About The Elbow
The Elbow is a prominent dive site within the Turneffe Atoll, distinguished by its strong currents. This advanced dive offers exceptional opportunities to encounter large pelagic species. The site's topography often features extensive wall formations, where divers can experience exhilarating drift dives propelled by the prevalent strong currents. While specific depths are not always highlighted, the advanced nature of the dive implies a range that can challenge experienced divers. The powerful currents make this location a magnet for bigger marine life, offering divers frequent sightings of impressive oceanic creatures. It's a prime spot for those seeking high-adrenaline diving with a good chance of encountering large predators. The main draw of The Elbow is the opportunity to see significant pelagic marine life, thriving in the nutrient-rich waters brought by the strong currents. Divers should be prepared for a dynamic underwater environment where swift movement and encounters with large species are common.
Highlights
Advanced drift divingStrong currentsEncounters with large pelagicsChallenging dive experience
Dive site facts: The Elbow
- Current
- Strong
- Entry
- Liveaboard only
- Level
- Advanced
- Dive type
- Wall, Reef
- Region / port
- Belize
- Coordinates
- 17.2264° N, 87.8250° W
Conditions & Currents
Strong currents are common; drift-diving experience and an SMB or reef hook are recommended. It is usually briefed as a dive for advanced divers. The site is reached by liveaboard, so entries are run from the tender or straight off the back deck. Because the flow can pick up quickly, drift profiles, a surface marker buoy and a tight group are standard practice here, and the crew's briefing always overrides any general description.
Why dive The Elbow from a liveaboard?
The Elbow is one of Belize's signature dive sites. A liveaboard sleeps you on the water and puts you in the water for three to four guided dives per day, including dawn and night dives that day-boat operators rarely offer. You skip the daily commute back to port and reach quieter, less-crowded sites in the same region on a single trip.
Below are the liveaboards that include The Elbow on their Belize itineraries.
Liveaboards diving The Elbow
These liveaboards may visit The Elbow on selected itineraries — the exact dive sites depend on departure, weather and conditions.
Belize Aggressor IV
Belize
20 guests42.1 m
$356/day
Belize Aggressor III
Belize
18 guests33.5 m
$336/day
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