DIVING IN GRENADA& CARRIACOUThe diving off Grenada and Carriacou is best described as the perfect blend of natural and man-madeFirst off you find prolific coral and sponge growth smothering some of the most-pristine and healthy reefs in the Caribbean, which in turn provides a rich habitat for the likes of angelfish, snapper, wrasse, butterflyfish, damselfish, parrotfish, pufferfish, boxfish, trumpetfish, grouper and lobster.

This rich diversity of marine life then brings in efficient predators such as barracuda, jacks, stingrays and various species of shark, along with elegant turtles and eagle rays.

Interspersed among these pockets of colourful coral kingdom, you then come across all manner of shipwrecks, ranging from purpose-sunk vessels like the Buccaneer, MV Hildur, Westsider and Boris to ‘genuine’ wrecks like the Shakem, Hema I, King Mitch and the newly sunk Persia II. And let’s not forget the mother of them all, the immense Bianca C, a 180-metre-long Italian liner sitting upright in 50m that has sat at the head of the islands’ vast sunken fleet ever since she went down in 1961. And for something completely different, how about visiting an underwater work of art? Grenada’s Underwater Sculpture Park features lifelike representations of people that are now becoming ever-more otherworldly as they are slowly covered in encrusting marine growth, and provide a weird-and-wonderful shallow dive that is suitable for novice divers and even snorkellers.

GETTING STARTED

If you are a non-diver, the islands are the perfect place to get your diving certification. Blessed with a number of top-quality dive centres and numerous sites that have calm, clear, warm waters and plenty of fish to welcome you into their watery realm, you would be hard-pressed to find a more-idyllic location to chalk up your first foray into diving, whether that is a simple trydive or your entrylevel qualification.

JOIN THE HUNT FOR LION(FISH)

As with many Caribbean countries, the island waters have been invaded by Indo-Pacific
lionfish, a voracious predator that has no natural enemies in the Caribbean, breeds at a rapid rate, and is munching all the native reef fish. Thankfully, Grenada and Carriacou have been very proactive in tackling this issue, and you can head off with a Hawaiian sling spear and collecting tube and do your bit for reef conservation by harvesting lionfish. Best of all, for all your hard work, you get to eat your catch, as there are now several recipes for the white meat of these fish and believe me, it is tasty!TECHNICALLY SPEAKING

At the other end of the scale, many of the shipwreck sites in particular lend themselves to technical diving. Whether open circuit or rebreather diving, more-experienced veteran divers are spoilt for choice, and the likes of the Bianca C, King Mitch, Hema I and so on are major draws for those with a ‘lust for deeper rust’.SNAP HAPPY

Underwater photographers will have an absolute ball in the waters off Grenada and Carriacou. As well as the riot of colour adorning the reefs and wrecks because of the phenomenal coral and sponge growth, which with the accompanying reef fish is excellent for wide-angle and macro shooting, you can also encounter turtles, sharks, rays and other photo-friendly ‘big animals’.