Diving and Snorkeling in Jamaica

The waters of Jamaica offer a unique underwater experience for those travelers interested in scuba diving and snorkeling, enabling vacationers to explore Caribbean aqua life at its very best.

Diving

Scuba diving is a sport in which participants are able to explore life underneath the surface of the ocean by utilizing a tank of compressed air strapped to their back in order to breath underwater.  Many vacationers make their first dive during a trip to the Caribbean because of the abundance of tropical fish, colorful coral, high visibility, and warm waters. 

Negril and its surrounding areas offer the most peaceful diving found in Jamaica, full of caverns and caves for the underwater explorer. There are several highly recommended diving sites that offer guided tours, such as the reefs found in Negril Marine Park.  Negril's truly brave visitors can take a break from scuba diving to cliff jump near Rick's Cafe.

The Throne Room is located 65 feet below sea level.  This 40-foot-wide cavern is filled wall-to-wall with yellow sponges and provides extraordinary photo opportunities. The Arch offers excellent photography opportunities for red sponges as well.

If you are looking for company a little more lively than sponges, visit Rock Cliff Reef or Sharks Reef. Rock Cliff is excellent for observing eels in their natural environment, and Sharks Reef, as its name suggests, is home to many nurse sharks.

The Montego Bay area also offers several unique diving opportunities. Most of the diving sites in MoBay are contained within the Montego Bay Marine Park, which was created in 1990 to help preserve the natural underwater beauty of Jamaica's surrounding sea area. The most famous Montego Bay diving site is Widowmaker's Cave. Enter this cave at 80 feet below sea-level and twist and turn your way back up the 10-foot-wide chimney at 35 feet below. If looking for a more large scale tour, the Discovery Bay Marine Laboratory offers outings along the northern coastal area, and those interested should contact the lab when they arrive.

Among the many recommended diving sites in Jamaica, Runaway Bay is the closest to shore and offers fantastic dive opportunities. Other sites, like Spanish Anchor and Shipwreck Reef and Canyon are great for observing sponges, sea whips and different corals. Ricky's Reef at 90 feet below is a great area to see and photograph gorgonions and lettuce coral.

The most astonishing of the Ocho Rios sites is the man-made sunken ship reef. This artificial reef site was created recently when Fantasy Divers, the National Resources Conservation Division and the Port Authority worked together to sink a non-working old minesweeper to create a habitat for fish, coral and to protect the local beaches.

Those wishing to go diving at the sunken city of Port Royal, which sank underwater after the earthquake of 1692, will need to obtain special permission from Jamaican authorities. This is probably best done through local dive operators, who will have the most current and up-to-date information regarding rules about Port Royal.

Low visibility leaves the southern coast of Jamaica largely untouched by divers, particularly surrounding Kingston.

Regardless of where you choose to dive, you will be required to show proof of certification.  Resorts often offer training and certification for guests, or you can take dive classes through any local dive shop.  Once you have learned the ins and outs of diving, you can expect to pay between $45 and $80(USD) for a one tank dive.  On your first dive, your guide will probably take you down about 40 feet below sea level.

Snorkeling

While certification is required for divers, anyone can spend a day snorkeling - as long as they know how to swim.  Snorkelers simply pull swim fins onto their feet, don a mask and a snorkel, and float at the water's surface as they explore life under the sea.  As with snorkeling, many large resorts offer snorkel equipment to their guests free of charge.  Dive shops also offer snorkel packages for around $15(USD).  Some shops even offer snorkel jackets, which allow the wearer to float along without much effort.

The best snorkeling in Jamaica is offered in Montego Bay. Doctor's Cave Beach features one of the most accessible spots, and is a beautiful place to explore the crystal clear waters where warm mineral spring water meets the ocean.

Beginners will feel most at ease in the waters surrounding Negril, where the waters are shallow and clear.  Ocho Rios is another excellent spot for the novice, because of the abundance of marine life. 

For the more daring, head across the channel to explore the Coyoba, Seaworld and Royal Reefs. Each of these reefs are full of wildlife, including barjacks, blue and brown chromis, yellow-headed wrasses, and spotlight parrotfish. Here, be sure to hire a guide as the water is farther from shore and a bit rougher.

Tips

Both snorkelers and divers need to keep a few things in mind while they're visiting the creatures under the ocean waves:

• Be aware of currents and stay watchful of your location. You don't want to end up too far away to return easily.

• Wear a watch so you don't lose track of time. It is easy to do underwater.

• Don't feed the fish, and don't touch the animals or coral. This may cause their protective layers to be stripped away.

• Avoid standing and walking on coral reef, and proceed with caution when in shallow water around reefs.  Shuffle your feet to avoid stingrays, and watch out for sea urchins, and spines.

• Never wear jewelry. Caribbean fish, barracudas especially, seem drawn to shiny objects that look like their natural prey, small silver fish.

• Avoid jellyfish, fire coral and other stinging creatures.

• Never reach into holes or crevices; they might be an animal's home, especially moray eels.

• Shark sightings are rare, and those that are spotted are usually passive. Keep calm, and if necessary, move slowly out of the water.

• Never remove anything from diving sites and reefs; it is illegal to do so.

• Consider using a dive flag, which will warn other boaters that you are under water in the area.

Jamaica has plenty of beautiful sights for both snorkeling and diving, but it is always best to keep safety in mind when planning the underwater aspect of your vacation.