Elephant Ear Canyon

Elephant Ear Canyon is a wall dive site located at the very tip of West Caicos island in the Turks and Caicos, named for a notably large elephant ear sponge — reportedly damaged by a hurricane — that still anchors the site's identity as the reef and sponges continue to recover and regrow. A distinctive headland protrudes from the wall, giving the site a dramatic, jutting topography that cascades downward and seems to extend endlessly in every direction.

The top of the reef sits on the deep side, beginning at around 50–65 feet (roughly 15–20 m), with the wall dropping away below from that point. The reef crest is split into sections by sand chutes, and the wall itself is covered in large sponges, including giant orange elephant ear sponges. Divers who head east toward the shallows rather than following the wall will find an expanse of eel grass beds in shallower water.

Marine life at the site includes reef sharks circling above the wall, garden eels and stingrays in the sandy areas beneath the boat at the end of the dive, and tilefish. The eel grass shallows shelter seahorses, pipehorses, and pipefish, and the site has also been home to a shortnose batfish. The nudibranch family is represented by head shield slugs found among the eel grass. House-sized elephant ear sponges, barracuda, eagle rays, grouper, and turtles are also associated with this site.