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St Barthélemy / Special Interests / Diving

By James Henderson

Scuba diving in St Barths is by no means the best in the Caribbean, but the corals and the colours are good, largely because of the shallow water (between St Barths and St Martin it goes no deeper than about 100 feet) and the sandy bottom, which reflects the sunlight. There are not many large fish to be seen at the dive-sites, but with the reefs left largely untouched by local fishermen (this is because of the local disease ciguatera and more recently because of the marine park) there are plenty of small fish to be seen. Among the gorgonians or sea fans swaying in the current, you can expect to see angelfish, sergeant majors and grunts. There is a wreck dive, the Kaïali, only recommended for experienced divers.

There is a fee to dive in the Marine Reserve of €1 per diver per dive. Sometimes this is charged as extra by the scuba companies, but equally often it is included. Independent divers launching from their yacht should go to the Marine Reserve office on the waterfront in Gustavia (upstairs behind the Tourist Board and Port Authority). If you will be diving a lot then you can buy a card that permits unlimited diving for the year for €15. Of course if you are diving outside the Marine Reserve then there is no fee to pay.

Dive Sites

Where the dive companies take their trips depends on the weather, but the prevailing winds come from the Atlantic and so it tends to be in the southwest, in the lee of the island. Most of the diving takes place in the various sections of the Marine Reserve, where there are plenty of buoys. No anchoring is permitted in the Reserve. If you are not diving with a company from St Barths please note that gloves are prohibited.

There is a small section of the Reserve just outside Gustavia Harbour, where Les Gros Ilets (outcrops out of the water) are used for scuba beginners on their first open water dives. Le Pain de Sucre (sugar loaf) is also a popular site. Nearby, the Kaïali lies in less than 100 feet of water and it has two good entries and an easily visible exit. Just south of this section of the Reserve are Les Petits Saints.

A second popular area is around Ile Fourchue to the northwest of St Barths, where you can expect to see worms standing on their tails, which withdraw back into their holes when you pass over them.

Some companies do dive the other section of the Marine Reserve around Ile Frégate and Ile Toc Vers, which, because of its less protected position looking out into the Atlantic, has slightly different and larger corals and the fish. It is more ‘advanced’ diving and so it is recommended that you are experienced or very comfortable in the water before diving there. If the weather is coming from the north, then there are sometimes trips to the southerly island, Ile Coco.

Two dive operators (and general watersports companies) worth looking out for are West Indies Dive and Jicky Marine Service, both located on the harbour in Gustavia.

Non-profit organisations and Government links:

Réserve Naturelle de Saint-Barthélemy, c/o Association GRENAT, BP 683 Gustavia, Quai de la Republique, Gustavia, 97099 St Barthélemy Cédex, t 590 27 88 18 | resnatbarth@wanadoo.fr | www.reservenaturellestbarth.com

Browse Diving on other islands

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Looking for inspiration?

  1. Head to St Jean beach where the hip, beautiful people go to see and be seen
  2. Indulge yourself in some designer retail therapy
  3. Sample the delights of fine French wines and dining
  4. Get pampered at one of the many island spas
  5. Experience a night of cinema under the stars during the annual St Barth Film Festival

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