Silver Gardens sits about 20 minutes from the main hub on Utila's south side and carries four markers, so boats can drop on whichever section suits the day. The shallow reef is at about 6 metres with sandy patches between the coral, and from there the ground drops to roughly 30 metres, where the site's black coral grows.
Where it is and how deep
16.0805° N, 86.9218° WPublished position for this site.
The dive
Four markers are spread along the site, so which part you dive depends on where the boat ties in. Wherever you start, the shape is the same: a shallow reef at about 6 metres broken up by sandy patches, then a drop that runs down to roughly 30 metres. Take the deeper ground first and save the shallow reef and its sand patches for the end of the dive.
The black coral the site is known for grows on the deeper section. Around it, look for groupers holding station and green moray eels in the reef. Higher up, schools of black margate and chub move across the coral, schools of squid pass over it, and green sea turtles work the reef - often settled enough to stay put if you keep your distance and avoid swimming straight at them.
Marine life and season
- Groupers
- Sea turtles
- Squid
- Reef fish swarms
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Good | Good | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Fair | Fair | Good | Good |
Season follows Utila: March–August offers the calmest, driest conditions and the best whale shark odds; October–January is rainier with reduced visibility.
Sources
- Silver Gardens - Utila — Scubago
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 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
Wall
Swim-throughs and overhangs on a wall to 21 metres
Similar dives elsewhere
Tarpon and jack schools over a drop-off at 25 m
Finger coral, a small tug and a slope to 28 metres
Black coral colonies and a cave at 23 metres
Coral in 6 m a short swim off the beach, wall to 43 m