Utila, Bay Islands, Honduras

Black Hills

Black Hills is a seamount roughly two kilometres south of Utila that rises from a 50-meter sandy bottom to a flattened summit at 18 to 20 meters and is widely regarded as one of the best dives on the island because the isolated structure concentrates pelagic life. The pinnacle and its flanks are covered with deep-water gorgonians, rope sponges and clusters of black coral that give the site its name. Schools of horse-eye jack, blackbar soldierfish, creole wrasse and snapper hover around the summit, while the deeper sides are visited by Caribbean reef shark, spotted eagle ray, barracuda and large grouper. Hawksbill and green turtles are seen on most dives. Because it sits in open water, Black Hills can pick up moderate current and is normally treated as a single deeper dive followed by a shallower second dive on the south wall. Visibility averages 25 to 35 meters and the site is reached only by boat.