GRENADA >> BIANCA C >> DIVE SITES
"Grenada & Carriacou make an ideal two centre diving destination" Diver Magazine
GENERAL INFORMATION (provided by Grenada Tourist Board)
The tri-island state of Grenada, Carriacou & Petite Martinique is located in the Eastern Caribbean, approximately one hundred miles north of Venezuela, South America. The islands together are 133 square miles or 344 square kilometers, and volcanic in nature. The native language is English.
DIVING IN GRENADA & CARRIACOU
The underwater scenery in Grenada is every bit as breathtaking as it is above the waves, and just as accessible. Most of the diving facilities in Grenada are located in the south of the island, and most of the dive sites are within 20 minutes of the Grand Anse Beach. The diving is some of the best in the Caribbean, and Grenada boasts the largest shipwreck in the Caribbean. Diving is perfect for the novice and a challenge for the master. The waters surrounding Grenada and neighbouring island Carriacou offer fun and excitement for all divers of all skill levels. From lazy drift dives over coral gardens to an eerie and challenging exploration of the wrecks of the Bianca C, these waters are captivating more and more visitors each year.
As Grenada and Carriacou are charmingly off the beaten track, the reefs, wrecks and coral walls remain unspoiled by the maddening crowd, and many are yet to be explored. Most sites are easily accessible by either snorkelling near to shore reefs, or by taking a brief ride on a dive boat. The farthest site is around Kick 'em Jenny and Isle de Rhonde, where the underwater visibility is unparalleled and the sea life magnificent. Divers can easily do two dives a day for a week without exhausting Grenada's dive sites.
Carriacou - which means Land of Reefs - offers excellent diving and varied diving opportunities. It's 20 minutes away by small aircraft or 90 minutes by a power catamaran-ferry. Waiting for you in Grenada and Carriacou are nearly every kind of coral imaginable, along with the sea fans, sea horses and graceful rays, curious barracuda and a full medley of colourful reef fish - angels, clown fish and grouper. Throw in the odd antique anchor from a bygone era, and the eight intact and undisturbed decks of the 600 foot-long Bianca C, sunk after a fire in 1961, and you've got stuff dive vacations are made of.
REGULATIONS
Damaging coral by anchor, chains or any other means anywhere in Grenada waters is prohibited. No marine life may be taken while scuba diving nor may any coral, sponges etc. Use of spear gun, hawaiian sling, pole spear or a seine net is not permitted without a license.
YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED:
IS THERE A RECOMPRESSION CHAMBER?
No, however there are chambers in Barbados and Trinidad, both only 30 minutes away by low flying plane (there is an air ambulance service on the island) but their services have never been required by dive shops. All members of the Grenada Scuba Diving Association have an emergency plan and oxygen on board.
HOW DEEP ARE THE SITES AND WHAT'S VISIBILITY LIKE?
Sites vary from 20 feet/8 meters to 120 feet/40 meters.
Visibility varies from 300 feet to 100 feet.
WHAT IS DIVING LIKE?
Diving is comparable to the better known dive sites in the Caribbean, with the reefs considerably more intact; there are a large variety of fish, the largest wreck in the Caribbean and a submarine volcano. Most diving in Grenada is easy, except where occasional strong currents are experienced around the Bianca C, Kick 'em Jenny and Point Saline.
HOW MANY SITES ARE THERE?
There are more than 28 sites including reefs, wrecks and walls, most within 15-20 minutes from the dive shops.
WHAT MARINE LIFE CAN YOU SEE?
The reefs are composed of finger coral, sea whips, sea fans, brian coral, pillar coral, and brown coral trees. The walls have blue vase sponges, black grogonians, black and brown coral. The wrecks have hydroids, sponges and a variety of soft corals.
WHAT SEA CREATURES CAN YOU SEE?
REEFS: rock beauties, angel fish, tang, grunts, damsel fish, blennys, parrot fish, wrasse, trigger fish, jaw fish, spotted drums, morays, snake eels, lobsters.
DEEPER WATER: eagle rays, turtles, grouper, occasional sharks on the Bianca C.
WALLS: schools of yellow chromis, creole wrasse, horse-eye and black jacks.
WRECKS: As above plus barracuda especially on Bianca C.
WHAT AFFILIATION EXISTS?
All dive shops have PADI instructors, with $1 million of dive insurance. Dive shops in Carriacou also have CMAS.
WHAT TYPE OF BOATS ARE USED FOR DIVES?
It varies from Pirogues with ladders to larger boats with platforms.
IS E6 SLIDE FILM AVAILABLE?
No-one on the island does high quality developing and there is no E6 slide film suitable for diving use.
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