Black Rock Reef - A Shallow, Yet Amazing Dive

Dive Site Name: Black Rock Reef

Location: 25 minutes drive from the dock
Dive Site Background: Black Rock Reef is a popular dive site with a combination of sandy channels, rolling coral gardens, shallow hardpan, and freestanding coral heads separated by narrow channels.
Dive Site Details: A reef dive with depths ranging from 25-70 feet. Highlights include large schools of fish such as Bermuda Chubb, Yellowtail Snapper, Barracudas, and a resident school of color-changing Caribbean Reef Squid.
Fun Fact or Anecdote: Caribbean Reef Squid can change colors and warn off potential threats by turning vibrant white and waving their tentacles defensively.
Practical Information: Explore the area below the boat for an abundance of marine life and visit the rolling coral gardens to the north to find the resident school of Caribbean Reef Squid. Look for the giant barrel sponge on the long coral ridge that comes down from the shallows, an impressive sight due to its size and precarious position.
Safety and Conservation: Be mindful of the marine life and their habitats, maintain a safe distance from the color-changing Caribbean Reef Squid, and follow standard diving guidelines to protect the environment and ensure a safe diving experience. 

When the captain announces Black Rock Reef, watch the reactions of our regular divers as their faces light up – it's a popular dive site!

Sitting a short distance closer to shore than its sister site Black Rock Drop-Off, this area offers a beautiful combination of sandy channels, rolling coral gardens, shallow hardpan, and freestanding coral heads separated by narrow channels. The area right below the boat is where the most action happens. The low ridges and coral heads attract large schools of fish such as Bermuda Chubb, Yellowtail Snapper, Barracudas, and countless more. Look under the overhanging ledges at the bottom at around 45 – 50 feet for lobsters, crabs, shrimp, and other little critters.

A short swim to the north brings you to the rolling coral gardens. Look for a resident school of color-changing Caribbean Reef Squid. They swim in formation in the water column and will warn you off getting any closer by turning vibrant white and waving their tentacles in a defensive display.   Further north still, you will see a vast expanse of sand fading into the deep blue of the wall. There is a giant barrel sponge on the long coral ridge that comes down from the shallows. This sponge is impressive in its size and the way it clings to the rock, looking like it could fall at any time.

Operations manager Andy Wilson says "If you speak to any of the crew about what their favorite shallow sites are, BlackRock Reef almost always comes up. It's got loads of nice pinnacles right next to the mini wall. You'll get schools of snapper schools of Chromo, Creole Wrasse, and they all hang around right there where we're tied up. It's one of those dive sites where you do go for a swim around, but you don't really have to, you could just hang out under the boat for 45 minutes and still have a great dive."

About Ocean Frontiers Ltd.

Ocean Frontiers Dive Shop is located on the remote East End of Grand Cayman. Founded in 1996 with one dive boat and a dream to introduce divers to the wonders of East End diving, the company has grown into one of Cayman’s premier dive operations with a reputation for legendary customer service and having the island’s friendliest staff.  Ocean Frontiers is also recognized as one of the most conservation-minded dive operators in the Cayman Islands with a long history of promoting ocean protection through its company programs, and an unwavering support for outside environmental projects. The winner of Project AWARE’s Environmental Achievement Award in 2004 and 2010, Ocean Frontiers has again been recognized in 2012. The company also received the PADI Green Star Dive Center accreditation in 2012 for demonstrating a dedication to conservation, the first dive operator in the Cayman Islands to receive this distinction.