TRANSFER - Lighthouse Reef
TRANSFER sits in just two metres of water, a carrier vessel sunk back in 2005. This isn't your typical wreck dive for the deep-set, dark kind of exploration; this is a snorkel or a very shallow scuba dive, perfect for photographers or those who just love to linger. We love it because it’s so accessible, giving you all the detail without the depth. We’ve found the best time to go is late morning, after the initial rush, when the sun is high and cuts through the surface to illuminate the wreck. The light plays across the decaying superstructure, highlighting the rust colours against the clear water. You can spend ages just finning slowly over the remains of the deck, peering into what’s left of the cabins. Little schools of snapper often dart in and out of the metalwork, and we’ve seen some surprisingly large groupers lurking under the deeper sections of hull, though ‘deeper’ here means maybe three metres. It’s a gentle exploration, well suited for families or anyone wanting a relaxed, visually rich surface interval.
- Location
- Lighthouse Reef, Belize, Central America
- Coordinates
- 17.402222, -87.460280
- Type
- wreck
- Maximum Depth
- 2m
Marine Protected Area: Sandbore, Lighthouse Reef
Best Time to Dive in Lighthouse Reef
The warmest water temperatures in Lighthouse Reef occur in September, averaging 30.0°C. The coolest conditions are in February at 27.1°C.
Monthly Water Temperatures
- January: 27.2°C
- February: 27.1°C
- March: 27.2°C
- April: 27.8°C
- May: 28.6°C
- June: 29.2°C
- July: 29.3°C
- August: 29.7°C
- September: 30.0°C
- October: 29.9°C
- November: 28.9°C
- December: 28.0°C
Nearby Dive Sites in Lighthouse Reef
- 3 Amigos
- Baker's Drop - 50 feet
- Calabush Cut - 5-20m (channel)
- Chain Wall - 15-40m (wall)
- Chris s Chimney - 15-35m (pinnacle)
- Coco Point
- Colusium
- Cut Throat - 5-20m (channel)
- Eagle Ray Wall - 15-145 feet (wall)
- Fabian s Roost
- Grand Bogue
- Great Blue Hole (cave)
- Great Blue Hole (reef)
- Half Moon Caye
- Half Moon Caye Wall - 21m (wall)
Nearest Dive Centres to TRANSFER
- Itza Resort - PADI
Marine Life in Lighthouse Reef
Home to 216 recorded species including 175 reef fish, 20 hard corals, 9 other, 6 sharks & rays, 2 jellyfish, 2 sea urchins.
Notable Species
- Redear Herring (Harengula humeralis) - Reef Fish
- Mustard hill coral (Porites astreoides) - Hard Corals
- Blue Doctor (Acanthurus coeruleus) - Reef Fish
- Thin leaf lettuce coral (Agaricia tenuifolia) - Hard Corals
- Gutong (Sparisoma aurofrenatum) - Reef Fish
- Massive Starlet Coral (Siderastrea siderea) - Hard Corals
- Cowfish (Tursiops truncatus) - Whales & Dolphins
- French grunt (Haemulon flavolineatum) - Reef Fish
- Dark Green Parrotfish (Sparisoma viride) - Reef Fish
- Grunt (Haemulon plumierii) - Reef Fish
- Gutong (Scarus iseri) - Reef Fish
- Yellowtail Parrotfish (Sparisoma rubripinne) - Reef Fish
- Fray (Jenkinsia lamprotaenia) - Reef Fish
- Parrotfish (Thalassoma bifasciatum) - Reef Fish
- Kwab (Sparisoma radians) - Reef Fish
- Barber (Acanthurus bahianus) - Reef Fish
- Sheephead (Microspathodon chrysurus) - Reef Fish
- Schoolmaster (Lutjanus apodus) - Reef Fish
- Cola (Ocyurus chrysurus) - Reef Fish
- Butterfly (Chaetodon capistratus) - Reef Fish
Recommended Packing List for TRANSFER
Based on average water temperature of 28.6°C, currents 22 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