The reef fringes the eastern margins of Castara Bay extending from Heavenly Bay out of the bay. Castara reef is a popular for snorkelling with the rare branching Elkhorn corals close to the rocks. For divers, the reef is dominant in soft coral plumes that make perfect hiding spots for juvenile turtles.
CASTARA REEF, TOBAGO
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Culloden Bay is home to a unique spur and groove coral reef formed by water movement. The growth of corals over time has created these rocky underwater spurs that project out to sea like fingers. Each spur is separated by a sandy groove where one can find turtles, eels and lionfish lurking.
Along the south coast of Tobago are three dives sites. From east to west, they are Cove Reef, Flying Reef and Stingray Alley. Coral reefs in this area are gently sloping and exposed to high currents. These are the haunts of large schools of reef fish including grunts and chub.
Hermitage reef lies along the eastern side of Man-O-War Bay, Charlotteville, adjacent to Hermitage Bay. With no coastal development nearby, this coral reef is home to the endangered branching Elkhorn corals in the shallows. Farther down the reef slope, giant mountain star coral colonies extend from 7 m to 15 m in depth, creating underwater structures for numerous marine creatures.
Sanga Rock is located in north Charlotteville. The sheltered side of Sanga Rock is home to a unique coral reef dominant in boulder and brain corals. Divers swim around Sanga Rock and explore the walls that are encrusted with the beautiful non-native sun cup corals that resemble bunches of yellow flowers.
The only Marine Protected Area in Tobago, Buccoo Reef features a fringing reef system with a back reef and a lagoon that are connected to a mangrove ecosystem. The uniqueness of this reef attracted many during the 1950s and 1960s, but decades of mismanagement have allowed large portions of the reef system to be degraded. Some sections of Buccoo Reef are still productive. See Coral Gardens
Pirates Bay reefs consist of two small patch reefs located on either side of Pirates Bay in Man-O-War Bay, Charlotteville. This shallow coral community grows over sunken rocks. The reef is home to encrusting fire coral and hard corals, numerous long-spined sea urchins and sea rods. Many reef fish and juvenile marine turtles visit these reefs.