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Tarpon Channel

Tarpon Channel sits just a short boat ride east of Little Corn, and it’s a site we always make time for. It’s exactly what it sounds like: a deep cut, more like an underwater canyon really, through the reef. The walls drop down to about 19 meters, lined with some impressive staghorn and elkhorn coral formations. We’ve found the average visibility hovers around 12 meters, which is good enough to appreciate the dramatic topography and the usual suspects like angelfish and parrotfish picking at the coral. What really makes Tarpon Channel a standout, though, isn’t the coral itself, but the energy of the place. We often dive it early in the morning when the light slants through the water, creating these incredible shafts down into the channel. That's when you get the feeling you’re in a serious fish highway. We've seen big schools of French grunts congregating, chalk bass darting around, and, true to its name, tarpon. Not every time, but often enough to keep us coming back. They're usually cruising through the deeper section of the channel, sometimes solitary, sometimes in small groups. Keep an eye out for barracuda too, they love hanging out where the current picks up a bit. This is a great drift dive when the conditions are right, suitable for anyone comfortable with a bit of current and keen to see some bigger pelagics.