Head to Grenada for the best diving in the Caribbean

For some of the best diving in the Caribbean look no further than the idyllic island of Grenada and its sister islands of Carriacou and Petite Martinique. Located in the Eastern Caribbean, the southernmost end of the Windward Islands and 180 miles north of Venezuela, this Isle of Spice benefits from a pleasant year-round climate, perfect for divers at any level.

Each island boasts miles of unspoilt reef formations and a vast range of marine life with the name Carriacou meaning ‘Island of Reefs’. Moray Eel, Angelfish, Octopus, Seahorses are just some of the colourful underwater inhabitants who live there. Dive sites are accessible for both beginners and advanced divers with plenty to explore from lazy drift dives over coral gardens to Bianca C - the largest shipwreck in the Caribbean.

There are five fully equipped dive centres on Grenada and three on Carriacou, each offering the latest equipment for hire and all with fully qualified PADI and/or BSAC instructors. Children from 10 years and above can take a PADI diving course from the famous Grand Anse beach.

Grenada has over 30 world-class dive sites including reefs and wrecks which vary from 20 feet to 120 feet with visibility reaching up to 100 feet at some sites.

Some of Grenada’s top dive sites include:

• Bianca C – The 600ft-cruise ship sunk in 1961. Lying on a sandy plain in 167ft of water, the decks are accessible to divers at 90ft depth from surface. The ship is encrusted with sponges, black, soft and hard corals and there are shoals of jack, barracuda and spotted eagle rays in abundance.

• MV Hildur - This latest project of the Grenada Scuba Diving Association is integrally linked to its environmental objectives that are designed to create artificial reefs and habitats for marine life around Grenada. The sinking of the MV Hildur was a joint effort of the Grenada Scuba Diving Association and the Peter de Savary Development Company .The Hildur was a 30m Coastal Freighter that was no longer seaworthy but in good condition. She currently sits perfectly on her keel in the sand at Grand Mal Bay and is already becoming home to migrating fish from adjacent reefs. More…

• Boris, Hillsborough & Tyrell Bay, Carriacou – The 2nd wreck sunk as an artificial reef in the waters around Carriacou after “Westsider” was sunk recently with permission of the Grenada Ports Authority. Leader of the project was the Grenada Scuba Diving Association in conjunction with the patronage of Jerry Stewart of the Tyrell Bay Yacht Haul-Out/Carriacou, who also generously donated this tugboat. For Grenada’s sister island, Carriacou, this successful project adds another new exciting feature to the already diverse range of activities. The “Boris” being similar in build to the “Westsider” was also sunk in its proximity. It will be of great interest for divers to discover what differences in marine growth and habitat are going to evolve between the two wrecks which can be visited either separately or in one dive. Divers, look out when viewing divesite-descriptions for the site named “Twin Tugs”.

• Flamingo Bay – The wall with the most prolific sea life. Shoals of Creole Wrasse, Yellow Chromis, Grunts and Jack Knife fish adorn this site with the odd sighting of black seahorses amongst the shallower parts of the reef.

• Moliniere Reef – A dive site for beginners as well as advanced divers. Because the reef comes within 10 feet of the surface the site is also popular with snorkellers. It culminates in a wall, dropping to 60ft where further out there are two wrecks: The Buccaneer and the Don Cesard.

The Grenadian Underwater Sculpture Project

Located in Moliniere in St. George’s, the recently opened underwater sculpture park combines the Island’s indigenous marine environment and rich cultural history while providing a unique diving and snorkelling experience. This unique project, created and developed by the UK-based artist Jason Taylor, showcases sculptures to give divers the most fascinating and enlightening tour of the underwater realm. In a location suitable for the local dive operators and boat charters, the steel and concrete structures fixed to the Ocean substrate, are accessible to divers and snorkellers of all abilities.

For a more in-depth list of dive sites around the islands visit Grenadagrenadines.com.