Skin diving and shipwrecks on Saint Barthelemy : Water sports

Water sports on Saint Barthelemy : Skin diving

Saint Barth is an ideal place for a safe debut in skin diving. The sites are easily accessible by a mere 5 to 20 minutes by boat, water depth is a maximum of 30 m (the island lies on a continental plateau), and the marine natural reserve itself hosts as many as 15 sites to choose from. Diving trips are adapted to beginners and professionals alike. For level one and higher level amateurs, further sites are accessible 20 to 35 minutes by boat, where the sea is rougher and thus confirmed skills are necessary especially in winter months. Water temperatures vary between 25 and 30 °C depending on the season. The best period is definitely the second trimester, as this is the season when multitudes of new fish are born.

Diving is not a difficult sport and five fundamental points are all you need to remember: breathing, balance, propulsion, orientation and communication. It is a highly pleasant way of passing time, the body is at ease while floating in the water, it is thus a perfect sport even for the laziest persons, from the age of 7 to 77. Your body perceives the vibrations of the sea, your eyes are wide open to take it all in: the magnificent colours of passing schools of fish, the underwater flora, the seabed. Clouds create mysterious shadows on the turquoise shades of the Caribbean Sea. You may ask: is diving a dangerous sport? Well, the answer is no, you take greater risks each day when driving your car than in the water. After all, we do live the first nine months of our lives immerged in this element, not to mention the fact that 70% of our body is none else than water itself.

To reach the loveliest diving spots, try one of the smaller islands off the coast of Saint Barth. On the beach of Gustavia, you can observe the region’s typical fish at 10 to 20 metres deep, around Gros Ilets and the Saints. If you have the archaeologist spirit, take the 15-metre plunge and explore the shipwreck of Non Stop and Dakar, two boats which sank during the latest hurricane, and have since been taken over by the underwater flora and fauna.

To the north-east, the islands of Tortue and the Grenadines are also rich in coral reefs and fish. Splendid seabeds lie around the tiny islands of the north, most particularly Fourche Island, and Groopers Island, the latter situated between Saint Barth and Saint Martin, and only accessible in the event of good weather.

Amateur archaeologists have the choice of several shipwrecks:

One at 30 meters deep, sunk in the open sea in 1994, with the purpose of creating a reproduction.

A 210-foot one, at 15m, turned upside down, and covered with corals. The boat was once a magnificent yacht, sunk “by the owner, with the owner”.

One at 12m, resting on its broadside.

And a last one, at only 8m, a real delight for beginners.

Fauna in the natural reserve

According to the regulations of the marine natural reserve, maximum 10 divers are allowed per diving site and its surroundings at the same time. You are bound to come across number of charming animals when diving in the region:

Green turtles (Chelonia mydas), and hawksbill turtles (Eretmochelys imbricata) zone the area, thanks to the Washington convention and the countries involved which have placed a special attention to preserving these species. You can also meet friendly Nassau groupers, which you can easily approach; schools of armoured tarpons; barracudas, which thrive in all our seas as they are toxic for human consumption: they are infested by ciguatera, and are thus not sought out by fishermen. A curious race, they will be all around you, following you on your excursion into the abyss. In the summer you may also come across large-eyed mackerels, wrasses, carangidae and other multi-coloured fish. Parrot-fish are also a delightful sight, as are crayfish, which are visible even by night, as well as their predator, the nurse shark, which lives in dark and silent areas. None of these animals represent any danger, so don’t hesitate to take your dive among them.

Diving clubs

There is a great choice of diving clubs on Saint Barth, most of which are located in Gustavia.

WEST INDIES DIVE Adresse : Quai du Yacht-Club (dans les bureaux de Marine Service) 97133 Gustavia Tel : 05 90 59 82 14 Fax : 05 90 51 17 24

SAINT-BARTH PLONGEE - BIRDY DIVE Adresse : Quai de la République (face à la pharmacie) 97133 Saint-Barthélemy Tel : 05 90 27 54 44

SPLASH Fax : 05 90 27 56 81

LA BULLE Adresse : Marina Oceanmust Gustavia

OUANALAO DIVE Adresse : Plage de Grand Cul de Sac Tel : 05 90 27 61 37