Matthews mapDiver Level: Any. Depth 12 meters/ 40 feet After the hurricane Matthew hit the Dominican Republic in 2012 and left the sailboat Dragon Smoke unusable, the boat was intentionally sunk just off the shore of Bayahibe.

The boat itself is quite small and sits in a small patch of sand surrounded by beautiful coral. Under the curves of the boat, drum fish and lionfish are abundant. Many glass bottles have also been collected and added to this newly created living reef. Coral restoration efforts then lead you away from the wreck and into the vibrant coral surroundings. Matthew is a dive site for treasure hunters. Small anemones, sponges, and soft and hard corals cover the rocks that surround a second, larger sand patch at the center of the dive site. In every single nook and cranny of there is something to be found. Here there are many small shrimp and crabs working to keep larger animals clean. It is also a favorite spot for nudibranchs and lettuce slugs to inch along. In the sand, rays can occasionally be found and with luck a turtle might swim through. There can be a light current at this site, so gliding over the reef below is most often easy and the perfect rate to float.