Tobago · Trinidad and Tobago · Reef · Drift
Black Jack Hole
Schools of black jacks gather here from May to July
Area photo: Darren Obbard · CC BY 4.0
Black Jack Hole sits on the southern side of Little Tobago, next door to Kelleston Drain. It is a sloping coral reef with overhangs and ledges, swept by relatively strong currents, and takes its name from the large schools of black jacks that pass through each year.
Where it is and how deep
11.3008° N, 60.5013° WApproximate position — the dashed circle shows where the site lies; your operator's briefing has the mooring.
The dive
The reef runs from 10 m (30 ft) down a slope with sharp descents to 40 m (130 ft), broken by overhangs and ledges. The currents are relatively strong, as at Kelleston Drain to the west. Between May and July large schools of black jacks move through, the fish the site is named for.
Marine life and season
- Trevally & jacks
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Good | Fair | Fair | Fair | Good | Good | Prime |
Season follows Tobago: Large schools of black jacks migrate to the site between May and July.
Know before you go
- Relatively strong currents run over the slope, and its sharp descents make depth easy to gain.
Dive videos
Night dive - Black Jack Hole, Speyside, Tobago · SubOptimal1 on YouTube
Sources
- Diving in Tobago — DIVEIN
More dive sites in Tobago
Reef
The sheltered, quiet-water reef behind Goat Island
Reef
Drift on through Kamikazee Cut to a sheltered nook of resident nurse sharks
Reef
Brain coral colonies up to 5 m (15 ft) across
Pinnacle
Schooling scalloped hammerheads from October to May
Similar dives elsewhere
Where two currents meet at the island's north-west tip
Caribbean reef sharks along a steep west-facing cliff
Splendid toadfish, nurse sharks and turtles along the coral
Jacks and barracuda stacked in the current