Tortuga Reef
Greater than 26m/85ft maximum depth
The current can reach medium strength on a regular basis.
Visibility is always good, reaching 40m/130 ft. during the summer/early autumn months.
Given its proximity to the turtle conservation center at Xcaret, this reef is constantly revisited by the many turtles that first met the Caribbean off that ecological park’s coastline.
Tortuga is one of our richest reefs. Covered throughout by a layer of life comprising every possible fish the Caribbean has to offer. Tortuga also boasts an astounding number of hawksbill turtles and big fish.
From barracuda to jacks of many species, cubera snappers, stingrays, green and spotted morays... you name it, you’ll probably find it there. Even the Splendid Toadfish has been spotted there.
Before visiting this reef, our guides will brief you on drift diving procedures so that you can cope with the sometimes demanding dive, and more often than not they will lead you straight to the schools of tarpon that settle here during daytime throughout most of the year.
Click photos below to enlarge.
Atlantic Spadefish (Chaetodipterus faber) |
Bar Jack (Caranx ruber) |
Cubera Snapper (Lutjanus cyanopterus) |
Diver & Hawksbill Turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata) |
Diver & Hawksbill Turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata) |
Divers & Hawksbill Turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata) |
Divers & Hawksbill Turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata) |
Great Barracuda (Sphyraena barracuda) |
Green Moray (Gymnothorax funebris) |
Hawksbill Turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata) & Various Reef Fish |
Hawksbill Turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata) & Yellowhead Wrasse (Halichoeres garnoti) |
Hawksbill Turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata) |
Hawksbill Turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata) feeding |
Hawksbill Turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata) swimming from above |
Hawksbill Turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata) swimming up |
Rock Beauty (Holacanthus tricolor) |
Spotted Moray (Gymnothorax moringa) |
Yellow Line Arrow Crab (Stenorhynchus seticornis) & Giant Barrel Sponge (Xestospongia muta) |
 & Yellowhead Wrasse (halichoeres garnoti) - Geofish Dive.jpg)
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 swimming - Geofish Dive.jpg)
 - Geofish Dive.jpg)
 feeding - Geofish Dive.jpg)
 - Geofish Dive.jpg)
 - Geofish Dive.jpg)
 & Various Reef Fish - Geofish Dive.jpg)
 - Geofish Dive.jpg)
 feeding - Geofish Dive.jpg)
 swimming from above - Geofish Dive.jpg)
 swimming up - Geofish Dive.jpg)
 - Geofish Dive.jpg)
 - Geofish Dive.jpg)
 & Giant Barrel Sponge (xestospongia muta) - Geofish Dive.jpg)
