Coral Reef Map - Telephone Pole (North)

Depth: 11-40 m 35-130 ft

Description: This is a wall reef that ends in a sandy basin littered with large reef boulders containing many caves and tunnels. Divers return to the boat through the sandy back-reef, where garden eels, stingrays, jawfish and hammerhead sharks may be seen

Points of special interest (click on map for position):

1- Patch reef & tunnel zone – The north end of this site is sandy with large scattered boulders. This complex architecture makes a great habitat for marine life with caves and tunnels throughout the area

2- Giant barrel sponge – One of the largest species of sponge in the Caribbean. They are usually found in slightly deeper water where wave action is low

3- Bluehead wrasse cleaning station – Observe initial-phase bluehead wrasses swimming around this large barrel sponge, waiting for clients who require their cleaning services

4- Garden eel colony – These little eels live inside burrows in the sand, and eat small planktonic organisms that drift by in the ocean currents

5- Redlip blenny zone – These blennies are common in shallow reef areas, where their ability to grip the reef with their pectoral fins makes them well-adapted to the higher wave action found there

6- Sandtile fish burrows – Several of these slender fish can be found in the sandy areas of the back-reef. They rarely stray far from their shelter - a burrow they excavate in the sand

7- Yellowhead jawfish burrows – These small fish live in burrows in the sand. The male incubates his partner’s eggs in his mouth for about a week during the summer breeding season, during which he doesn’t eat

Creatures that live here (ID - Common Name):

B.OA - Redlip Blenny
C.EI - Hawksbill Turtle
C.HL - Brown Garden Eel
G.GL - Fairy Basslet
G.GM - Blackcap Basslet
L.CP - Creole Wrasse
L.XM - Rosy Razorfish
P.AF - Yellow Tube Sponge
P.CC - Blue Chromis
P.HCb - Queen Angelfish
S.CF - Coney
S.ESb - Nassau Grouper
S.SL - Scalloped Hammerhead Shark
S.SV - Queen Parrotfish