Dropping Reef - Québec
Western Sambo is one of our absolute favourite spots in the Lower Keys, especially for those who appreciate a more relaxed drift. We love the gentle slopes here, usually around 10 to 15 metres, making it perfect for longer bottom times and really soaking in the details. You’ll often find schools of Creole wrasse shimmering like purple rain as you glide along, and we’ve spent many an hour just watching them. Keep an eye out for the nurse sharks tucked under ledges; they’re practically fixtures here. We’ve also had some great encounters with Caribbean reef sharks passing through on the deeper edge of the reef. The corals themselves are healthy, with plenty of smooth star coral and tube coral creating lots of hiding spots for juvenile fish. If you go, try to time it for a calm morning. The light catches the sandy patches between the coral heads beautifully, making the visibility feel endless. It’s a site that rewards slow exploration rather than a frantic dash.
- Location
- Québec, Canada, North America
- Coordinates
- 44.566820, -78.466250
- Type
- reef
- Maximum Depth
- 10-30m
Nearby Dive Sites in Québec
- Alice G.Tobermory Tugs (Wreck) - 12m (wreck)
- Aloha- Effie Mai (wreck)
- Amburgs Reef (reef)
- Arabia (Wreck) - 34m (wreck)
- Ash Island Barge (wreck)
- Barrett Reef (reef)
- Beaufort Reef (reef)
- Beaufort Reef (reef)
- Big Bay Point - 5-20m (reef)
- Boarding House Reef (reef)
- Boulton Reef (reef)
- Bourinot Reef (reef)
- Boyer Reef (reef)
- Bray Reef (reef)
- Brockville Underwater Sculpture Park
Nearest Dive Centres to Dropping Reef
- Aquarius Scuba
- Aqua Service
- AquaSystems - NAUI
- Barrie Scuba House - ["PADI"]
- Canadian Sport Subs, Ltd. - ["PADI"]
- Carlos Lopez
Marine Life in Québec
Home to 44 recorded species including 37 reef fish, 3 sea snails & nudibranchs, 2 other, 2 clams & mussels.
Notable Species
- Alewife (Alosa pseudoharengus) - Reef Fish
- Rainbow Smelt (Osmerus mordax) - Reef Fish
- Slimy Sculpin (Cottus cognatus) - Reef Fish
- Cisco (Coregonus artedi) - Reef Fish
- Spawn (Gasterosteus aculeatus) - Reef Fish
- White Sucker (Catostomus commersonii) - Reef Fish
- Yellow Perch (Perca flavescens) - Reef Fish
- Mottled Sculpin (Cottus bairdii) - Reef Fish
- pumpkinseed (Lepomis gibbosus) - Reef Fish
- sea lamprey (Petromyzon marinus)
- Lake whitefish (Coregonus clupeaformis) - Reef Fish
- Spottail Shiner (Notropis hudsonius) - Reef Fish
- White Perch (Morone americana) - Reef Fish
- Golden Shiner (Notemigonus crysoleucas) - Reef Fish
- Rainbow Trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) - Reef Fish
- Sea Trout (Salmo trutta) - Reef Fish
- Chinook (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) - Reef Fish
- brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis) - Reef Fish
- American Gizzard Shad (Dorosoma cepedianum) - Reef Fish
- burbot (Lota lota) - Reef Fish