Rosella’s Garden - Utila
Rosella’s Garden sits at a comfortable 45 to 60 feet, making for a relaxed dive just off Utila. We like to drift along the sandy patches between the two main coral sections here, keeping an eye out for nurse sharks resting in the sand and southern stingrays gliding past. It’s also a good spot for a turtle encounter, with both loggerheads and hawksbills making appearances. The coral structures themselves are vibrant, providing plenty of crevices for smaller reef fish, and we’ve occasionally spotted a spotted eagle ray cruising by in the blue. It’s a solid, straightforward dive, perfect for a chilled-out afternoon.
- Location
- Utila, Honduras, Central America
- Coordinates
- 16.810000, -88.170000
- Type
- reef
- Maximum Depth
- 45-60 feet
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)
- Half Moon Wall (wall)
Nearest Dive Centres to Rosella’s Garden
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 Rosella’s Garden
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