Gladden Spit and Silk Cayes

Gladden Spit is a place where the barrier reef juts out into deep water, and in the days around the full moons of the spring months tens of thousands of cubera and mutton snapper gather there to spawn. The spawn draws whale sharks up from the depths to feed, and that is the reason for the reserve and the reason people come. The Silk Cayes, three small sand islets nearby, are the snorkelling and picnic stop on the same trip.

History

The reserve was declared on 18 May 2000, and in 2001 the feeding area of the whale sharks became a special protected zone, with rules drawn up for the growing number of whale shark tours. Since 2003 it has been divided into a general use zone, a no-take zone around the Silk Cayes, a conch restoration zone and a conservation zone for whale sharks and spawning reef fish, managed by the Southern Environmental Association (Wikipedia, Gladden Spit and Silk Cayes Marine Reserve).

The landscape

• The whale sharks - drawn up to feed on spawning snapper around the spring full moons.
• The snapper aggregation - tens of thousands of fish gathering to spawn on the spit.
• The Silk Cayes - three small sand islets with reef and snorkelling.
• The drop-off - the reef edge falling into deep water at the spit.

When to go

March to June, in the days around the full moon, is the whale shark window and even then sightings are not guaranteed. December to April is the calmest generally. Trips are cancelled in rough weather.

Practical notes

Whale shark encounters are seasonal, moon-dependent and genuinely unreliable; many trips see none, and numbers have declined in recent years. The trip is a long boat run and rough water is common. Operators vary in how closely they push swimmers towards the animals.

Nearby

Placencia is west, and Laughing Bird Caye is south.

Key facts