Middle Shoal Reef

Middle Shoal Reef ranks 10th on the list of the best dive sites in Jamaica. You’ll find a little bit of everything at Middle Shoal Reef. This reef is often used for the PADI introductory (Resort) Scuba Course dive number one. There are two sides to this reef, which cater to divers of varying skill levels. Guests of Sandals Negril can access the more advanced section of this dive with a depth of 90 ft. Sightings include spadefish, turtles, French grunts, squirrelfish, barracuda, and much more. There’s also a small-engine plane wreck at this site. If you dive further out, you’ll encounter a drop-off up to 200 feet. The area suitable for beginners has a depth of 30 feet. During this dive, you’re likely to see anything from lobsters and starfish to stingrays. There are also plenty of barrel sponges and sea fans around the reef.

Middle Shoal Reef is well known as a scorpionfish home, while you’ll also meet lettuce sea slugs, beautifully colored corals, many tunnels, underwater caverns, etc. And you shouldn’t be surprised if you run into the nurse shark. This location has something to offer both for Open Water divers, with its 65-foot deep end, and the Advanced scuba divers, because there is a sudden drop up to 130 feet of depth, where you’ll find the sandy bottom. The special treat is the low-profile reef your dive instructor will show you, from where you’ll be able to see what is going on down there.

Location: Port Royal, Jamaica