Above water, Grenada is famed for being the ‘Island of Spice’ – lush rain forests have great hiking, rare flora and tropical fauna. Below water, the island is renowned as the ‘Shipwreck Capital of the Caribbean’ – distinguished by amazing wrecks and the world-famous Sculpture Park. With so much to offer, both onshore and underwater, it is the perfect dive destination to visit for a dream vacation.
Grenada is the largest of the three islands, and diving is predominantly along the west and south coast, where the Caribbean Sea meets with the Atlantic Ocean. The smaller sister island of Carriacou, is also home to a selection of wrecks, pretty reefs and wall dives. Divers can opt to spend a couple of days relaxing on quiet Carriacou, after experiencing the spicy delights of Grenada’s seascape.
Grenada has a superb selection of dive centers ranging from friendly, small resorts to larger operations. Whatever your experience level, there is an unrivaled mix of fascinating wrecks and a good selection of coral reefs and marine life. With over 30 boat diving sites to explore, Grenada offers a full repertoire of exciting wrecks and relaxing reefs.
The Titanic of the Caribbean
The famous site of the Bianca C, is on every diver’s bucket list and a must-do for advanced scuba divers. The Bianca C sank in 1962, after a fatal explosion onboard, and she was towed out of the harbour to her final resting place. Exposed to strong currents, her shallowest point is now at a depth of 37m; she makes a thrilling wreck dive for both recreational and technical divers. Whibbles Reef runs parallel to the wreck, allowing a pleasant drift at the end of the dive.
MV Shakem
A personal favourite, the MV Shakem, was a cement carrying cargo ship, now lying upright on the seabed at 32m. Competent divers can explore the interior of the bridge and captain’s quarters, where you can find floating light bulbs and the head. Sea horses, green morays, and lobster can be found amongst the pretty white telestro that decorates the ship. Solidified cement bags line the hold, overshadowed by a huge crane.
MV Hema I
Three miles off the Atlantic coast is the MV Hema I, a coastal freighter from Trinidad that sits at 30m. Currents make this an advanced dive; but divers are greeted with frequent sightings of large nurse sharks and squadrons of eagle rays. A fabulous dive that is sure to thrill.
King Mitch
The second breath-taking Atlantic wreck is a large minesweeper, King Mitch. She sank on her side, six miles offshore at a depth of 37m. Challenging to dive, due to strong currents, divers are rewarded with large marine life encounters such as turtles, southern stingrays and reef sharks.
Veronica L
To contrast the dramatic deep wrecks, Grenada boasts a selection of shallow wrecks too. The Veronica L, a small freighter, sits upright in 15m outside the mouth of St. George’s Harbour. A great night dive, with the opportunity to see many critters such as black brotula, shrimps and an array of crabs.
Grenada Sculpture Park
The Grenada Marine Park (MPA) is home to many shallow reefs and wrecks, as well as the stunning Sculpture Park. Founded in 2006, by sculptor Jason DeCaires Taylor and the Grenadian Ministry of Tourism & Culture, the park promotes ecological regeneration and sustainability. Octopus, turtles and a variety of eels can be seen, with large amounts of schooling fish. Divers and snorkelers can tour the unique sculptures and explore the hard and soft corals found on the surrounding reef.
Grenada as a dive holiday destination, has everything going for it. The resorts, restaurants and land activities offer much to keep visitors busy when on land. Below water there are boundless opportunities for adventure and excitement on the many fascinating wrecks. The reefs offer relaxing dives and plenty of opportunities for interesting marine encounters. The island is spicy above sea level, and truly sizzling below!
Article originally published at: http://www.scuba-blog.com
