Blue Channel

As the name suggests, Blue Channel is a channel that crosses the crest of the reef between the lagoon in front of West End and the reef face. The shallow buoy is located at 25 ft in a large sand patch.

Following the Eel Grass and algae-covered bottom to the northwest, you will find the narrow entrance to the channel at 15 ft. Going seaward, the algae bottom becomes sandy with sparse coral heads encrusted with Mustard Coral.

The channel then gradually becomes deeper and wider while the walls ascend high enough to almost touch the surface. Within these walls live Encrusted Coral and the Variable Boring Sponge in its wide variety of growing patterns.

Both walls have overhangs, and on the south side wall, you will find the entrances to caverns and swim-throughs inhabited by Glassy Sweepers and Channel Clinging Crabs.

This channel is also the host to Tiger and Nassau Grouper, as well as the Hawksbill Turtle and Giant Anemone. The outer buoy is found at 45 ft over the sandy bottom. Upon arriving at the upper part of the reef wall at 40 ft, you may notice a few Star and Staghorn coral formations.

From here, the wall descends dramatically to 90 ft at a sandy bottom where the descent continues gradually. Deep on the reef wall, you will find a concentration of Yellow, Brown, and Stove Pipe Sponges.