Snorkel· Antigua· Leeward Islands
Cades Reef
17° 0.5′ N · 61° 52.2′ W · approximate
A long reef system off Antigua's south-west coast between Johnson's Point and Old Road, sheltering calm, clear water inside where the island's best shallow snorkelling and a run of quiet anchorages lie.
Practical
Pin is approximate: no source gives coordinates; it is placed about 1.2 nm south-south-west of Cades Bay (OSM), offshore between Johnson's Point and Old Road Bluff where guides describe the reef. ABYMA: the water is calmer inside Cades and Middle Reef; for a clear run inside the reefs line up Goat Head Channel with Johnson's Point and Old Road Bluff; the sandbank between Goat Head Channel and Cades Reef was partly eroded by Hurricane Luis and is harder to see, so go under a high sun and keep clear of light-coloured patches. The Antigua Marine Guide says Morris Bay is kept calm and clear by Cades Reef. Snorkel from the dinghy in calm weather; do not anchor on coral, and ask locally about any marine-park moorings or rules before diving.
Best for
Snorkelling inside the south-west reef in settled weather
Season
Best in calm, settled weather with high sun
Nearby
- Morris Bay (Curtain Bluff)1.4 NM away
- Turner's Beach Bar (Johnson's Point)1.6 NM away
- Carlisle Bay Anchorage (Antigua)2.1 NM away
- Crab Hill Bay (Johnson's Point)2.1 NM away
- Boggy Peak (Mount Obama)2.2 NM away
- Ffryes & Darkwood Beaches2.9 NM away
- Ffryes Bay Anchorage2.9 NM away
- Dennis Cocktail Bar & Restaurant3 NM away