8 minute read
Diving
By Lucy Agace
Photo by Lucy Agace
Photo by Lucy Agace
Photo by Lucy Agace
Photo by Lucy Agace
Whilst Barbados is not famous for it’s scuba diving, divers have been enjoying the island’s coral reefs and marine life for a great many years. Over the last 40-50 years scuba divers from all over the world have appreciated the beauty of the coral reefs and marine life that surround Barbados. From Canada to Russia to the UK, many have donned tanks & weights and dived into the marine life rich tropical waters of Barbados. I have had the pleasure of diving with many of these visitors and sharing stories about our experiences, with the size of the fish or sharks getting larger each time.
Many readers may not know, but scuba diving was actually introduced to Barbados in the mid 60’s when the first dive shop was opened on Pebbles Beach, Carlisle Bay by Abdulhai Degia. Of course both scuba and free divers have explored and appreciated the spoils of the reefs for a great many years and no doubt, we will continue to do so.
Barbados has plenty to offer the keen scuba diver, with 40 or so dive sites predominantly sprinkled over the west and south coast barrier and fringing reefs. The dive sites range from depths of between 25 (Cement Pier) to 135 feet (The wreck of the SS Stavronikita) and represent a good mixture of reefs and wrecks. The island’s diving is a relaxed hassle free activity for all ages and suitable for a mixture of diving abilities, from highly trained to beginner. With over half the sites being less than 60 feet deep and many of them near shore, the boat rides are short and the dives are longer. Many of the dive sites provide excellent conditions for ‘drift dives’, where the skipper on the dive boat drops divers in at one point and picks them up at another (keeping an eye on a float or the surface bubbles along the way ). This allows divers to see a new part of the reef for the entire dive. With the dive leader out in front pointing out any interesting marine life, this is stress-free relaxed diving. Currents are not usually an issue and only sometimes dictate the dive direction which makes Barbados a popular choice for the discerning international diver. Barbados is probably the safest island in the Southern Caribbean to dive because there is a fully operational Recompression Chamber located at the Garrison, just south of Bridgetown, the capital.
From Maycocks in the north to The Boot in the south a variety of hard and soft corals cover the fringing and barrier reefs along the west and south coasts of Barbados. These corals are complimented by an array of colourful sponges such as; yellow (tube sponge), green, orange (elephant ear), brown, pink and purple. I’m sure many of you have seen them on your dives. Some sponges like the Barrel sponge, grow as big as a bath, while others are tubular in shape or flat that encrust the reef bedrock. It is interesting to note that there are more colourful sponges found on the west coast and more soft corals found on the south coast reefs. Of particular interest is the Asta Reef dive area. On a recent long shallow dive here I found the reef bursting with healthy corals, lots of colour, many schools of reef fish and, always a pleasure to see, turtles.
The two most common turtle species found in the waters of Barbados are the Green and Hawksbill. It is common to see turtles on many dive sites up and down the island throughout the year and also whilst snorkelling. However, I would like to mention that both species of turtle are often found on two particular dive sites, in the south - The Boot and on the west coast - Bright Ledge. They can be seen gliding through the water with almost no visible effort or resting on the bottom taking a break or perhaps sleeping. They are very approachable and fairly used to divers, but you are advised not to touch them. Hawksbill turtles lay their eggs from May to July on west and south coast beaches. The hatchlings come out of the sand between July and October and make there way into the sea. This doesn’t always go according to plan. So to help more young turtles make it to the ocean there is a hugely successful charity
AN 85 YEAR OLD LADY WITH A PASSION!
Meet Barbara Armstrong - she has just completed her 1000th dive with Scott at Scott’s Scuba Shop in Little Good Harbour, St Peter.
Barbara started the sport at 50 when she was a grandmother. Her husband, Keith, had been diving for years. She loved it right away!
“It’s so peaceful down there and calm, just beautiful,”says Barbara. This fearless lady has taken her sport seriously with courses at the British Sub Aqua Club, Rescue Diver by PADI and underwarter video courses. Barbara has dived around the island with many diving shops and is a Master Scuba Diver, the highest recreational qualification. Together they have travelled to Australia, New Zealand, Belize, the Dutch Caribbean, The Grenadines and many more but her favourite dive location is Saba in the Caribbean.
“The people are so nice - we have been going there for years and feel like family now. Our favourite dive spot is Diamond Rock. They also have Pinnacles where you see sharks on every dive. So many big fish that you don’t see in Barbados anymore. Saba is a Marine Park that is strictly enforced”
This fabulous lady is an inspiration to us all that we can take up a sport at any age and excel. Barbados has many interesting wrecks and diving locations so what are you waiting for?
called the Barbados Sea Turtle Project. They have a dedicated hotline - 230 0142 which anyone can call to report a turtle hatchling sighting. The BST project also have hatchling releases during the season that the public can attend; please visit their website for more information.
Barbados has undoubtedly the best selection of wrecks in the Caribbean. There are 12 wrecks in total - large and small, old and new, some are deep while others are shallow and easily accessible for snorkelers. Wrecks are also referred to as manmade reefs, when unwanted ships have been purposely sunk, they soon become encrusted with corals, sponges and plenty of marine life searching for a safe refuge and a place to reproduce. They are often sunk on sandy areas near a reef and offer a different landscape, in the shape of vertical structures, for corals (particularly gorgonia) to attach to and make their home.
Standing above all others, quite literally, is the freighter SS Stavronikita, she which was sunk on purpose in 1978 and lies at 135 feet. This impressive wreck is now covered in amazing corals, sponges and fish life and is the most often redived site in Barbados.
Probably the most successful collection of wrecks here is the Carlisle Bay Marine Park. This partly buoyed off area hosts 6 wrecks close enough together so that it’s possible to see all the wrecks on one guided dive. The fish life around the wrecks is astounding and within the last few years sting rays and turtles are regularly seen here. Sister ships the Pamir and the Friar’s Craig lie in excellent diving locations, one west the other off Hastings in the south. Both provide awesome second dives because they are both fairly shallow. The Friar’s Craig site also has the bonus of two nearby reefs, one full of soft coral sea-plumes and barrel sponges; and the other a flat outer reef full of sea-plumes which slopes down quite steeply. The sandy area where the Friars Craig lies often has sand eels, snake eels and sting rays. The Pamir has a yellow submarine adjacent to it, two wrecks for the price of one! The nearby reef has a collection of stoney coral formations, sea plumes, sponges and colony of yellowhead jawfish. Jawfish can be found hiding in their holes on the seabed usually in the sand or rubble. To feed they have to come out of their holes and hover above them catching passing food particles. They are shy creatures and take time to come out of their holes, patience will pay off because they are so beautiful and elegant.
Barbados is ‘open’ for diving all year round but some of the best underwater visibility is in the July/August/September months. This is when the year round easterly breeze is taking a break, the seas are calm and under the sea there is a special stillness and great visibility. If you take your time and look closely there is so much to see and appreciate, the reefs seem to sparkle as the sunshine reaches deeper at this time of the year. If you want to know a little bit more about the marine life here why not buy a copy of the Barbados Dive Guide book, which is available throughout the island and at most of the dive centres.
If you haven’t booked your holiday yet and will be travelling with a family put Barbados at the top of your list. The divers in the family will be very happy with their activity and for other family members there is so much to do and see around the island. Barbados tourism products have come along way over the last few years. There are now many new immersive experiences to enjoy, from hiking at Cocohill to Gong Baths at the Animal Flower Cave, or just soak up the sun and swim in the beautiful aquamarine sea, it’s a winning destination for everybody.
