LA DOMINICANA - Ocho Rios
La Dominicana, just off Ocho Rios, is one of our favourite shallow wrecks in the Caribbean, especially for a second dive. It’s a schooner, sitting upright in only 12 metres of water, so bottom time is generous. We love a wreck that still looks like a ship, and La Dominicana certainly does, her bow pointing majestically towards the surface. You can easily swim the length of the deck, peering into the cargo holds now home to squirrelfish and glassy sweepers. Sunlight filters through the mast structure, creating dancing patterns on the sand below, where we often spot a yellow stingray buried just under the surface. It’s a calm site, rarely any strong current, making it perfect for newer wreck divers or photographers wanting to take their time. Look closely for the small stuff – we’ve found some excellent nudibranchs tucked away on the coral-encrusted timbers. For a wreck that’s been down a while, it’s remarkably intact and full of character.
- Location
- Ocho Rios, Jamaica, Caribbean
- Coordinates
- 17.950832, -76.781944
- Type
- wreck
- Maximum Depth
- 12m
Marine Protected Area: Palisadoes- Port Royal
Best Time to Dive in Ocho Rios
The warmest water temperatures in Ocho Rios occur in January, averaging 27.4°C. The coolest conditions are in December at 27.4°C.
Monthly Water Temperatures
- January: 27.4°C (air: 24.7°C)
- February: 27.4°C (air: 24.6°C)
- March: 27.4°C (air: 25.1°C)
- April: 27.4°C (air: 25.9°C)
- May: 27.4°C (air: 27.0°C)
- June: 27.4°C (air: 27.6°C)
- July: 27.4°C (air: 28.0°C)
- August: 27.4°C (air: 28.1°C)
- September: 27.4°C (air: 27.9°C)
- October: 27.4°C (air: 27.1°C)
- November: 27.4°C (air: 26.0°C)
- December: 27.4°C (air: 25.1°C)
Nearby Dive Sites in Ocho Rios
- 101 - 1m (wreck)
- ADD EXPRESS - 0m (wreck)
- APOSTOLOS ANDREAS - 5m (wreck)
- BREEZIN THRU - 16m (wreck)
- CARRIE BUCKHAM - 3m (wreck)
- CAYMAN 2200 - 10m (wreck)
- CAYMAN TRADER - 2m (wreck)
- Devil's Reef - 10-25m (reef)
- EAGLEWING - 2m (wreck)
- EDGEWOOD - 5m (wreck)
- Golden eye
- HMS TEXAS - 32m (wreck)
- Kathryn and Caverns - 15-30m (cave)
- Kathryn Wreck - 10-18m (wreck)
- KIRK MAID - 5m (wreck)
Nearest Dive Centres to LA DOMINICANA
- Sandals Ochi Beach Resort - ["PADI"]
- Scubaquatic
Marine Life in Ocho Rios
Home to 367 recorded species including 309 reef fish, 31 hard corals, 7 sharks & rays, 3 seagrass & algae, 3 sea urchins, 3 sea snails & nudibranchs.
Notable Species
- Mustard hill coral (Porites astreoides) - Hard Corals
- Lettuce Coral (Agaricia agaricites) - Hard Corals
- Gutong (Scarus iseri) - Reef Fish
- Gutong (Sparisoma aurofrenatum) - Reef Fish
- Barber (Acanthurus bahianus) - Reef Fish
- Finger Coral (Porites porites) - Hard Corals
- Blue Doctor (Acanthurus coeruleus) - Reef Fish
- Dark Green Parrotfish (Sparisoma viride) - Reef Fish
- Sheephead (Microspathodon chrysurus) - Reef Fish
- Sammy Johnson (Scarus taeniopterus) - Reef Fish
- Great star coral (Montastraea cavernosa) - Hard Corals
- Massive Starlet Coral (Siderastrea siderea) - Hard Corals
- Greenblotch Parrotfish (Sparisoma atomarium) - Reef Fish
- turtlegrass (Thalassia testudinum) - Seagrass & Algae
- Doctorfish (Acanthurus chirurgus) - Reef Fish
- Graysby (Cephalopholis cruentata) - Reef Fish
- Coney (Cephalopholis fulva) - Reef Fish
- Branched Finger Coral (Porites furcata) - Hard Corals
- Boulder Brain Coral (Colpophyllia natans) - Hard Corals
- Elkhorn coral (Acropora palmata) - Hard Corals
Recommended Packing List for LA DOMINICANA
Based on average water temperature of 27.4°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