Tobago / Special Interests / Diving

Tobago is one of the top dive destinations in the Caribbean and it offers a broad spectrum of diving. The nutrient rich waters, fed by the outflow from the Orinoco River and swept along by the strong Guyana currents, support an abundant marine life, with large corals and also plankton eaters such as manta rays and whale sharks (you are not guaranteed to see them on a dive, but they do appear from time to time). Visibility is generally around 60-80ft, sometimes to as much as 120ft, however during the rainy season some areas will experience a reduction in visibility. Forty feet is considered a bad day. It may be caused by the high levels of silt from river run-off and an increase in plankton from the warm waters of the Orinoco.

If you’re seeking an adrenaline rush, the North Equatorial Current (prelude to the Gulf Stream) and the Guyanese currents which converge around Tobago provide some pretty wild drift dives, with speeds reaching as much as 5 and 6 knots (enough to make your mask wobble on your face). The strongest currents are found around Speyside, and on the Japanese Gardens dive with its beautiful sea whip corals and giant barrel sponges, a section known as the Kamikaze Cut sees divers hurtling along towards two huge rocks, only to be taken through an area of calm by way of a natural crevasse. Around Speyside the water is generally clearer than in the west, and the colour of the corals much brighter. The Kelliston Drain site is home to the largest known brain coral in the Caribbean (some say the world), which is a massive 16ft across and 10ft high.

The diving around Speyside is really only suitable for the intermediate to advanced diver. Other dives of note in the area are the Bookends, a drift dive along a sloping reef with hard and soft corals and two sets of black granite rocks that resemble bookends. Tarpon like to congregate there. Close by are the Alps, where there are some pretty stiff currents and huge mountain-like rock formations which reputedly resemble a view of the Alps. Unpredictable currents sometimes see bubbles going down before they come up.

Off the northeast coast by St Giles Island, is the impressive London Bridge, a large natural arch of volcanic rock which provides some extreme and challenging diving conditions. Weather permitting, the surge of the current takes divers through the central arch passage and into a flat, lunar-type seascape, which rises up to a ridge covered in vase sponges, and further along to a vertical wall teeming with life. The abundance of colourful marine life and unusual submarine terrain makes for a thrilling experience.

Another dive for thrill seekers (again for experienced divers only) is the Sisters, located off Charlotteville. Dramatic spires of rock jut above the waters, plunging to depths of 130ft. There is a maze of canyons and steep slopes with plenty of pelagics, often including hammerhead sharks, which are most frequently seen here.

The diving is tamer in the west of the island and one of the most popular sites is Mt Irvine Wall. It is considered an easy dive, suitable for beginners, but also good for all levels as there are plenty of smaller, interesting creatures such as scorpion fish, juvenile spotted drums, arrowhead crabs, lobsters, octopus, queen angel fish, frogfish, parrot fish, pipe fish, batfish, flying gurnards and seahorses. The castle-like wall starts at 35ft and is made up by large rocks which have crumbled down from the shoreline cliff. There is an excellent stretch of wall at between 50 and 70ft and a torch is recommended for exploring the many nooks and crannies.

Less experienced divers will also enjoy the more sheltered conditions at Arnos Vale, where there are shallow reefs with lots of nooks and crannies, and corals and sponges at 40ft. With occasional sightings of torpedo rays, this is also a good spot for photography and night dives. Another favourite dive suitable for all levels is Culloden Bay, which has a U-shaped inner reef lined with an array of corals and variety of aquatic life, including grouper, parrot fish and sting ray.

Lying parallel to the airport, on the southern side of the island, is the appropriately named Flying Reef drift dive. Here swift currents (between one and four knots) take you over colourful reefs, past turtles, southern stingrays and the occasional spotted eagle ray. It is also a good place seek out nurse sharks, which can be found sheltering beneath the ledges. Nearby is the Cliff Hanger, which is suited to advanced divers, a ledge reef just off Crown Point Airport. Schools of barracuda, nurse sharks, turtles and stingrays are often sighted on this dive, which has currents that can range from zero to five or six knots (requires negative entry) and where the surface and bottom currents differ.

If you would like to dive a wreck then you can dive the Maverick, a 350ft former passenger ferry originally called the Scarlet Ibis, which was sunk in 1997. It sits in an upright position at 100ft rising to 60ft from the surface. Visibility is normally around 50ft. This artificial reef is sometimes visited by “snaggletooth”, a massive 6ft Barracuda.

A modern recompression chamber is located at Roxborough, 20 minutes south of Speyside and 40 minutes north-east of Scarborough.

Contributors: James Henderson (editor)