Black Rock Drop Off
Body of Water:
Caribbean Sea
Max Depth: 30m
GPS Coordinates
Lat: 19.3576
Lon: -81.105417
Our captains love to spin stories about how this dive site got its name. From tall tales of piracy on the high seas to the ancient cannonballs that were used to sink mutinous crew deep into Davy Jones' locker, there are certainly some colorful variations on the true story, which is sadly a little tamer. The site is named for a large black rock on the shoreline that was used to help find the place in the days before mooring balls.
A steep ridge separates the inky depths from a vast sand patch that resembles a lunar landscape. In the eastern section of the site, the ridge ends abruptly, which allows the sand to flow down the wall in a steadily winding channel. As divers follow this winding channel, they can hug the western edge bringing them to a gorgeous overhang with many sponges and corals hanging from it. Inch your way under this balancing roof of rock and shine your light into the dark recesses to see what you might find. Green Morays love these holes! Don't be alarmed by them showing off rows of razor-sharp teeth; this opening and closing of their mouth is how they draw water into their gills.
The wall at Black Rock Drop-Off is varied and exciting; no straight-lined linear swims here! Divers move up and down the undulating terrain, around headlands, into valleys, behind buttresses, and over platforms.
Look for the Bash Brothers, an affectionate name given to three male Caribbean Reef Sharks by local dive staff. These handsome young men love to strut their stuff for the divers! The best way to get great photographs is to allow the sharks to approach you; chasing them with a camera only spooks them.