Buccaneer Reef - Cayman Brac

EN1 is one of those sites we always recommend to newer divers who want a taste of Bazaruto without the sometimes intense currents of Two-Mile. Don't let the 13-meter max depth fool you; there's plenty to get excited about here. We love the way the reef top is just a gentle slope, making it easy to cruise along at your own pace, keeping an eye out for the resident honeycomb whiprays. These aren’t small fish, often five meters across, gliding over the sand flats between the coral bommies. Our favourite time to dive EN1 is first thing in the morning when the light hits the reef just right, illuminating the yellow and blue groupers hiding in the crevices. You’ll find plenty of smaller life too – the African butterflyfish are everywhere, and we’ve spotted loggerhead turtles munching on seagrass more than once. Keep an eye on the sandy patches; that’s where you'll often find torpedo rays buried, and we've even seen a whale shark cruise by in deeper water, though that’s definitely a lucky encounter. Visibility averages around 10 meters, which is perfectly good for spotting the abundant macro life, like the intricate patterns on a Savigny's brittle star or a camouflaged scorpionfish. This site is perfect for photographers, or anyone who enjoys a relaxed dive with a good chance of seeing something substantial.

Location: Cayman Brac, Cayman Islands, Caribbean
Coordinates: 19.693400, -79.883400
Type: reef

Marine Protected Area: Scotts Anchorage - White Bay (Cayman Brac)

Best Time to Dive in Cayman Brac

The warmest water temperatures in Cayman Brac occur in September, averaging 30.5°C. The coolest conditions are in February at 27.1°C.

Monthly Water Temperatures

January: 27.4°C
February: 27.1°C
March: 27.2°C
April: 27.9°C
May: 28.8°C
June: 29.3°C
July: 30.0°C
August: 30.4°C
September: 30.5°C
October: 30.1°C
November: 29.0°C
December: 28.0°C

Nearest Dive Centres to Buccaneer Reef

Little Cayman Divers - PADI, NAUI, SSI, SDI, IDEA
Reef Divers - PADI
Reef Divers II - Cayman Brac
Scuba Shack

Marine Life in Cayman Brac

Home to 141 recorded species including 111 reef fish, 23 hard corals, 2 whales & dolphins, 2 other, 1 sea snails & nudibranchs, 1 seagrass & algae.

Notable Species

Mustard hill coral (Porites astreoides) - Hard Corals
Finger Coral (Porites porites) - Hard Corals
Blue Doctor (Acanthurus coeruleus) - Reef Fish
Gutong (Sparisoma aurofrenatum) - Reef Fish
Massive Starlet Coral (Siderastrea siderea) - Hard Corals
Dark Green Parrotfish (Sparisoma viride) - Reef Fish
Great star coral (Montastraea cavernosa) - Hard Corals
Barber (Acanthurus bahianus) - Reef Fish
Sammy Johnson (Scarus taeniopterus) - Reef Fish
Gutong (Scarus iseri) - Reef Fish
French grunt (Haemulon flavolineatum) - Reef Fish
Graysby (Cephalopholis cruentata) - Reef Fish
Blackfish (Melichthys niger) - Reef Fish
Grooved brain coral (Diploria labyrinthiformis) - Hard Corals
Sheephead (Microspathodon chrysurus) - Reef Fish
Butterfly (Chaetodon capistratus) - Reef Fish
Schoolmaster (Lutjanus apodus) - Reef Fish
Yellowtail Parrotfish (Sparisoma rubripinne) - Reef Fish
Doctorfish (Acanthurus chirurgus) - Reef Fish
Blue Parrotfish (Sparisoma chrysopterum) - Reef Fish

Recommended Packing List for Buccaneer Reef

Based on average water temperature of 28.8°C, currents 6 cm/s.

Shorty or Rashguard - warm 29°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