Hole in the Wall
Dive site is offshore from the settlement of Longbay.
Type of mooring: fixed line with a pick up line on a float ball.
Site briefing:the depth under the boat is 35 feet at
the shallow coral ridge and 50 feet over the sand cut. The boat may hang
over a shallow reef or over the hole in the wall depending on the wind
shift. The wall here is a combination of a double wall and a straight
wall. There are two narrow crevices that join together and lead out to
a long groove between the main reef and a long ridge that runs parallel
to it about 60 feet away.
The top of the main reef is 40 to 50 feet and the outer ridge is 60 feet
on top. At the south end of the groove on the left is a huge indentation
in the wall. The indentation is about 100 feet across and penetrates in
about 150 feet. The bottom drifts from 90 feet to 120 feet. To the south
of the big cut the wall becomes vertical again. The outer side of the
ridge has many big sponges and soft corals. One of the largest gorgonians
on the island is at the joining of the ridge and the wall at about 70
feet. The north side of the hole in the wall has lots of fish primarily
schoolmasters. The shallow ridge on the north side of the mooring leads
to a magnificent pillar coral in 50 feet.
How to dive it: This dive site frequently has a current due to tidal water flowing over nearby Gardeners Reef. Swim along the top of the wall to the smaller crevices and then through them and out to the hole in the wall. If the current is strong along the wall edge take a left up into the hole in the wall and finish up the dive in this area before heading to the boat. If there is no current swim out over the deep wall at 100 feet and around the outer ridge. Go around it and then left (northeast) for about 150 feet. Come back up to the top of the ridge and then cross it and swim into the hole in the wall.
We go there: usually as first or afternoon dive.