Scuba Diving in Saint Lucia

DIVE CONDITIONS

Water Temperature:  79-85 Degrees F

Water Visibility: 80-Up to 200 Feet

When to Go:  November – May – Visitors will avoid the rain and potential storms.

Diving Difficulty:  Beginner-Advanced

TOP DIVE SITES IN SAINT LUCIA

• Anse Chastanet Reef is in the Soufriere Marine Management Area and is considered one of St Lucia’s top dive sites. This site is a favorite of underwater macro photographers and home to more than 150 species of fish. The dive begins just offshore and is easily accessible to snorkelers and beginner divers. The shallow reef starts at 15 feet and progresses to 60 feet. The reef is covered in gorgonians, wide brain corals, and tall barrel sponges. The dramatic slope falls to a depth of 140 feet. The reef is home to moray eels, parrot fish, blennies, crabs, big schools of needle fish, frog fish, trumpet fish, puffer fish, and turtles. This dive has something for every level of diver.
• Piton Wall is located at the base of the Petit Piton and is suitable for all levels of divers. This site hosts a sharp cliff and a dramatic and impressive wall that drops hundreds of feet below the surface. Divers need experience with buoyancy. The variety of depths adds to the enjoyment of this dive. Divers will encounter sea whips, gorgonians, delicate soft corals, and feather duster worms. Reef fish and schools of barracudas make their home here.
• Fairyland was named by a local diver that was amazed by the abundance of colorful corals and sponges. Located off the headland of West Pointe south of Anse Chastanet, this site is accessible by boat. Due to its location, it is not protected, and strong currents are common which keep the coral very clean and vibrant in color. The site is a perfect drift dive while the shallows are perfect for turtle encounters. Divers can explore the plateau that slopes from 40 feet to 60 feet while spotting schools of jacks, snappers, grunts, sharks, and barracudas. The depth ranges up to 100 feet and for advanced divers 200 feet.
• Coral Gardens is located at the base of Gros Piton which towers 2438 feet above the water. The abundance of coral including sea whips, five-finger, and plumes resembles a garden as the name suggests. The depths of this site range from 15 to 90 feet and due to the currents is a perfect drift dive. Divers will swim through dense sea plumes where juvenile fish hide including the unusual sargassum trigger fish. The sea wall plunges hundreds of feet and with the stronger currents, Coral Gardens is considered an intermediate to advanced dive.
• Lesleen M is a 165-foot freighter that sunk in 1996 as an artificial reef by the Department of Fisheries. Located in Anse Cochon Bay, Lesleen M resides in 40-65 feet of water on a sandy bed and suited for all levels of divers. The ship is covered with soft coral fans, sponges, and hydroids. Advanced divers can penetrate the engine room, which is inhabited by lobsters, frog fish, moray eels, French angelfish, and reef fish.
• Anse La Raye Wall is named for the village of Anse La Raye meaning (Bay of Rays). This reef begins in 5 feet of water and slopes to 60 feet of water and is covered in sea whips, gorgonians, feather duster worms and soft corals. Divers will enjoy large fields of boulders and patches of coral such as purple vase corals. Known as a great snorkeling site, the dive features turtles, trumpetfish, moray eels, squid, and octopus. With a maximum depth of 110 feet, divers of all levels will enjoy the encrusted seascape.
• Grand Caille or Large Reef begins at 40 feet on a terrace. The dive moves to the lip of a steep slope before turning into a wall. Divers will enjoy this dramatic dive site with deep gorgonians, sea whips, huge brain corals and barrel sponges in pristine condition. Also referred to as “The Big House”, divers will enjoy the abundance of fish.
• Trou Diable or Devil’s Hole has been compared to the sites at the Fairyland dive. Large barrel sponges and coral heads make a home for schools of chromis and grunts. The depths begin at 30 feet and extend to 100 feet. The site contains boulders, overhangs, and channels where juvenile fish, sea snakes, moray eels, rays, and turtles hide.
• Anse Couchon is divided into a north dive and a south dive. The north dive is a popular site for beginner divers with a depth of 15 feet to 60 feet. The landscape of reefs, boulders, walls, and pinnacles make this a breeding ground of juvenile marine life. The shallow areas hold macro life such as shrimp, seahorses, and anemone crabs which makes this a great place for underwater photography. The south side of this dive has the same topography with less coral and plenty of marine life living on the sandy bottom. Divers will spot flying gurnards, pipefish, and flounders. This dive is perfect for night dives.
• Keyhole Pinnacles is a stunning dive with four volcanic peaks or seamounts that rise dramatically from the water to within a few feet of the surface. These structures are encrusted with black and orange gorgonian sea fans, organ pipe and barrel sponges. The peaks provide shelter for trumpet fish, color changing file fish, jacks, groupers, moray eels, seahorses, and snappers. This dive is suitable for all diving levels.
• Superman’s Flight is located at the base of Petit Piton. The name of this site comes from the cliff above Petit Piton. It was the location used for the filming of the movie Superman II and for the amazing drift dive that allows divers to feel like they are Superman flying past rows of coral and schools of fish. Although the site descends to extreme depths of 1500 feet, the wall slopes gradually making it suitable for all levels of divers. The slope is covered by massive fluorescent sponges, large gorgonians and soft corals which are full of fish life.
• Turtle Reef is a crescent-shaped reef that starts at 40 feet and drops quickly to over 150 feet. This site is suitable for all levels of divers with the deeper levels reserved for more advanced divers. A sea grass bed next to the reef is a feeding area for hawksbill and green turtles and divers have many opportunities to interact up-close making this site popular for photographs. Barrel sponges, pillars and organ pipe coral can be seen. Sea snakes, parrot fish, angel fish, frog fish, scorpion fish, seahorses make this dive one to remember.
• Saline Point is in front of the Le Sport Hotel on the north side of the island where the Atlantic Ocean meets the Caribbean Sea. Beach entry is possible at this site making it a wonderful location for snorkeling. Beginning at 20 feet and gradually dropping to 60 feet, this site is suitable for all levels of divers. Turtles, barracuda, eels, schools of grunts, flying gurnards, puffer fish, rays and scorpion fish can be found here.
• Pigeon Island is a peninsula located just offshore and accessible by boat. The site begins in 15 feet of water with a sandy bottom with coral patches. Divers progress over reefs and huge boulders descending to the maximum depth of 60 feet. At the deeper depths, divers will watch the coral patches transform into a full reef system. Due to its sheltered location, divers of all levels can explore this site. Barracuda, lobsters, moray eels, eagle rays, jacks and snappers can be spotted here.
• Bone Yard is a World War II vessel located on the northern side of Castries Harbor. The ship sank after being torpedoed off the coast of Martinique. Resting in 45 feet of water, the vessel is home to lobsters and various tropical fish. A wing of an airplane can also be found at this site which is suitable for all diving levels.
• Smuggler’s Cove is perfect for beginning divers. The depth of this site is 40 feet with trenches and shelves for divers to explore. Flying gurnard, lobsters and large trumpet fish can be spotted. Divers can also enjoy the small, secluded beach located within this cove.
• Berger Rock is easy to find as it is marked by a white flashing light. This site is known for the abundance of marine life. Schools of jacks, snappers, grunts, king fish, sergeant majors, brown chromes can be found in the 25 to 45 feet of water. Berger Rock is a perfect night dive and is available to all levels of divers.
• Daini Koyomaru Wreck is a 224-foot-long Japanese minesweeper dredger that was sunk in 1996 to create an artificial reef. The wreck lies on its side and is semi intact in 108 feet of water. Suitable for all levels of divers, advanced divers can access the ship’s interior. Photographers will appreciate the still definable ship covered in gorgonian fans and pipe organ coral. Divers will enjoy spotting French angel fish, jacks, barracuda, and large puffer fish.
• Vicky B is a 200-foot ship that sunk in 2018. Sitting in 80 feet of water in Anse Cocohn, this purposely sunk dive site boasts a stunning biodiverse environment.
• Champagne Reef is a favorite dive spot characterized by warm bubbles rising from the sandy bottom. The bubbles are from the volcanic vents below the substrate. The sloping reef quickly drops off to a sandy bottom where sand eels and frog fish are found.
• Bird’s Rock is a rocky outcrop which is a popular perch for the island’s seagulls. The dive begins along a sloping wall covered in coral. The sea floor has scattered boulders and rocks which attract eagle rays, lobsters, huge barracudas, puffer fish and parrot fish.
• La Roche (The Rock) is a tiny island outside of Rodney Bay Marina. Also known as Barrel Reef, this dive has underwater trenches and valleys and a depth of 50 feet. The currents can be stronger which has carved out swim-throughs and makes this a great drift dive location. This dive is home to trigger fish, lobsters, and great barracuda.
• Virgin’s Cove is named for the shipwreck that took the lives of a group of nuns. To commemorate the death of the nuns, a cross was erected at the point just above this dive site. The dive begins at 15 feet where divers can view barrel sponges, brain sponges and sparse patches of coral. With a depth of 70 feet, Virgin’s Cove is home to spadefish, stingrays, turtles, barracuda, snappers, and grunts.
• SK 2 was a sand barge that was sunk as an artificial reef in Anse Cochon. The barge was towed to its final resting place in 100 feet of water by the St Lucia Dive Association. Divers will marvel at the sight of large schools of fish and rays.
• Rosemond’s Trench is one of the top dive sites in St Lucia and available to all levels of divers. This dive has corals shaped like fingers with winding valleys and trenches in between. These areas are inhabited by reef fish, seahorses, frog fish and turtles. A small tunnel leads divers into a chimney.

TOP ATTRACTIONS IN SAINT LUCIA

• The Saint Lucia Three Peak Challenge brings together the three big hiking climbs in St Lucia. Visitors are challenged to climb Gros Piton at 2,618 feet, Mount Gimie at 3,117 feet, and Petit Piton at 2,438 feet. Local experts guide visitors on each of the climbs.
• Pigeon Island is a great place to learn the rich history of the island. Pigeon Island was a separate isle until 1972 until a causeway was built to connect it to the main island. Visitors can explore the ruins of Fort Rodney. The fort dates from the 18^th century and was built by the English to fight the French. The infamous pirate, Jamb de Bois created a camp on the island to ambush Spanish trade ships. Visitors can enjoy panoramic views and explore hidden beaches.
• Soufriere located an hour south of the capital of St Lucia, Castries, this quintessential fishing village was founded in 1745. The town was named from the sulfurous aromas from the towering Pitons. Visitors can explore the town square which was the site of the guillotines erected during the French Revolution or trace the roots of Josephine, the wife of Emperor Napolean Bonaparte, who was born here in 1763.
• Morne Coubaril Historical Adventure Park is an 18^th century estate that overlooks Soufriere Bay. Visitors can explore St Lucia’s culture through tours of working plantations, a tropical garden, and a replica of a traditional village.
• Sulphur Springs Mud Bath is in the drive-in volcano and named for the sulfur that was once mined at this site. The volcano last erupted in the 1700s but continues to vent sulfur into the air and heat pools of water. Visitors can join a guided tour to view the heated pools from the observation deck or participate in a mud bath. Using the volcanic mud, visitors lather themselves before entering the steaming hot springs. The volcanic mud is said to be healing and therapeutic.
• Project Chocolat (Tree to Bar Experience) is an interactive experience that takes visitors through the chocolate making process from bean to delicious chocolate.
• Aerial Tram is an 8-person gondola for visitors to witness the true beauty of the rainforest.
• Gros Islet Friday Night Street Party is a perfect way for visitors to immerse themselves in the culture, food, and music of St Lucia. The party includes local delicacies, live bands, and street dancing.
• Marigot Bay is known as the most beautiful bay on St Lucia with lush hillsides plunging to the palm-fringed beach. The bay was the setting for the 1967 film Doctor Doolittle and some of the bay’s establishment hold a piece of the film’s name. It is said the British fleet was able to hide in Marigot Bay due the depth of the bay and the cover of the palm trees.
• Morne Fortune is a major naval port from 1803 to 1844. Morne Fortune means “Hill of Good Luck” and the original structures stand on the mountain overlooking the harbor. The fort is known for some of the most brutal battles between the French and the English. The views from this mountain are stunning and visitors can see the island of Martinique.
• Mamiku Gardens features five separate gardens each with its own theme for visitors to enjoy. Mamiku Gardens is located on the east coast. Tour the medicinal herbal garden to learn how African slaves discovered the native plants. Rare birds can be spotted within the garden including the golden oriole, white breasted thatcher, and the black finch.
• Derek Walcott Square is in the capital, Castries and named for the Nobel Laureate, Derek Walcott. The square’s most famous landmark is the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception.
• The Dive Festival is commemorated every September on the island. Diving is so popular that scuba divers from all over the world come to gather and celebrate St Lucia.

St Lucia is a stunningly beautiful island nation known for its natural beauty, pristine beaches, intriguing history, and vibrant culture. The turquoise waters offer a tropical paradise perfect for relaxation as well as exploration both above and below the sea. Scuba divers will find everything that they could possibly want. This little island offers shipwrecks and natural wonders all in a compact space. The shallow beach dives make St Lucia a perfect place to learn how to scuba dive or practice newly acquired skills. St Lucia is a tropical paradise that will cater to everyone who visits.