The Bucks Stop Here
16.2965°N 86.6019°W · reef
The Bucks Stop Here is a reef dive site in Roatán, Caribbean.
Overview
Situated along the West Bay reef corridor, The Bucks Stop Here is a Roatan Marine Park mooring site established through the park’s dive site naming program. While dedicated documentation for this particular site is limited, the reef here follows the pattern of the wider West Bay area with coral heads separated by sandy patches and a gentle profile reaching 18 meters. Angelfish, parrotfish, trumpetfish, and sergeant majors populate the reef, with sea turtles and stingrays making regular appearances across the sand flats. Expect visibility of 20-30 meters and water temperatures between 26 and 29 degrees Celsius.
Site Information
- Location: Roatán, Caribbean
- Entry Type: Boat dive
- Site Type: Reef
- Difficulty Level: Beginner
- Maximum Depth: 18 meters
Dive Profile
The site offers a gentle reef terrain suitable for relaxed exploration. Begin your dive along the reef top and navigate through coral formations and sandy patches. The most abundant marine life is typically found between 5-18 meters. Take your time to explore cleaning stations and look for camouflaged creatures in the sand.
Photography
The colorful reef structures offer excellent macro photography opportunities. Look for small critters hiding among coral heads and anemones. Wide-angle shots work well to capture the vibrant reef landscape and schooling fish.
Sea-surface temperature and wave height from Open-Meteo Marine (ERA5 reanalysis, monthly averages).
441 verified species observations (212 species) logged within ~11 km of this site between 1911 and 2023, from the Ocean Biodiversity Information System.
- Pterois · lionfish
- Gambusia nicaraguensis
- Palatogobius grandoculus
- Poecilia orri
- Epigonidae
- Lipogramma evides · banded basslet
- Gnatholepis thompsoni · goldspot goby
- Malacoctenus macropus · rosy blenny
- Phaeoptyx
- Lutjanus apodus
- Malacoctenus erdmani · imitator blenny
- Bathygobius soporator
Scientific survey records skew toward sampled taxa (molluscs, corals) and do not reflect what you are guaranteed to see on a dive.
Source: OBIS (obis.org), aggregated Darwin Core occurrence records.
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