BELIZE NATIONAL PARKS, NATURAL RESERVES, & WILDLIFE SANCTUARIES

SHARK RAY ALLEY

The world's largest diving magazine, Skin Diver, has given Belize's Shark-Ray Alley feature billing in two issues lately. This dive site has been selected as one of the seven best "animal dives" in the Caribbean.

For several years, local fishermen often cleaned their catch in this area, located just inside the reef, to the south of Ambergris Caye. When fishermen noticed that their activity had attracted Nurse Sharks and several Southern Sting Rays, they reported this information to the dive operations in San Pedro, who then dispatched some divers to investigate. What they found was a bonanza, and "Shark-Ray Alley" quickly became a very popular dive site.

As soon as your boat arrives in the area, the Dive Master points out all of the dark shadows in the shallow (eight foot deep) waters. These are the sharks and rays that hear the boat approach and come in search of a few scraps of fish.

Click here for photographs of diving and snorkeling at Shark Ray Alley.

Shark Ray Alley annexed to Hol Chan

These creatures have a great tolerance for divers and seem to enjoy the human interaction. The rays, which have a 'wing-span' of two to four feet, swim directly towards the divers, inviting them to reach out and stroke their wings (although it's best not to touch them). Some would also swim in circles around us, like a cat rubbing against our legs. The gentle Nurse Sharks average four to six feet in length, and the dive masters often feed them small fish.

This is a truly unforgettable adventure. Snorkellers can also enjoy this encounter with nature. Be sure to visit Shark-Ray Alley during your stay at Ambergris Caye.

Even amateur photographers can take great underwater photos here with disposable marine camera. They work in depths of up to nine feet, which is perfect for the shallow waters inside the reef at Shark-Ray Alley.

BELIZE NATIONAL PARKS, NATURAL RESERVES, & WILDLIFE SANCTUARIES
Belize Parks Home / Bacalar Chico / Bird Sanctuaries / Burdon Canal Nature Reserve / Blue Hole National Park / Great Blue Hole, Lighthouse Reef / Chiquibul National Park and Caracol / Cockscomb Wildlife Sanctuary / Columbia River Forest Reserve / Community Baboon Sanctuary / Crooked Tree Wildlife Sanctuary / Five Blues Lake National Park / Glover's Reef Marine Reserve / Guanacaste National Park / Half Moon Caye Natural Monument / Hol Chan Marine Reserve / Laughing Bird Caye / Marco Gonzales / Mexico Rocks / Mountain Pine Ridge Forest Reserve / Payne's Creek National Park / Rio Bravo Conservation and Management Area / Shark Ray Alley / Shipstern Nature Reserve / Turneffe Atoll /

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