Palaster Reef - Barbuda
Palaster Reef is one of those spots that really sticks with you from a Barbuda trip. We love how the reef starts shallow, around 5 metres, right in a sprawling elkhorn coral garden. It’s perfect for just floating along, watching the light play through the branches. We’ve seen juvenile reef sharks cruising through the coral in the mornings here, and those big Caribbean spiny lobsters are always tucked into crevices. As you drop deeper towards 20 metres, the reef structure shifts, becoming more about overhangs and ledges. That's where we tend to find the bigger red groupers lurking. Keep an eye out for smaller stuff too, especially the nudibranchs on the coral, and those funny little longspine squirrelfish peeking out. The visibility is usually fantastic, making it easy to just drift and soak it all in. It’s an intermediate dive, straightforward, with a gentle current most days, making it ideal for divers who appreciate healthy coral and a relaxed pace. This isn't a high-adrenaline drift, but a proper reef immersion.
- Location
- Barbuda, Antigua & Barbuda, Caribbean
- Coordinates
- 17.620000, -61.810000
- Type
- reef
- Maximum Depth
- 5-20m
- Difficulty
- Intermediate
Marine Protected Area: Codrington Lagoon
Best Time to Dive in Barbuda
The warmest water temperatures in Barbuda occur in January, averaging 27.0°C. The coolest conditions are in December at 27.0°C.
Monthly Water Temperatures
- January: 27.0°C (air: 25.4°C)
- February: 27.0°C (air: 25.1°C)
- March: 27.0°C (air: 25.4°C)
- April: 27.0°C (air: 26.0°C)
- May: 27.0°C (air: 27.1°C)
- June: 27.0°C (air: 27.9°C)
- July: 27.0°C (air: 28.0°C)
- August: 27.0°C (air: 28.2°C)
- September: 27.0°C (air: 28.3°C)
- October: 27.0°C (air: 27.8°C)
- November: 27.0°C (air: 27.0°C)
- December: 27.0°C (air: 26.1°C)
Nearby Dive Sites in Barbuda
- AMERSFOORT - 3m (wreck)
- Cobb Reef (reef)
- CROYDON - 5m (wreck)
- ELITE - 5m (wreck)
- Goat Reef (reef)
- Palaster Reef (reef)
- PIERRE KUYPER - 10m (wreck)
- POLROSA - 10m (wreck)
- RED JACKET - 9m (wreck)
- The Pillars of Hercules - 8-22m (cave)
- VICTOR - 5m (wreck)
Marine Life in Barbuda
Home to 157 recorded species including 142 reef fish, 5 other, 3 whales & dolphins, 2 sea snails & nudibranchs, 1 octopus & squid, 1 sharks & rays.
Notable Species
- Longspine Squirrelfish (Holocentrus rufus) - Reef Fish
- Dark Green Parrotfish (Sparisoma viride) - Reef Fish
- Gutong (Scarus iseri) - Reef Fish
- Dorado (Coryphaena hippurus) - Reef Fish
- Parrotfish (Thalassoma bifasciatum) - Reef Fish
- Spotted Lanternfish (Myctophum nitidulum) - Reef Fish
- Sperm Whale (Physeter macrocephalus) - Whales & Dolphins
- Slippery Dick (Halichoeres bivittatus) - Reef Fish
- Fairy Basslet (Gramma loreto) - Reef Fish
- Mottled Conger Moray (Enchelycore nigricans) - Reef Fish
- Rosy Blenny (Malacoctenus macropus) - Reef Fish
- Blue Doctor (Acanthurus coeruleus) - Reef Fish
- Hind (Epinephelus guttatus) - Reef Fish
- Yellowtail Parrotfish (Sparisoma rubripinne) - Reef Fish
- Key Worm Eel (Ahlia egmontis) - Reef Fish
- Conklin's cardinalfish (Phaeoptyx conklini) - Reef Fish
- Spotted Goatfish (Pseudupeneus maculatus) - Reef Fish
- Lizardfish (Synodus intermedius) - Reef Fish
- Blue Parrotfish (Sparisoma chrysopterum) - Reef Fish
- Hamlet (Gymnothorax moringa) - Reef Fish
Recommended Packing List for Palaster Reef
Based on average water temperature of 27.0°C.
- Shorty or Rashguard - warm 27°C water needs minimal exposure protection
- Mask - essential for every dive
- Fins
- BCD - buoyancy compensator
- Regulator - your most safety-critical piece of gear
- Dive Computer - tracks depth, time, and NDL
- Surface Marker Buoy (SMB) - essential for boat pickups
- Dive Torch - useful for crevices and colour at depth
- Underwater Camera - capture your diving memories