Arnos Vale Bay on Tobago’s Caribbean coast is a popular snorkel and diving destination, including night diving in the bay. The Arnos Vale reef extends outward from the bay along the eastern and western fringes, where the reef grows on submerged rocks. Divers can swim through channels covered in corals, sea fans and sponges.
ARNOS VALE BAY, 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.
Booby Island is located within the sheltered Man-O-War Bay at Charlotteville in northeast Tobago. It is named after the Brown Boobies that inhabit the rock. On one side a gently sloping reef dominant in sea plumes and corals connects the island to the mainland at Lover’s Bay; on the other side, divers can explore the submerged rock walls of the island.
This remote bay is adjacent to Castara Bay. It is usually accessed for diving by boat. Cotton Bay consists of a series of submerged rocks for an amazing swim through for divers and hideout for marine life. Encrusting and boulder corals grow along these giant submerged rocks that descend to great depth.
Iguana Bay is located north of Charlotteville and can only be accessed by boat. Although there are coral communities, there is little structure, likely because of the exposed wave environment. It is home to some colonies of the incredible rare Acropora cervicornis.
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.
Coral Gardens is a small patch reef located in the Bon Accord Lagoon in the Buccoo Reef Marine Protected Area. This is one of the better-known treasures of Buccoo Reef. It is visited daily by snorkelers and glass bottom boat tours. Coral Gardens in dominant in the reef building coral Orbicella annularis, also known as the potato coral, and hosts many reef fish.