Cane Bay wall dive and snorkel

Off this beach on the north shore the reef runs out from the sand and then goes over the edge of the Cane Bay wall, which falls about 13,000 feet to the ocean floor. Divers reach the top of it on guided shore dives straight from the beach, or come by boat on two-tank north-shore trips out of Salt River, open to certified divers aged 10 and up. Caribbean reef sharks are a common sight along the wall.

Snorkellers stay in the shallows, over coral gardens where octopus hide among the rocks and old Danish anchors, and rays glide past. Guided snorkel tours go out here daily, so you need not know the reef to find the good parts, and gear can be rented on the island.