Jack Neil Point is a shallow reef west of Utila's main harbour, built in the classic Bay Islands tongue-and-groove pattern. It is a long, relaxed dive suited to beginners and macro photographers, and turtles are a common sight at its western end.
Also known as Jack Neil.
Where it is and how deep
16.0746° N, 86.9383° WApproximate position — the dashed circle shows where the site lies; your operator's briefing has the mooring.
The dive
The reef runs as parallel coral ridges separated by sandy channels, and the dive follows these grooves at no more than about 12 m (40 ft). Toward the western end of the reef, hawksbill and green turtles are commonly sighted.
Marine life and season
- Sea turtles
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fair | Good | Prime | Prime | Prime | Good | Good | Good | Good | Fair | Fair | Good |
Season follows Utila: March to May is dry, clearest and best for whale sharks; October and November bring the heaviest rain and some runoff.
Dive videos
Diving in Utila · Lady Lorelie on YouTube
Sources
- Jack Neil Point — ScubaGo
- Diving sites in Utila, Honduras — Dive the World
- The Best Dive Sites in Utila — PADI
More dive sites in Utila
Wreck
A 2021 light-plane wreck flat on the sand at 24 m
Wall
A large seahorse in the garden eels at 18-24 metres
Seamount
Utila's blue-water seamount, with whale sharks passing over
Wall
A sand channel drift past caverns between wall and slope
Wall
A drop-off dive over one of Utila's coral nurseries
Wall
Near-vertical face of tube sponges, sea fans and black coral
Coral garden
Bioluminescent glow after dark gave this reef its ghost name
A 1998 artificial-reef wreck dived for its critters
Similar dives elsewhere
One of only three marked underwater trails in the United States
A series of swim-throughs cut through the rock
A park reef 25 minutes out, split into three dive points
Rocky rises in 4–8 m at the mouth of Simpson Bay, the discovery-dive site