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| Bequia Dive Sites |
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1. Bullet max. 90ft/30m Can only be dived on extremely calm days with experienced divers but well worth a visit. Bullet Rock is as steep underwater as it is above. Due to the fact that diving this site is so weather dependent both fish and corals are large and numerous.
2. Bequia Head
3. Robyn's Reef: Intermediate divers start the frogfish haven of Flat Rock and gently work their way down the steep reef slope to the sandy bottom at 21m/70ft. This is an enjoyable drift dive where queen triggerfish have been spotted and the azure vase sponges stand out against the red, orange and yellow sponges. The reef life is healthy and big schools of french grunts and blue creole wrasse can be seen. Expect morays, trumpetfish, banded coral shrimp and trunkfish galore! Fans and whip corals form a flatter section of the reef towards the end where barracudas lurk and honeycomb cowfish hide. Look above you for jacks, yellow-tail snapper and cero. 07/2010 Previously unreported species for our area found at Robyn's Reef; Giraffe Garden eels
4. Long Point: A stunning and exhilarating dive for the experienced advanced diver. Divers drop in on the reef using the negative entry technique due to very strong currents. The steeply sloping reef drops from 5m/15ft to 30m/100ft where it meets a sandy plateau and then once again drops to 70m/230ft. Keep your eyes on the deep azure blue water for larger fish such as barracudas and snapper. Turtles, stingray and porcupinefish cruise the site while green and spotted morays let the world rush by. Very strong down-currents and up-currents can be experienced when going around the point so be ready to react. Safety stops are carried out on SMB's at 5m/15ft.
5 Flat Rock: Beginners and intermediate divers enjoy this site which can be dived from 6m/20ft to 18m/60ft. Depending on the prevailing current this can be dived in either direction. A gradually sloping reef which either begins or ends with flat Rock the pinnacle of a large collection of rocks that protrudes from the water. This is a great area to search for frogfish which are commonly seen here-just remember to look for two as they normally come in pairs!
6. Cathedral max. 79ft/24m. This site can be dived either way by intermediate divers depending on the prevailing currents. A steeply sloping reef starting at 5m/15ft and descending down to the sandy sea floor at 24m/79ft. Spiny lobster are abundant under the healthy coral heads and spotted drum fish flit about the boulders. Baracuda stalk the reef edge where scorpionfish camoflage themselves, lying in wait for their next meal. Nimble spray crabs, juvenile trunk fish and juvenile drumfish shelter behind the sea urchins for protection. Schools of southern sennet, chromis and jacks frequent this reef as well as the occassional stingray and turtle.
7. Cinnamon Garden max 50ft/15m. A gentle shallow dive with a variety of soft coral and gorgonians. many lobster can be spotted as can frog fish and scorpion fish.
8. Almond Tree max 60ft/18m. Sloping reef with diverse soft corals. Large green moray and turtle are a feature.
9. North West Point max. 70ft/21m. A truly memorable drift dive for intermediate divers along a vibrant, healthy reef which starts at 6m/20ft and drops to 21m/70ft. This site can be dived from east-to-west or west-to-east depending on the current. Look on the large boulders for frogfish next to the multi-coloured sponges and fans. Filefish, trumpetfish, trunkfish and scrawled cowfish flit about the reef while morays and spanish lobster hide under the coral heads. Keep an eye out for the bumblebee-like juvenile trunkfish and elegant spotted drumfish. Blue, pink and purple vase corals shelter peppermint shrimp and two-claw shrimp while the azure vase corals harbor cryptic teardrop crabs. Flamingo tongues and fingerprint cyphoma add detrimental colour to the gorgonian fans. Baracuda, jacks and cero cruise up and down the reef and maybe the odd turtle if you are lucky!
10. Devil's Table max. 60ft/18m. Our closest dive site, this is a great dive for both beginners and intermediate divers. Starting in Rocky Bay at 5m/15ft, you make your way along the reef which gradually gets deeper - easily dived at 6m/20ft, 12m/40ft or 18m/60ft. This is a breeding site for many marine species so divers can see a variety of juvenile critters and fish. Large patches of purple eggs are protected from the pesky reef butterflyfish by boisterous Sergeant Majors. Blue creole wrasse stream through the corals alongside a myriad of parrotfish, yellowtail snapper, french grunts and damselfish. Keep your eyes peeled for octopus, porcupinefish, spiny lobster and pipefish. This is the best spot to find seahorses and frog fish in the shallower sections of the reef. Cathy took her first dive here for Discover Scuba with Bob. She is probably one of the very few divers who saw a frog fish and a seahorse on her very first dive!
11. Wreck of the Viviana max. 90ft/27m A small wreck just off the reef at Devil's Table lies in 90ft, a bare hull lying on it's side hides turtles, large lobster, French angels and the occasional ray.
12. Rocky Bay. max 30ft/9m Widely used for introductory and training dives. Large shoals of sergeant majors and other small reef fish. Shortfin and the rarer whitenose pipefish can be found with sharp eyes. Spectacular one off sighting of a juvenile Whale Shark made Jan's heart thump!
13 Ship's Stern max 15m/50ft: A sloping colourful reef which meets the sand at 15m/50ft. Rich in a variety of marine life you can see schools of french grunts and brown chromis swirling around the iridescent vase corals and sponges. Solo blue tangs, cowfish, trunkfish and porcupinefish swim over corals where banded coral shrimp take cover. This site is full of nooks to search beneath for spiny lobster, spanish lobster and spotted moray whilst gently drifiting along. A whip coral and gorgonian forest stem out from along the reef and this is a great location to look for stingray, fingerprint cyphoma and seahorses. Don't forget to gaze out into the blue for barracuda, big schools of reef fish and turtles!
14 Boulders: A favourite site for many divers (a staff favourite too) as this dive can be dived at a multitude of depths between 12m/40ft and30m/100ft. The start of the dive is a sloping vibrant reef down to sand at 15m/50ft. the reef is overflowing with trunkfish, eels, damselfish, trumpetfish, french angels and spotted rums. garden eels can be seen if you look out over the sand as well as peacock flounder and scorpionfish. The middle section of this dive is a stunning array of huge boulders that provide swim-throughs and the opportunity to find shy nurse sharks. Keep your eyes open for eagle rays, barracuda and turtles cruising past in the open!
15 Moonhole: A good training site for beginners with a sandy channel below the mooring. The reef starts at around 12m/40ft. Abundant with cleaning stations and macro life this is an interesting dive for intermediate divers too. Glide over the pretty corals and spot lettuce sea slugs and fireworms. The cleaning stations have purple pederson cleaner shrimps waving their white antenna to attract rock hind, wrasse and parrotfish to them. Banded coral shrimp compete with them for territory while spotted morays watch the divers with curiosity. This site can be dived out-and-back at 12m/40ft or followed round to the end of Boulders dropping deeper to 24m/79ft with large rock formations.
16 Moonhole Cave: Divers descend into 9m/30ft of blue water with a wall on one side and rolling reef meeting the sand at 15m/50ft. Schools of blue creole wrasse, yellowtail snapper and brown chromis circle around solitary silvery cero. Whip corals and sea fans flutter in the current as divers slowly drift along. Turtles, octopus and morays can be seen on this dive as well as scrawled cowfish and filefish. The reef steeply inclines to 28m/92ft with larger boulders and formations in the shallower area covered in colourful sponges. At 8m/25ft a wide cavern appears and divers can check these out for nurse sharks. Large porcupinefish, great barracuda, spotted drum fish and spiny lobster hang out on this beautiful site too.
17 Moonhole Wreck: A good sized container ship called "Rick's H" lying in a sandy basin surrounded by turtle grass. The bow lies at 34m/112ft and the stern rest at 27m/89ft. Look out into the blue for big schools of juvenile barracuda but don't forget to watch the bow where a very large turtle usually hangs out. Cruise over Moonhole reef on the way back at 12m/40ft and check out the busy cleaning stations where rock hind wait for the cleaner shrimps to do their work. Just along from the mooring several small coral heads are home to sailfin blennies; although patience is needed to see them!
18 New Moon max 40m/130ft:
19 West Cay Wall max 120ft/35m: The start of the dive is a dramatic swim over a shallow ledge where you suddenly find yourself presented with the deep blue. At the bottom of the wall there are tunnels and swim-throughs occasionally hiding a nurse shark but if you look up you'll probably see the black tip sharks cruising overhead. The dive usually culminates at a shallow shelf on the southernmost tip where the currents meet, but on days when no currents exist it is possible to continue completely round the rock (see # 21 on map).
20 Middle Cay max. 90ft/27m Another dive site that can be dived in either direction according to the will of the currents. It is also possible to dive both sides of Middle Cay which is a large lump of rock at the southernmost tip of Bequia. Stingrays and eagle rays are often spotted. Extensive mixture of healthy corals probably due to the strong currents in this area.
Strattman Wreck max 60ft/18m. The Strattman Tug is an interesting wreck to explore for intermediate divers and ends with the beautiful Devil's Table reef. The stern sits on sand in 18m/60ft, surrounded by shy garden eels and tiny yellow-headed jawfish peeking out of their holes. Slipper lobster and large french angelfish can be seen at the propeller, while schools of french grunts circle overhead. Look out over the turtle grass to spot turtles and the lone eagle ray. Around the bow you can spot coral banded shrimp, purple cleaner shrimp and if you look upwards, shoals of fast moving silversides avoiding the great baracuda. Divers can look into the portholes and hatches of the tug for green moray. Squirrelfish and glasseye loiter in the cargo holds with queen angelfish. As you cross the turtle grass towards the reef, look out for the steel girders where moray and crabs lurk and red snapping shrimp hide in the corkscrew anemones. A magnificient urchin has been seen here too. Check out Devil's Table reef for healthy corals and fantastic macro life.
Three Wrecks max 27m/89ft: Starting at the west cardinal mooring, advanced divers descend onto the stunning Devil's Table reef in 5m/15ft of water. Working your way slowly deeper an ATM can be seen on the rocky sea bed at 20m/66ft. The first wreck, Viviana, lies at 27m/89ft where green morays, french angelfish and batwing coral crabs lurk. The current can be fairly strong here. Following the turtle grass shallower the second yacht can be found at 15m/50ft, but keep your eyes open for eagle rays and turtles on the way. The dive ends at the Strattman tug with the mooring at 5m/15ft on top of the wreck.
Brown's Bay max 15m/50ft: A stunning dive for beginners through to intermediate divers starting at 5m/15ft and gently sloping down to 15m/50ft. Boulders, seafans, pillar coral and staghorn corals provide the backdrop to this diverse reef full of varied marine life. Look under the boulders for sleeping nurse sharks in the shallower areas. Scorpion fish, octopus and moray eels can be seen here too. Porcupine fish, long trumpetfish, scrawled cowfish and orange filefish decorate this vivid reef while barracuda stalk the edges.
Angel's Reef max 8m/26ft: Angel's Reef is a dazzling and colourful reef that is teeming with Angelfish and Spotted Drumfish. With a maximum depth of 8m/26ft, it is a perfect site for beginners to practice their skills and buoyancy over the sandy bottom that meets the beautiful reef. Damselfish and squirrelfish reside under large boulders which are covered in soft corals and gorgonian fans. Look out for sea lettuce slugs and fireworms on the rocksand squid swimming out over the sand.
Boulder Bay max 18m/60ft: Boulder Bay is situated between Boulders and Moonhole and the maximum depth is 28m/92ft, although it can be dived at either 12m/45ft or 18m/60ft. Large boulders rest on the gradual reef slope where moray, spiny lobsters and spotted drumfish hide. Porcupinefish, squid and hawksbill turtles can be seen out in the blue and inquisitive baracuda circle divers as they search the reef. This site has fixed moorings and is suitable for intermediate divers.
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