Just back from Barbados. Had a fantastic time touring the island and diving.
It is not really known for its diving but Barbados is a hidden gem in my view. The reefs are healthy, there is a good variety of marine life (though not any big stuff that I saw) and both wrecks and reefs.
I got in 6 dives in between touring the island by hire car as follows:
1 - White Gate Reef - Max depth 80 feet for 36 minutes, temperature 28 centigrade. It was just me and the guide for this and the next dive and it was a really great intro to Barbados diving. Nice colourful reef and saw my first turtles! Good variety of corals and very scenic. Sea was very calm with little current so it was a nice easy and pretty dive.
2 - After 45 minute surface interval on the boat, it was off to Reece Bay reef. Max depth about 45 feet for 48 minutes. Started off in the sandy bottom and found some seahorses, another first for me, then sauntered across to the reef - another turtle! Lots of shoals of reef fish and I began to get interested in macro stuff. There were lots of worms and anemones and other stuff the names of which I don't know.
Had a day off diving to do some touring then onto dives 3 and 4.
3 - Stavronikita - the largest wreck on the island at its deepest at 130 feet. We went to 110 feet, 2 of us plus guide. Wreck is 300 feet long and has some nice swim throughs. It has been down for 30 years and the coral is beginning to take over big time. Saw a massive hawksbill sleeping inside. The mast is only about 15-20 feet from the surface so the safety stop is good as you can examine the critters in the coral. There is a current at this site which keeps visibility and light good for the depths but you need to hang onto the buoy line for the safety stop. Bottom time 26 minutes.
4 - after 40 minute SI, it was off to Dottins reef which is the most famous reef in Barbados. This really was very pretty with lots of schools of grunt, jacks, snapper. Saw barracuda too. We went to 50 feet for 45 minutes. It was a slight drift dive but nothing too strong. Very relaxing on the way back to the boat just floating above the reef.
Another day off for sight seeing on the island then dives 5 and 6.
5 - Bright Ledge Reef - probably my favourite reef in scenic terms. It's a nice sloping reef which falls off into the blue. Saw another turtle and some interesting new fish. Max depth 80 feet for 34 minutes.
6 - Half hour surface interval then onto the Pamir wreck. This is a really nice compact wreck sitting at 60 feet so it is great for beginners and OW divers. It has some very friendly sergeant major fish who are used to being fed so watch your fingers! There is a reef area next to the wreck and saw a lovely spotted manta ray there which was very elegant swimming in the blue with a trail of little fish behind it. Dive time 47 munutes at max depth 60 feet.
I dived with Carib Divers which is out of the Royal Pavilion and Glitter Bay hotels. I was impressed with them. Good briefings and always safety stops. They don't take any more than 6 divers out and maximum I experienced was 4 including myself.
The sites weren't crowded and we didn't come across another dive boat at the same time at any site we were at.
The island itself has lots to do and see if you like getting out and about and I would thoroughly recommend it. I have put some pics in my gallery but here are a couple also - barracuda and the bow of the Pamir.
It is not really known for its diving but Barbados is a hidden gem in my view. The reefs are healthy, there is a good variety of marine life (though not any big stuff that I saw) and both wrecks and reefs.
I got in 6 dives in between touring the island by hire car as follows:
1 - White Gate Reef - Max depth 80 feet for 36 minutes, temperature 28 centigrade. It was just me and the guide for this and the next dive and it was a really great intro to Barbados diving. Nice colourful reef and saw my first turtles! Good variety of corals and very scenic. Sea was very calm with little current so it was a nice easy and pretty dive.
2 - After 45 minute surface interval on the boat, it was off to Reece Bay reef. Max depth about 45 feet for 48 minutes. Started off in the sandy bottom and found some seahorses, another first for me, then sauntered across to the reef - another turtle! Lots of shoals of reef fish and I began to get interested in macro stuff. There were lots of worms and anemones and other stuff the names of which I don't know.
Had a day off diving to do some touring then onto dives 3 and 4.
3 - Stavronikita - the largest wreck on the island at its deepest at 130 feet. We went to 110 feet, 2 of us plus guide. Wreck is 300 feet long and has some nice swim throughs. It has been down for 30 years and the coral is beginning to take over big time. Saw a massive hawksbill sleeping inside. The mast is only about 15-20 feet from the surface so the safety stop is good as you can examine the critters in the coral. There is a current at this site which keeps visibility and light good for the depths but you need to hang onto the buoy line for the safety stop. Bottom time 26 minutes.
4 - after 40 minute SI, it was off to Dottins reef which is the most famous reef in Barbados. This really was very pretty with lots of schools of grunt, jacks, snapper. Saw barracuda too. We went to 50 feet for 45 minutes. It was a slight drift dive but nothing too strong. Very relaxing on the way back to the boat just floating above the reef.
Another day off for sight seeing on the island then dives 5 and 6.
5 - Bright Ledge Reef - probably my favourite reef in scenic terms. It's a nice sloping reef which falls off into the blue. Saw another turtle and some interesting new fish. Max depth 80 feet for 34 minutes.
6 - Half hour surface interval then onto the Pamir wreck. This is a really nice compact wreck sitting at 60 feet so it is great for beginners and OW divers. It has some very friendly sergeant major fish who are used to being fed so watch your fingers! There is a reef area next to the wreck and saw a lovely spotted manta ray there which was very elegant swimming in the blue with a trail of little fish behind it. Dive time 47 munutes at max depth 60 feet.
I dived with Carib Divers which is out of the Royal Pavilion and Glitter Bay hotels. I was impressed with them. Good briefings and always safety stops. They don't take any more than 6 divers out and maximum I experienced was 4 including myself.
The sites weren't crowded and we didn't come across another dive boat at the same time at any site we were at.
The island itself has lots to do and see if you like getting out and about and I would thoroughly recommend it. I have put some pics in my gallery but here are a couple also - barracuda and the bow of the Pamir.
