Pillars of Hercules

The Pillars of Hercules is a rocky dive site just outside English Harbour and Nelson's Dockyard in Antigua, below the headland of Shirley Heights. Erosion has shaped dramatic pillar-shaped formations on the cliff face, and the site is made up of large coral-covered boulders.

Depths run from 4 to 15 m. The site is permanently moored about 30 m offshore, with the mooring line secured in 9 m. The headland above breaks the waves, so the surface is relatively calm even when the forecast wave height is above average.

Spotted eagle rays, green turtles and hawksbill turtles are frequently sighted, and eagle rays are often seen in the winter months. A resident green or hawksbill turtle may show up. You will almost certainly see the enormous 17th-century anchor.