Diving

This dive starts right at the impressive cliff of the Gros Piton. It comprises a steep slope with a variety of corals species and large barrel sponges. The unusual sargassum- trigger-fish can be spotted in the deeper area here, and occasionally a large school of barracuda will take up residence. As with many of the dive sites, divers must be careful to frequently monitor their depth gauge as the slope continues for hundreds of feet. It is easy to get caught up in the beauty on display and descend to greater depths.

Heard about "The Thing"? It's real! This rare, very shy and extremely fast, purple coloured, segmented worm is not from a fairy tale. While moving, its color glitters in the moonlight, adding to its myth. Animals of up to 15 feet in length have reportedly been seen in the SMMA. Since it can only be observed at night, clear photos of it are scarce and precise identification has proven to be difficult. The creature is harmless to divers and by no means a beast. Ever seen bioluminescence, a parrotfish in its cocoon or even coral sex? Predictions of coral spawning at the end of August have become very precise and the vent is certainly the night dive highlight of the season. Night dives in the SMMA are a definite must for the serious diver. Octopus, squid, spiny-slipper-, and peppermint lobster, huge channel clinging crabs, conger eel, banded-.spotted- and golden tail moray eel, electric ray and basket star are just a few examples of nocturnal creatures frequently encounter during night dives.

 Adjacent to the Anse Chastanet reef, starting at the West Point is the beautiful location of Fairyland This area., located on a major headland, is a subject to strong currents; this has the benefit of giving the site excellent visibility and keeping the corals the corals very clean so that the vibrant colors sparkle, painting the many varieties of coral and sponges. The plateau area slopes gently from 40 to 60 feet; the dives are usually about 50 feet and shallower at this site. Large boulders create numerous nooks and crannies for fish to shelter in, while the water column teams to large numbers of schooling fish, particularly horse eye jacks, Bermuda-chubs, chromes and Creole-wrasse.

Patios or Creole translation for "Great House", Grand Caille has long been known as the home for big fish. Unfortunately, few of these remain due to fishing activities, but it is still a very dramatic dive site, with massive boulders in the shallows, which blend into large reef patches in the deeper part. This dive site also boasts a wall comprising many deep - water gorgonian and sea whips, occasionally a large barracuda will curiously observe the divers. Turtles, southern -sting rays and nurse- sharks are occasionally seen on this splendid reef called Fairyland.

The "Devil's Hole" is a fascinating location. At 40 to 60 feet, there is a steep slope with large barrel sponges and well-developed coral heads, with schools of chromes and grunts in abundance. The shallower section at 20 to 30 feet offers an intricate maze of channels around large boulders covered in a profusion of coral and sponges. This is a great spot to find gold spotted eels and spotted drums. If one's lucky, one might be able to spot the rare sunfish or a hawksbill turtle.

This crescent-shaped reef to the north of Anse Chastanet bay is a secret tip not just for macro photographers. It drops quickly from a plateau area at around 40 feet to well over 150 feet. From the spectacular pillar coral and barrel sponges in the to the deeper soft corals and ledges, this reef offers a wide range of exciting marine life. The occasional turtle has been known to visit, but even if not in evidence, there are plenty of other creatures, like garden eel, gold spotted snake eel, flying gurnard, peacock flounder, scorpion-fish, queen angel fish, sea horses and the remains of an old Porsche, which makes this dive exceptional. Since the inception of the SMMA, the schools of mahogany snapper and schoolmaster have also returned.

Many divers have declared that this is one of the most stunning dive sites that they have ever visited. Four spectacular volcanic peaks rise dramatically from the depth to within a few feet of the surface. These are encrusted with a profusion of black and orange gorgonian, filefish and sometimes seahorses. Larger fish such as grouper, jacks and snapper can also be spotted around the pinnacles.