Placencia, Stann Creek, Belize

Queen Cayes

Queen Cayes is a pair of small uninhabited sand cayes east of Placencia, sitting on the barrier reef inside the Sapodilla Cayes Marine Reserve area. The site is shallow, running on a coral plateau and patch reef between 5 and 18 metres. The plateau is built on healthy stands of mountainous star coral, brain coral, sheet coral, pillar coral and gorgonian fans, with deep-water sea fans, large barrel sponges and yellow tube sponges decorating the structure. Reef life is dense: schools of yellowtail snapper, schoolmasters, French grunts, sergeant majors, blue chromis, queen and French angelfish, midnight and stoplight parrotfish and a wide variety of butterflyfishes and wrasses. Spotted moray eels, lobsters, banded coral shrimp, arrow crabs and Caribbean reef octopus are common in the cracks. Hawksbill turtles graze sponges and southern stingrays patrol the sand patches. Currents are mild and visibility ranges from 15 to 22 metres. The site is run as part of multi-tank trips from Placencia and is suitable for divers from open water level upward; an outstanding choice for snorkellers as well thanks to the very shallow coral cover and consistent fish density.