Phillips Dive Pier - Jardines de la Reina
Seaquest Deep is one of those sites we always hit up when we're in Roatán, despite the "Deep" in the name being a bit of a misnomer given the 20m max. It’s popular, sure, but for good reason. What we really love here is the sheer density of small, unusual critters in the sand. You’ll be finning along, eyes peeled for a Yellowhead Jawfish peeking out from its burrow, and then suddenly you're spotting a Warteye Stargazer buried, just its eyes twitching above the sand. We’ve had some cracking dives just hovering over the sandy patches, finding Sharpnose Pufferfish trundling by, or watching a pair of Shark nose gobies tend to their home. Visibility here is consistently good, usually around 20m, which helps immensely when you're trying to pick out a tiny Mimic Blenny. Our favourite tip for Seaquest Deep? Go slow. Really slow. Bring a good macro lens if you're into photography, because the real show here is in the details, not the big stuff. It’s perfect for divers who appreciate the subtle beauty of sand dwellers and aren’t afraid to spend twenty minutes admiring a well-hidden flounder.
- Location
- Jardines de la Reina, Cuba, Caribbean
- Coordinates
- 19.898500, -75.164900
- Type
- reef
Marine Protected Area: Hatibonico
Best Time to Dive in Jardines de la Reina
The warmest water temperatures in Jardines de la Reina occur in September, averaging 30.4°C. The coolest conditions are in February at 27.1°C.
Monthly Water Temperatures
- January: 27.5°C
- February: 27.1°C
- March: 27.1°C
- April: 27.8°C
- May: 28.8°C
- June: 29.2°C
- July: 29.8°C
- August: 30.2°C
- September: 30.4°C
- October: 29.9°C
- November: 29.2°C
- December: 28.3°C
Nearby Dive Sites in Jardines de la Reina
- Black Coral I and II (reef)
- Bucanero
- Cabeza de la Cubera
- Canto Chiquiton
- Cayo Felipe el Grande
- Club Náutico
- Cuba Diving in the Jardines de la Reina - ‘Garden of Eden’ (reef)
- Diamond Point (reef)
- El Acuario I
- Farallón - 15-40m (pinnacle)
- Guardalavaca - 23m
- Jardines de la Reina (wall)
- Jardines de la Reina (reef)
- La Angelica
- Labanderas Reef (reef)
Nearest Dive Centres to Phillips Dive Pier
Marine Life in Jardines de la Reina
Home to 492 recorded species including 404 reef fish, 34 hard corals, 10 whales & dolphins, 10 sharks & rays, 8 other, 6 sea snails & nudibranchs.
Notable Species
- Mustard hill coral (Porites astreoides) - Hard Corals
- Gutong (Sparisoma aurofrenatum) - Reef Fish
- Gutong (Scarus iseri) - Reef Fish
- Hawksbill Turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata)
- Blue Doctor (Acanthurus coeruleus) - Reef Fish
- Barber (Acanthurus bahianus) - Reef Fish
- Lettuce Coral (Agaricia agaricites) - Hard Corals
- Dark Green Parrotfish (Sparisoma viride) - Reef Fish
- Finger Coral (Porites porites) - Hard Corals
- Sheephead (Microspathodon chrysurus) - Reef Fish
- Massive Starlet Coral (Siderastrea siderea) - Hard Corals
- Elkhorn coral (Acropora palmata) - Hard Corals
- Sammy Johnson (Scarus taeniopterus) - Reef Fish
- Greenblotch Parrotfish (Sparisoma atomarium) - Reef Fish
- Great star coral (Montastraea cavernosa) - Hard Corals
- Coney (Cephalopholis fulva) - Reef Fish
- French grunt (Haemulon flavolineatum) - Reef Fish
- Doctorfish (Acanthurus chirurgus) - Reef Fish
- Yellowtail Parrotfish (Sparisoma rubripinne) - Reef Fish
- turtlegrass (Thalassia testudinum) - Seagrass & Algae
Recommended Packing List for Phillips Dive Pier
Based on average water temperature of 28.8°C, currents 16 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