Half Moon Wall - Utila
Half Moon Wall is a site we keep coming back to in Utila, especially when we’re looking for a relaxed, easy dive with plenty to hold our attention. It’s got that classic Caribbean wall vibe, but with a few twists. The dive usually starts with a gentle drop over the reef crest, maybe 10 or 12 meters, then the wall proper just rolls away below you. We’ve found the currents here are usually pretty mild, which means you can really take your time and scour the crevices. And scour you should, because this place is a blenny and goby hotspot. We’ve spent whole safety stops just watching the Imitator Blennies darting in and out of their holes, tiny flashes of personality. There’s a particular stretch, about halfway along the wall at around 20 meters, where the sponges seem to be home to a dozen Goldspot Gobies. Look out for the Whitestar Cardinalfish too, often tucked away in small caves or under ledges, their eyes reflecting your torchlight. It’s a great site for photographers who enjoy macro and wide-angle. You can get some lovely shots of the wall itself, draped in sponges and corals, and then switch to macro for the smaller critters. We’d suggest an early morning dive if you can swing it; the light on the wall is softer and you sometimes catch Drum and Flounder still foraging before they settle down for the day. This site suits anyone looking for a chill dive without aggressive currents but with plenty of interesting life to observe.
- Location
- Utila, Honduras, Central America
- Coordinates
- 17.208286, -87.535820
- Type
- wall
Best Time to Dive in Utila
The warmest water temperatures in Utila occur in September, averaging 30.0°C. The coolest conditions are in February at 27.1°C.
Monthly Water Temperatures
- January: 27.3°C
- February: 27.1°C
- March: 27.3°C
- April: 27.9°C
- May: 28.6°C
- June: 29.2°C
- July: 29.2°C
- August: 29.7°C
- September: 30.0°C
- October: 29.9°C
- November: 29.1°C
- December: 28.2°C
Nearby Dive Sites in Utila
- Barrier Reef (reef)
- Barrier Reef (reef)
- Bulkhead Reef (reef)
- Bulkhead Reef (reef)
- Carrie Bow
- Caye Bokel
- Columbus Reef (reef)
- Columbus Reef (reef)
- Ecomarine - Gunter's Dive shop
- Elsie's Aquarium
- Emerald Forest - shallow attractions at 25 ft (7-8m), main dive around 70 ft (21m)
- Gallows Point Reef (reef)
- Gallows Point Reef (reef)
- Glover's Reef (reef)
- Hell Hole
Nearest Dive Centres to Half Moon Wall
Marine Life in Utila
Home to 214 recorded species including 173 reef fish, 18 hard corals, 10 other, 6 sharks & rays, 2 jellyfish, 2 sea urchins.
Notable Species
- Mustard hill coral (Porites astreoides) - Hard Corals
- Blue Doctor (Acanthurus coeruleus) - Reef Fish
- Redear Herring (Harengula humeralis) - Reef Fish
- Gutong (Sparisoma aurofrenatum) - Reef Fish
- Thin leaf lettuce coral (Agaricia tenuifolia) - Hard Corals
- Dark Green Parrotfish (Sparisoma viride) - Reef Fish
- Cowfish (Tursiops truncatus) - Whales & Dolphins
- Grunt (Haemulon plumierii) - Reef Fish
- French grunt (Haemulon flavolineatum) - Reef Fish
- Whale Shark (Rhincodon typus) - Sharks & Rays
- Gutong (Scarus iseri) - Reef Fish
- Massive Starlet Coral (Siderastrea siderea) - Hard Corals
- Barber (Acanthurus bahianus) - Reef Fish
- Fray (Jenkinsia lamprotaenia) - Reef Fish
- Schoolmaster (Lutjanus apodus) - Reef Fish
- Cola (Ocyurus chrysurus) - Reef Fish
- Sheephead (Microspathodon chrysurus) - Reef Fish
- Yellowtail Parrotfish (Sparisoma rubripinne) - Reef Fish
- Butterfly (Chaetodon capistratus) - Reef Fish
- Elkhorn coral (Acropora palmata) - Hard Corals
Recommended Packing List for Half Moon Wall
Based on average water temperature of 28.6°C, currents 21 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