How is St. Barts Diving?

[cottage]

We're getting a bit of cabin fever during the pandemic but with the vaccines, it looks like there is light at the end of the tunnel. Therefore, we are starting to plan for our next excursion.

We are looking at St. Barts mainly because of the topside accommodation and activities. However, any time that we are close to water, diving is always on my mind. I've done some research on St. Barts dive conditions and most of what I find is old and the diving doesn't sound too impressive. (maybe similar to Tortola)

I always look at diving conditions through the filter of my previous experience. I'm an instructor and have been diving for many years. I've worked at a dive shop on the Great Lakes and have extensive cold water wreck diving experience and frankly am bored with wrecks. I love warm water diving and like colorful coral and the little critters. I've also worked in the Cayman Islands and Tortola and have diving experience in many other Caribbean islands, the South Pacific, Australia and the Indian Ocean. My intention is not to brag. What I'm saying is - it takes a lot to impress me.

Therefore, I'd appreciate any feedback on St. Barts dive conditions. Is it worth packing my dive gear?

 

[lugnut]

Not sure if this reply is too late or not, but I did a day of diving the last time I was in St. Barth's (about 3 years ago). I used rental gear from the local dive shop that was set up right on the beach outside of town. The diving itself was fine. Smaller Boat with a Bimini shade. Pretty non-descript "reef"...mainly a series of shallow canyons. Nothing to write home about. Every site we went to was very shallow (my understanding was that we had to accommodate a couple of divers that were flying out first thing in the AM). I broke off on my own for a couple minutes but it wasn't like there was a wall or anything to descend, I think the deepest I found was about 45'. I did not see any larger dive ops in my time driving around the island, and my guess is that the diving isn't that great around the island. The viz is obviously fantastic, and it scratched the itch to get under the surface for a couple hours...but when I go back to St. Barth's, I wont be packing my dive gear.

 

[cottage]

Not sure if this reply is too late or not, but I did a day of diving the last time I was in St. Barth's (about 3 years ago). I used rental gear from the local dive shop that was set up right on the beach outside of town. The diving itself was fine. Smaller Boat with a Bimini shade. Pretty non-descript "reef"...mainly a series of shallow canyons. Nothing to write home about. Every site we went to was very shallow (my understanding was that we had to accommodate a couple of divers that were flying out first thing in the AM). I broke off on my own for a couple minutes but it wasn't like there was a wall or anything to descend, I think the deepest I found was about 45'. I did not see any larger dive ops in my time driving around the island, and my guess is that the diving isn't that great around the island. The viz is obviously fantastic, and it scratched the itch to get under the surface for a couple hours...but when I go back to St. Barth's, I wont be packing my dive gear.

Iugnut,
You are not too late. Thank you for your reply. I've had some difficulty finding good current data about St. Barts dive conditions. Your feedback is consistent with what I have seen. As you suggest, it looks like I should leave my dive gear at home.

Thank you again.