Coco Reef, Tobago

Coco Reef Resort & Spa, Tobago. Coconut Bay, Bon Accord Village, Crown Point Tobago.

Coordinates in degrees decimal: N 11.15719, E -60.83902.

Visited in November 2007.  Photographer Nigel Thomas.  Camera:  Sea & Sea 1G with DX1G housing.

Website: http://cocoreef.com  (possibly still under construction)

This was the first resort visited with the intention of including information on a leaflet and subsequently inclusion on this website. 

The snorkelling at Coco Reef Resort is largely limited to the lagoon area in front of the hotel.  An artificial beach fronts the hotel and coastal defence works have been used to create a calm lagoonal area.  As this is one of the first sites visited by resortsnorkeller, some of the imagery leaves something to be desired!  However, a good variety of species can be observed and new coral growths were evident on the seaward face of the sea defences. 

Produced without the support of the resort.

The lagoon has two entrances, the boat channel to the north is used by small vessels so be careful when snorkeling here.  The other entrance is very shallow and rocky and, in certain wave conditions, a swell develops that makes snorkeling uncomfortable. 

The beach adjacent the lagoon is made up of  fine sand which shelves gently into the lagoon, so the water is very easy to enter and exit.

The rocky sea defences can be seen in this image, wrapping around the western edge of the lagoon.  Note that vessel movement outside the lagoon is potentially high, but not close to the rocks.

 

The lagoon, probably due to the restricted water flow, tends to have a lot of deposited fine sediment over both rock and sand.  This is a favourable habitat for species such as these White Mullet, seen shoaling in the open water of the lagoon.

Clearly the sediment covered rocks also provide an interesting food resource for this shoal of Doctorfish.

Resort Sealife Photos

click on image to open and view text

Probably a Threespot Damselfish.  Pomacentridae.  Stegastes ?planifrons.  Poor image but several individuals of this species found in the lagoon area.  Highly territorial so expect to be chased!

Probably Juvenile French Angelfish.  Pomacentridae. Pomacanthus paru.  Juvenile form of this species acting as a cleaner fish inside the lagoon area.

Adult French Angelfish.  Pomacentridae.  Pomacanthus paru.  Adult form of this moderate sized species found inside the lagoon area.

Queen Angelfish.  Pomacentridae.  Holacanthus ciliaris.  Noted outside the lagoon area.

Blue Chromis. Pomacentridae.  Chromis cyanea.  One of two chromis species noted in the area, the other being the Brown Chromis,  Chromis multilineata.

Banded Butterflyfish.  Chaetodontidae.  Chaetodon striatus.  Found inside the lagoon area.  Distinctive, strong black and white vertical bands.

Foureye Butterflyfish.  Chaetodontidae.  Cheatodon capistratus.  Noted inside the lagoon area, often in pairs.

Small shoal of Doctorfish.  Acanthuridae.  Acanthurus chirurgus.  Note vertical bars on body which separates it from the Ocean surgeonfish.  Found inside the lagoon area.

Shoal of French Grunts.  Haemulidae.  Haemulon flavolineatum.  Characteristic diagonal yellow stripes, note second species bottom left with horizontal stripes (Bluestriped Grunt. Haemulon sciurus).

Harlequin Bass.  Serranidae.  Serranus tigrinus.  Typically found hiding in small holes and hollows.  Noted inside the lagoon area.

Probably Yellowtail Parrotfish.  Scaridae.  Sparisoma rubripinne.  Noted inside the lagoon area.

Indeterminate Parrotfish

Redlip Blenny.  Blennidae.  Ophioblennius macclurei.  Fearless small fish found in the surge gulley in the lagoon.

Different view of the Redlip Blenny.

Probably a Hairy Blenny.   Blennidae.  Labrisomus nuchipinnis.  Found hiding amongst cobbles and rocks within the lagoon area.

Sand Diver.  Synodotidae.  Synodus intermedius.  Typical pose with the body partly submerged in sand. Noted inside the lagoon.

Trumpetfish.  Aulostomidae. Aulostomus maculatus.  Image collected away from the lagoon but may be found in the area.

Glassy Sweeper.  Pempheridae.  Pemphris schomburgki.  Dense shoals of this species found between defence blocks around the lagoon.

Yellow Goatfish.  Mullidae.  Mulloidichthys martinicus.  Small shoals found feeding amongst rocks and over sands in the lagoon.

Spotted Drum.  Sciaenidae.  Equetus punctatus.  Characteristic shape, with long dorsal fin.  Found amongst cobbles and rocks inside the lagoon area.

Spotted Moray.  Muraenidae.  Gymnothorax moringa.  Found amongst the boulders of the sea defence, around the lagoon.

Sergeant Major.  Pomacentridae Abudefduf saxatilis. One of the most common species, in and around the lagoon.

Juvenile Yellowtail Damselfish. Pomacentridae. Microspathodon chrysus.  Juvenile form (also known as a Jewelfish).  Found in surge gully.  Difficult to photograph!