Ambergris Caye Belize Resort Development - Department of ...

marine vessels could get an indication of the inaccessibility of traversing in or near these areas
during post and completion development phases, as well as to warn as to the dangers especially
in times of rough seas and during times of emergency.
Habaneros
Access to the Habaneros channel, south of Punta Azul, is about 5 miles from the proposed
development site and has limited characteristics. Access via this point is difficult as there are
many coral heads which are close to the surface. The depth within the middle of this cut is 2.3
meters (7.55 feet).
Punta Azul
The channel at Punta Azul is 100 meters wide (328.08 ft.), but once inside the reef, the lagoon
depth is very shallow limiting use to boats with one meter draft. Entry through this access point
heads parallel to the reef crest and then north once inside the reef. Once inside the reef the
channel and lagoon area is very shallow. The depth within this channel is 3.35 meters (10.99 ft.).
In the lagoon the depth varies from 2.55 meters (8.37 feet) to 1.45 meters (4.76 feet). Scattered
patch reef in the reef lagoon make navigation extremely hazardous.
Basil Jones
Basil Jones has the deepest access point through the reef crest north of the San Pedro River (Fig.
9.2). The narrowest navigable width is 50 – 70 meters (164.04 – 229.66 ft.) at two locations.
Here, the primary navigational hazard is sun glare between 5:30 and 8:30 a.m. depending on
travel direction. Large changes in headings to avoid coral configuration combined with sun glare
have caused locals to hit parts of the reef during passage. Strong currents in this channel have
also affected navigation. Once inside the reef, the channel and lagoon area is very shallow.
Smaller Channels between Rocky Point and Basil Jones
All accesses are very small but navigable by knowledgeable local fishermen and guides under
very calm conditions. During periods of rough weather and high wave conditions, these cuts are
not navigable. The three channels have living and dead coral formations that extend to within a
half a meter (0.16 ft.) from the surface and must be carefully avoided during navigation.
The shallowest point of these channels is generally on the seaward side of the reef crest where
depths average 1.5 meters (4.92 ft.). The smallest width encountered within the three channels is
3 meters (9.84 ft.) and the largest is 5 meters (16.40 ft). However, navigational hazards of corals
in the channels limit navigation width to 2 and 3 meters (6.56 – 9.84 ft.) respectively.
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