Diving
in St. Lucia
 The
warm clear waters of St. Lucia provide a diving experience
which can be the highlight of your holiday. There are
spectacular wall drop-offs, shallow reefs and wonderful
wrecks to explore.
Photographer: Alice
Bagshaw Past chairperson - British Sub-Aqua Club
in St. Lucia - (shown here at famous
Pinacles dive off Soufriere Harbour) can recommend Dives
to suit your special interests.
There are a number
of Dive operations in St. Lucia, one of which is situated
in Marigot Bay. The Dive packages extend from one day
resort Dives to full week of diving and P.A.D.I. certifications.
A six tank dive package costs US$190.00 and can be booked
through The Cliff House, in advance.
Diving can be tailored
to suit your ability and desired locations, most sites
are near to Marigot bay on the west coast going down to
Soufriere - Dive Map. Starting
from the South a thrilling dive, "Superman's Flight"
(so called as this spectacular Volcanic scenery was used
for the filming of Superman II) at the base of Petit Piton.
the Piton rises majestically over 2000ft. out of the water,
and the wall falls dramatically down hundreds of feet.
In these Crystal Clear waters and gorgeous hard and soft
corals with gorgonias filtering the current, lettuce Sea
Whips starting at 50ft and clouds of colourful schooling
fish feeding on the currents. You fly like Superman underwater!
On the north side
of Soufriere bay one of the best dives in St. Lucia -
"The Pinnacles", consisting of four dramatic
Sea Mounts which mirror the Piton mountains underwater.
Rising up from depths of almost 1000ft. their surfaces
are covered with sponges and fish. It is probably one
of the most spectacular dive in the Caribbean and great
if you are underwater photographer.
Moving North to
Anse Chastanet Reef, a wonderful 60ft drop-off, just off
the black sand beach of Anse Chastanet Dive Resort. This
is a protected underwater Marine Park which also attracts
snorkelers to the clear colourful coral heads and lots
of wonderful fish.. Yellow Sergeant Majors, Large Grey
Bermuda Chubs, Green Parrot Fish.... you will find many
many more. Even the mooring buoys can have surprises with
Seahorses, baby Crabs and Red & White Candy Striped
Shrimp with their outlandish white antennae.
 Here
you are in the realm of the underwater photographers where
Sniderman, Frink and Doubilet have done a lot of their
work. In fact Paul Humann & Ned De Loach have photographed
right off the beach, documenting over 150 species including
11 new ones in their book "REEF FISH IDENTIFICATION
- FLORIDA, CARIBBEAN & BAHAMAS."
Just outside Anse
Chastanet cove is "fairyland" a drift dive,
because it can have occasionally strong currents the area
has outstanding visibility, Lacy Gorgonian Corals, Azure
Vase Sponges, Lettuce Plate Coral and Multi Coloured rope
sponges.
Situated further
north is Anse Cochon with a lovely white sand beach, ideal
for sunbathing, resort divers and dive training. The Reef
runs along the north side of the bay and has a wide variety
of colorful fish, lots of yellow Caribbean sponges and
interesting invertebrates such as Chain Link Morays, Golden
Spotted Eel, shy Black & White Spotted Drum Fish and
Flying Gumand, they are quite tame and readily approach
snorkelers and divers. An easy place to start diving or
check out your underwater skills. The best dive at Anse
Cochon is the Wreck of the Lesleen M. a 165 ft. freighter
sunk in 1986 with the help of the fisheries unit and sub-aqua
club.
Just south of Anse
Cochon is Rosemunds Trench.. a tunnel and numerous parallel
finger reefs this is a great dive for both the novice
and the more experienced diver, and an excellent night
dive location. Again just to the north is "Virgins
Cove", a semi circular reef wall with a sandy bottom
35" deep, lots of small invertebrates, Sea Fans,
Sea Slugs and Sponges, Spotted Drums and Orange Fire Coral.
North again to
Anse La Raye wall - a drift dive with 40 - 90 ft. of huge
band sponges the rock outcrops here are home for another
wide variety of fish...
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