Frenchmen's Reef - Sandy Island
Frenchmen's Reef, just off Sandy Island, is a solid choice for a laid-back dive. It’s a shallow spot, topping out at 14 metres, which makes it ideal for newer divers or anyone just wanting to unwind. We often see schools of snapper drifting over the sand patches, and the resident parrotfish are always busy on the coral heads. Keep an eye out for morays tucked into the crevices too; they’re pretty common here. It’s a nice, easy drift when the conditions are right, good for getting back into the swing of things.
- Location
- Sandy Island, Anguilla, Caribbean
- Coordinates
- 18.017800, -63.095000
- Type
- reef
- Maximum Depth
- 14m
- Difficulty
- Beginner
Marine Protected Area: Sandy Island
Nearby Dive Sites in Sandy Island
- Baleine de Gros Ilet - 17m
- Banc Médée - 7m (pinnacle)
- Basse Espagnole - 14m (reef)
- Carib Cargo (Wreck) - 20m (wreck)
- CATHELEY H - 13m (wreck)
- Caye verte - 17m (reef)
- Charly shoal - 17m (reef)
- Chico 1 - 19m
- Chico 2 - 19m
- Chico 3 - 19m
- Circus - 18m
- Coralita - 17m (reef)
- Cow and calf - 16m (pinnacle)
- DIANA V - 1m (wreck)
- DOOSTER-DEB - 0m (wreck)
Nearest Dive Centres to Frenchmen's Reef
Marine Life in Sandy Island
Home to 297 recorded species including 247 reef fish, 13 hard corals, 10 other, 6 whales & dolphins, 5 crabs & lobsters, 3 seagrass & algae.
Notable Species
- Mustard hill coral (Porites astreoides) - Hard Corals
- Barber (Acanthurus bahianus) - Reef Fish
- Gutong (Sparisoma aurofrenatum) - Reef Fish
- Blue Doctor (Acanthurus coeruleus) - Reef Fish
- Dark Green Parrotfish (Sparisoma viride) - Reef Fish
- Harlequin Brittle Star (Ophioderma appressum)
- Boulder Brain Coral (Colpophyllia natans) - Hard Corals
- Spinyhead Blenny (Acanthemblemaria spinosa) - Reef Fish
- Rusty Goby (Priolepis hipoliti) - Reef Fish
- Parrotfish (Thalassoma bifasciatum) - Reef Fish
- Great star coral (Montastraea cavernosa) - Hard Corals
- Goldspot Goby (Gnatholepis thompsoni) - Reef Fish
- Sheephead (Microspathodon chrysurus) - Reef Fish
- Sharpnose Pufferfish (Canthigaster rostrata) - Reef Fish
- Spiny Brittle Star (Ophiocoma echinata)
- Yellowhead Wrasse (Halichoeres garnoti) - Reef Fish
- Island Goby (Lythrypnus nesiotes) - Reef Fish
- Slender Filefish (Monacanthus tuckeri) - Reef Fish
- Slippery Dick (Halichoeres bivittatus) - Reef Fish
- Angelfish (Holacanthus tricolor) - Reef Fish