Big Bight - Roatán

Dérivante aux tortues is exactly what it sounds like – a turtle drift, and one of our favourite easy-going glides in Moorea. We love dropping in here, letting the current do the work. You’ll often spot a few green sea turtles resting on the coral heads or lazily paddling by, completely unfazed. Keep an eye out for the big pelagics too. We’ve seen jack mackerels flash past and even caught a glimpse of a sleek Indo-Pacific sailfish once, a real jolt of adrenaline against the deep blue. The reef isn't the most dramatic, it’s a gentle slope, but the fish life is consistently good. Look for big schools of cardinalfish sheltering in crevices, their eyes reflecting our torch beams. Down deeper, around 20-24 metres, you might spot a grumpy-looking pufferfish or a curious twinspot hawkfish perched on a coral branch. Visibility averages around 16 metres, which is perfectly decent for watching the underwater world drift past. It’s a comfortable dive, rarely challenging, making it great for newer drift divers or anyone who just wants to relax and watch for turtles.

Location
Roatán, Honduras, Central America
Coordinates
16.104100, -86.877200
Type
drift

Marine Protected Area: Sistema de Humedales de la Isla de Utila

Best Time to Dive in Roatán

The warmest water temperatures in Roatán occur in September, averaging 30.2°C. The coolest conditions are in February at 27.3°C.

Monthly Water Temperatures

  • January: 27.4°C
  • February: 27.3°C
  • March: 27.4°C
  • April: 28.0°C
  • May: 28.9°C
  • June: 29.3°C
  • July: 29.1°C
  • August: 29.7°C
  • September: 30.2°C
  • October: 30.0°C
  • November: 29.1°C
  • December: 28.3°C

Nearby Dive Sites in Roatán

Nearest Dive Centres to Big Bight

Marine Life in Roatán

Home to 170 recorded species including 150 reef fish, 5 sea snails & nudibranchs, 5 hard corals, 4 other, 1 sharks & rays, 1 seagrass & algae.

Notable Species

Recommended Packing List for Big Bight

Based on average water temperature of 28.7°C, currents 7 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