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.
BOOBY ISLAND, TOBAGO
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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.
Diver’s Dream consists of a series of shallow reef banks found 4 km off the south coast of Tobago between Trinidad and Tobago. The banks are covered by giant barrel sponges that thrive in the high currents. Encrusting coral and macroalgae are also prominent at this site. The banks are often visited by pelagic marine life, such as turtles, sharks and barracuda.
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.
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.
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.
Located off Speyside, Goat Island features a house nestled between two giant rocks. Coral reefs wrap right around the island. The most famous reef is called Angel Reef, which lies along the western bay; it is dominant in hard corals and is one of the more biodiverse reefs on the island. Japanese Gardens on the south side of the island is well-known for its colourful sponge communities.