Black Rock - Roatán

The Don Cesar is a fun dive, a bit of a quirky one, really. This isn't a grand freighter; it's a confiscated cigarette boat, scuttled by the coast guard. It sits upright on a vast sand plain, looking a little out of place down there at 17 metres. We find it genuinely cool how quickly a wreck, even a relatively modern one, starts to take on marine life. You’ll see schools of French grunts swirling around the hull, little coney peeking out from shadows, and those bold triggerfish darting in and out. The visibility here can be a bit of a mixed bag; sometimes it’s 5 metres, sometimes a touch more. That just adds to the adventure of spotting the wreck from a distance. We often see barracuda cruising the plain, and we've even heard tales of Bornean dolphins making an appearance, though we haven't been lucky enough to spot them ourselves here. Our favourite part? It’s a great spot for responsible lionfish culling if you're with an operator who does that. Just be aware, it can be a bit of a hunt to find the wreck itself, but that's part of the fun. It’s perfect for divers who appreciate a smaller, more intimate wreck and enjoy the hunt for less common critters.

Location
Roatán, Honduras, Central America
Coordinates
16.270300, -86.602900
Type
wreck

Marine Protected Area: Islas de la Bahía

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 Black Rock

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 Black Rock

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