Barracuda Point – AKA Anita’s Reef, Eel Garden
Anita’s reef, also called Barracuda Point and Eel Garden is large enough to be called all these names and more.
As there is almost always a current, this site is a great drift dive that does encompass the three sites and almost completely circles Island 5.
If you enter on the north side of Islands 5, there are several really nice coral heads with lots of sand in between.
Great place to look for the little treasures, like Ghost Pipefish, juvenile Rock Mover Wrasse and nudibranchs.
The large sandy patches are home to hundreds of Garden Eels, making for the clever name of this section “Eel Garden”. At depth throughout these sites look for Kuhl’s Rays and Leopard Sharks.
If you catch the drift you will be heading Southwest towards Barracuda Point. None of us has even seen more than the occasional Barracuda, instead look for small reef sharks, rays and Trevallies. This section is a blast as the current delivers you over these massive boulders and the crevices between them.
The current should scatter you on the Southwest side of the island, completing a full 180 degree navigation at this point. Here you should be on the plateau that is about 10-12 meters deep at the most. As you continue on look for Turtles, Eels and Clown Trigger fish.
If you make it all the way around, the reef will again slope down to depth, and (with good Visibility) you might be able to make out the Chinese wreck.
As many boats make this are mooring point, and is the conjunction of three different dives sites, make sure that your SMB is inflated as several dinghies can be roaming around.
