South Water Wall - Utila
The South Water Wall is a reliable Utila spot, particularly if you’re keen on seeing some of the bigger reef residents. We often cruise along this wall at about 18 meters, keeping an eye out for turtles munching on sponges or a moray eel peering from its crevice. It’s also one of those places where you might spot a king mackerel or a school of barracuda zipping by in the blue. Keep your eyes peeled for eagle rays gliding past and don't forget to check the smaller nooks for colorful gobie cleaning stations and Pedersen shrimp. It’s a pretty easy dive, suitable for most skill levels, especially if you’re looking for those slightly larger encounters.
- Location
- Utila, Honduras, Central America
- Coordinates
- 16.600000, -88.085000
- Type
- wall
- Maximum Depth
- 15-40m
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 South Water 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 South Water 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