Gretchen’s Shell

Gretchen’s Shell is a sprawling site that features a 40- to 50-foot (12- to 15-meter) wall that backs onto the lagoon. Pinnacles and broken spurs stand just a small distance from the wall, creating a narrow channel at its base. The site allegedly gets its name from the story of a French dive instructor from years past who visited this site to collect shells for his girlfriend named Gretchen. The site is most interesting for divers, but snorkelers will have plenty to explore along the top of the wall, which sits at just 12 feet (3 meters). Divers are likely to see ample marine life on the wall and on the patch reefs in the adjacent sand plateau. Cryptic pipefish and seahorses are frequently spotted at the top of the wall, while glassy sweepers school at its base.