Healthiest reefs in Caribbean / Gulf of Mexico / Western Atlantic?

[AmberMai23]

Hello Scubaboard members,

I am researching reefs for a documentary, looking for places where we might be able to film the most beautiful and healthiest of reefs in the Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico, Western Atlantic. Lots of biodiversity, wildlife of all sizes, healthy coral, good visibility. I thought I'd see what some of you experienced divers think. I'd be happy to follow for links to dive logs!

On my short list is Bonaire, Saba, Statia, Curacao; possibly Roatan; Dominica; Tres Palmas in Puerto Rico; Flower Garden Banks National Marine Park; and sites off Cuba (Jardins de la Reine? Isla Juventud?).

Am I missing anything? Any warnings about any of the above? I have been searching the forums but would love to hear from someone who has been to all or some of the above for comparison.

Thanks in advance!

 

[mathauck0814]

Chinchorro Bank is pretty healthy on account of the very few ways to get there. Can't speak to how it compares to your whole list as I've only dove Dominica/Curacao on that list, but Chinchorro is pretty pristine.

 

[Wookie]

Flower Garden Banks consistently gets the highest marks for the Healthiest reefs in the world. Charismatic Megafauna encounters are likely there, I'd say if you get out, you stand a 80% chance or better of seeing Whale Sharks or Mantas there. Dry Tortugas is near the top of my list for healthiest reef in the Caribbean. Big fish encounters are common, including big goliath, black, red, nassau grouper, hogfish, amberjack, red and mutton snapper, etc. Isla Mona coral is excellent below 70 feet, but the big fish just aren't there. The reef structure from 100-300 feet is breathtaking. Near San Andreas and Provodencia Colombia are 3 offshore banks that have amazing shallow corals, including Quito Sueno bank, Roncador Bank, and Serrano bank. Those banks are fished very heavily by the Nicaraguans, mostly illegally. They are still worth an expedition. Tres Palmas is a surfing area, which usually means that the diving would be in rubble. YMMV. I've never been to Cuba, but I'm told the southwest area is the place to go. I've not been to Bonaire, Curacao, or Dominica. Saba and Statia are good diving, but nothing spectacular. I say this mostly because there aren't any large animal encounters, at least never to my recollection.

If I can be of help, shout. I regularly visit the areas I mentioned.

 

[diversteve]

The best I've seen recently is Turks/Caicos - specifically West Caicos/French Cay. All sorts of rays, sharks, turtles, down to the tiniest fish nurseries surrounding many of the coral heads. Dropping down the wall it's almost constant coral on coral - fed by nutrients washing up the wall. Second choice with little/no larger stuff is Bonaire. The Bari Reef divesite has the most counted species of fish according to REEF.org surveys - and it's a shore dive. Curacao is very similar - I rate the Playa Kalki site as one of the best I've ever done. Then probably the north side of Utila. My avatar was shot there in the spring. Roatan is good for macro but there's not much large stuff - we only saw some turtles and a few rays in a week of diving based mostly around the West End.

What about the Cayman Sister Islands? Little Cayman gets good reviews for diversity here.

my .02

 

[DeputyDan]

The windward side of lots of islands will be excellent - but there is a reason.

 

[AmberMai23]

Sorry for not responding before, the site isn't sending me my email alerts for some reason. Thank you to you all. Turks and Caicos is a great tip, as are the sites in Colombia. They weren't on my radar at all. Dry Tortugas may be a great option because they are relatively easily accessible, yet not often visited (from what I remember of visiting there).
Any other dive sites in Puerto Rico worth considering? I suppose that there are big pollution problems in many areas.

 

[diversteve]

Here's an idea of what you could see in the Caicos: Saudio's Trip Reports

(not my trip report but I did this trip last year...)

 

[swim deep]

In Puerto Rico Desecheo looks great I was there Aug 2010. Mona is harder to get to and I hear it's fantastic. Those are the top 2 for PR. There's a wall off of Parguara that I haven't been to in a long time, it was a very good dive 20 years ago, I think it still is. I wouldn't think Tres Palmas would be at the top of the list, the best diving is off the west, away from San Juan.
St Croix has very fishy sites with plenty of turtles and an abundance of varied corals. The Cane Bay Wall is a favorite, but I've enjoyed all the dive sites I tried in St Croix. We were last there April 2010.
I'm going to Little Cayman in the spring, because it is one of the top destinations in the Caribbean for visibility and healthy, rich reefs (and I love walls).

 

[divejay]

I have traveled to 82 destination around the world in the past 15 years and been diving your shortlist from my sailboat the past 5 years. The Cayman Islands pretty much has it all covered in one package.
The Grand Cayman Island reefs on the North Walls are just pristine. I have just posted on YouTube some 3 minutes videos (see list below) that will give you a really snap shot on how beautiful and healthy these reefs are.
1) shore dive @ Lighthouse Point
2) shore dive @ Cobalt Coast
3) Diving Cayman with Divetech

 

[AmberMai23]

I have traveled to 82 destination around the world in the past 15 years and been diving your shortlist from my sailboat the past 5 years. The Cayman Islands pretty much has it all covered in one package.
The Grand Cayman Island reefs on the North Walls are just pristine. I have just posted on YouTube some 3 minutes videos (see list below) that will give you a really snap shot on how beautiful and healthy these reefs are.
1) shore dive @ Lighthouse Point
2) shore dive @ Cobalt Coast
3) Diving Cayman with Divetech

Divejay, have you also dived Dominican Republic and/or Cuba? Any observations in comparison to Caymans?