Glover's Reef, which is most south of
the three atools, is often overlooked.
It has a diameter of some 40 miles
with over 700 shallow patch reefs in
its interior.

Diving sites include Octopus Alley, Manta Reef, Hole in the Wall, Parrotfish Falls, Shark Point, Gorgonia Gallery, Long Caye Cut, Turtle Tavern and Dolphin Dance. With the numerous patch reefs this is a great place for snorkeling as well

Half Moon Caye, located at the south-
east corner of Lighthouse Reef Atoll,
was the first reserve to be established
by the Natural Parks System Act of
1981.

One of the main reasons that the natural monument was created was to protect the Red-footed Booby bird and its rookery. The Magnificent Frigatebird shares the rookery with the Red-footed Booby, and both species coexist in apparent harmony. Some 98 species of birds have been recorded on the Caye, of which some seventy-seven are migrants. Regular winter migrants include Ospreys, Mangrove Warblers, and White-crowned Pigeons.

The Iguana, the Wish Willy, and the Lizard are permanent residents on the island, while the Loggerhead Turtle and the Hawksbill Turtle come ashore annually to lay their eggs.

The Hol Chan Marine Reserve
highlights and protects the Hol Chan
(Mayan Name for "little channel")
Cut, which is in the barrier reef some
four miles southeast of San Pedro
Town, Ambergris Caye.

Hole Chan was established in 1987, as the first of its kind in Central America, includes a five square mile area of three distinctive zones.

Zone A includes the reef (both inside and outside), Zone B includes the seagrass beds inside the reef, and Zone C includes the mangroves of southern Ambergris Caye. All three zones are closely linked and are interdependent.

Buoys have been installed to mark the boundaries of the Reserve and to provide anchoring points for dive operators' boats. Since it is illegal to fish and/or collect coral within the reserve, marine life is present in healthy populations.

 
Shark Ray Alley (part of the larger Hol Chan Marine Reserve), offers visitors the chance to witness and swim alongside Nurse Sharks and Southern Sting Rays. Waters of about eight feet in depth allow for clear visibility as visitors observe and interact with these friendly sea creatures that were originally drawn to the area over time as it served as a common location for fisherman to clean out their catch for the day. Follow the links below for a sample of additional attractions you can see off the coastline of Belize.

One of the newest National Parks in
Belize, Laughing Bird Caye is located
thirteen miles southeast of Placencia
Village in the Stann Creek District.

Although the caye was named for the large number of laughing gulls that once inhabited it, the birds have virtually abandoned their rookery due to excessive human encroachment. In an effort to assist the birds in reestablishing their presence, the government is taking steps to minimize the disruption of the caye.

Since, Laughing Bird Caye is a shelf atoll with deep channels, the scuba diving and snorkeling opportunities are outstanding. Fortunately, these activities can be enjoyed without bothering the birdlife on the caye. From their boats, visitors are able to observe the birdlife from a safe and unobtrusive distance offshore.

The Lighthouse Reef is the farthest
from the mainland and gets plenty of
visitors. Depth near the reef is around
9 feet.

The great Blue Hole at the center of Lighthouse Reef is described as one of the best dive sites on Earth and a must for all advanced divers. Other diving sites are Manta Wall, the Zoo, Cathedral and Half Moon Wall. The Lighthouse Reef teems with birds, including a nesting colony of rare red-footed boobies. Under water life is also rich here, with dolphins and other creatures.

The waters off Hat Caye are great for snorkeling.

The "Blue Hole" is located in the center
of Lighthouse Reef Atoll, which is
about 60 miles due east of Belize City.
The Great Blue Hole is a large under-

water sinkhole off of the coast of Belize.
The hole circular in shape, over 300
meter (1,000 ft) across and 125 meter (400 ft) deep. It was formed as a limestone caveice age when sea levels were much lower. As the ocean began to rise again the caves flooded, and the roof collapsed.

The Turneffe Atoll, the largest of the
3 atolls found in Belize, is 30 miles
long and about 20 miles from Belize
City.  The water dept measures
between 55 and 65 feet.

The Turneff Atoll differs somewhat from the other two atolls in that most of the islands here are densely covered in mangroves, especially on the west side.

The best known dive sites in this atoll are: Black Beauty, Hollywood, Jill's Thrill, Cabbage Patch, the Elbow, The Coral, Gorgonian Bluff, the Secret Spot, Birthday Reef, Myrtle's Turtl and Rendezvous Wall. The Mauger Caye (north of the atoll, with a lighthouse) is known for its sharks.

Belize provides few wreck dive opportunities because many wrecked ships actually lodged atop the reef system above water. There is also
little chance of finding valuables.

Anything you find of value belongs to the state and cannot be kept. A couple underwater wrecks are:

• Amigo's Wreck - Ambergris Caye, the wreck was purposely sunk in this spot to attract bigger marine life.
  

• HMS Advice - Turneffe Atoll - This is the wreck of a British naval cutter which sunk to 16 feet on June 1, 1793

• Sayonara in Turneffe Atoll - This was a transport boat sitting at 45 feet below the surface.