal Marine Protected Area.
Sources
- Mike's Maze — Scubago
- Mike's Maze dive site — PADI
- Man of War Shoal Marine Park dive sites — Nature Foundation Sint Maarten
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