Missing Link - Soufriere-Scotts Head Marine Reserve
Poor Knights Island itself might not be the flashiest site in the wider reserve, but we still really enjoy a dive here. It’s a solid entry point, particularly if you’re getting your sea legs or if the weather isn’t playing ball for the more exposed spots. The max depth of 19m keeps things comfortable, and we often find good visibility, around 15m, which lets you really take in the kelp forests swaying in the gentle surge. You'll spend most of your time poking around the golden fronds of kelp, looking for the smaller stuff. We’ve spotted plenty of common triplefins zipping between the stalks, and the drummers are always out in force. Keep an eye out for a cowfish, their odd shape always brings a smile. It's a calmer dive, a good one for photographers focusing on macro, or just to soak in that distinctive New Zealand underwater feel. We often suggest it as a second or third dive, a nice contrast to the drama of some of the deeper caverns elsewhere.
- Location
- Soufriere-Scotts Head Marine Reserve, Dominica, Caribbean
- Coordinates
- 15.215500, -61.374000
Marine Protected Area: Soufriere/Scott's Head
Best Time to Dive in Soufriere-Scotts Head Marine Reserve
The warmest water temperatures in Soufriere-Scotts Head Marine Reserve occur in January, averaging 27.2°C. The coolest conditions are in December at 27.2°C.
Monthly Water Temperatures
- January: 27.2°C (air: 24.7°C)
- February: 27.2°C (air: 24.5°C)
- March: 27.2°C (air: 24.7°C)
- April: 27.2°C (air: 25.5°C)
- May: 27.2°C (air: 26.6°C)
- June: 27.2°C (air: 26.8°C)
- July: 27.2°C (air: 26.6°C)
- August: 27.2°C (air: 26.9°C)
- September: 27.2°C (air: 27.3°C)
- October: 27.2°C (air: 27.0°C)
- November: 27.2°C (air: 26.1°C)
- December: 27.2°C (air: 25.2°C)
Nearby Dive Sites in Soufriere-Scotts Head Marine Reserve
- Addie - 1m (wreck)
- Champagne (reef)
- Champagne Reef - 3-15m (reef)
- Condo (drift)
- Craters Edge (wall)
- Danglebens Pinnacles - 15-30m (pinnacle)
- Danglebens Pinnacles (reef)
- Dive Dominica
- L’Abym North
- Lost Horizon (reef)
- Mountain Top (wall)
- Nature Island Dive
- Point Guirnard (reef)
- RITA III - 20m (wreck)
- Scotts Head Drop Off (reef)
Nearest Dive Centres to Missing Link
- Nature Island Dive - SSI
Marine Life in Soufriere-Scotts Head Marine Reserve
Home to 271 recorded species including 215 reef fish, 24 hard corals, 14 whales & dolphins, 3 other, 3 sea urchins, 3 sharks & rays.
Notable Species
- Sperm Whale (Physeter macrocephalus) - Whales & Dolphins
- Bridled Dolphin (Stenella attenuata) - Whales & Dolphins
- Blackfish (Globicephala macrorhynchus) - Whales & Dolphins
- Bornean Dolphin (Lagenodelphis hosei) - Whales & Dolphins
- Rusty Goby (Priolepis hipoliti) - Reef Fish
- Goldspot Goby (Gnatholepis thompsoni) - Reef Fish
- Agassiz's Thread-sail Fish (Chlorophthalmus agassizi) - Reef Fish
- Smallmouth goby (Risor ruber) - Reef Fish
- Masked Goby (Coryphopterus personatus) - Reef Fish
- Long-beaked Dolphin (Stenella longirostris) - Whales & Dolphins
- False killer whale (Pseudorca crassidens) - Whales & Dolphins
- Pallid Goby (Coryphopterus eidolon) - Reef Fish
- Flamefish (Apogon maculatus) - Reef Fish
- Parrotfish (Thalassoma bifasciatum) - Reef Fish
- Species code: Hs (Halophila stipulacea) - Seagrass & Algae
- Sharpnose Pufferfish (Canthigaster rostrata) - Reef Fish
- Slippery Dick (Halichoeres bivittatus) - Reef Fish
- Clown Wrasse (Halichoeres maculipinna) - Reef Fish
- Sand goby (Coryphopterus glaucofraenum) - Reef Fish
- Common False Moray (Kaupichthys hyoproroides) - Reef Fish
Recommended Packing List for Missing Link
Based on average water temperature of 27.2°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