5 INSIGHTS ON VISITING & DIVING GRENADA
What to expect from diving? Biodiversity here is amazing - healthy reefs with lots of macro life, sea horses, frog fish, schools of barracuda, giant leatherback, loggerhead, hawksbill turtles, moray eels, occasional mantas, dolphins, sharks, eagle rays, scorpion fish, gorgeous corals, 15 species of whales. Wrecks, wrecks, wrecks & the underwater sculpture park. Lovely night dives on reefs & wreck.
Experience level? Beginners to advanced, non-divers will also have a lot of fun
Best time to dive in Grenada? January – May, it is the dry season, however diving is great all year round, rain falls are short and heavy.
Best time to see whales? December to April you may spot 15 species of whales crossing
How to dive in Grenada? Land-based resort/guesthouse stay & dive with local reputable dive shops
Water temperature? 27-29° Celsius / 80,6-84,2 Fahrenheit
Visibility? Up to 30 meters/100 feet
Currents? None/mild on reefs, occasionally very strong currents on wrecks on the Atlantic side
Dive equipment needed? Skin suit or 3mm wetsuit is sufficient, torch, SMB!
What else should I know? You should carefully choose a dive center, making sure it is up to standards, reputable and responsible. We are here to recommend 😊
GRENADA – UNDISCOVERED PARADISE
Not many people know about this place, nor have looked into an option of going diving in Grenada. We would certainly like to change this fact, because Grenada is a Caribbean gem, located between the turquoise Caribbean Sea and the mysterious and moody Atlantic Ocean. Grenada has 45 stunning beaches, 5 waterfalls worth visiting, sulphur springs, Chocolate Factory, Rum Factory many wonderful restaurants and of course, over 30 amazing dive sites.
Here are our hottest insights on this gorgeous island and diving around it:
1. WRECKS OF GRENADA
There are 10 wrecks worth diving in Grenada. For more experienced divers the highlight is definitely the wreck of a cruise ship – Titanic of the Caribbean - Bianca C, that sunk in 1961, 180-metre-long (600 feet) – size of two football fields, cruise ship lays on the bottom at 50 meters with the beam coming to 23 meters. Another ship wreck worth diving is the firefighter Shakem, settling upright in 32 meters, it sunk in May 2001 in a storm. Veronica L wreck – a coral garden, where you can see frog fish, moray eels, lots of marco life, it looks absolutely stunning on a night dive. It is suitable for beginners and the Advanced divers can follow the anchor line to a 30m drop off to spice up the dive. Atlantic side wrecks include The King Mitch, The Hema I, The Persia II, The Buccaneer, the MV Hildur, The Twin Tugs – on Curriacou.
Keep in mind: There can be very strong current on Bianca C and Shakem, you must be at least Advanced Open Water diver to dive this wreck and have SMB with you.
2. UNDERWATER SCULPTURE PARK
Another one of the main attractions of Grenada is the Under Water Sculpture park. Created in 2006, in Molinere Beauséjour Marine Protected Area this is definitely a site worth visiting for both divers and snorkelers.
There are 75 works in total, on the area of 800 square meters. This park in Grenada was the first of Jason deCaires Taylor’s underwater gardens. It was widely acclaimed as the first of its kind. The site is now listed as one of National Geographic’s 25 Wonders of the World.
Our recommendation: Check with your dive center for cruise ship schedule. Make sure you visit this site on a cruise ship free day. If you do two dives here or have a long bottom time, head out into the sea for a drop off where you can spot a manta.
3. THE GORGEOUS BIODIVERSE REEFS OF GRENADA
Other best dive sites are: Flamingo Bay – 6-27 meters deep with schools of barracuda, scorpion fish, spotted drummers, yellow tailed snappers, bar jacks, sea horses, moray eels, turtles; Purple Rain: creole wrasse, luminescent sponges, black coral, huge lobsters, eels, lots of colourful reef fish; Fisherman’s Paradise – Atlantic meets Caribbean: caves & ledges, overheads, nurse sharks, sting rays, eagle rays; Whibbles Reef – slopy bottom up to 50 meters, beautiful reef near Bianca C, other dive sites worth visiting include: Rum Runner, Kahonee, Red Buoy, Boss Reef, Moliere Reef.
Our recommendation: Make sure to stick to your dive guide, as some of the dive sites are not very easy to navigate if you’re not familiar with the area.
4. WHALES & DOLPHINS OF GRENADA
Here you can spot whales such as humpbacks, orcas, Sperm and Curvier beaked whales, among the 15 species that swim through our Grenadian waters between the months of December to April. All year round Sperm, Pilot, Bryde's, Sei and Pygmy whales can be spotted. Dolphin watch is a great way to spend half of your day if you missed them on a dive: spinners, spotted, fraser, common and bottlenose including Francescana dolphins.
Our recommendation: if you are thinking about joining a half-day whale and dolphin watching tour, make sure you are prepared to some choppy waters. Take plenty of biodegradable sunscreen with you, or better yet – a rash guard and head cover to avoid sunburn.
5. LAND BASED ATTRACTIONS
Grenada has 40 stunning beaches, Grand Etang National park and Waterfall, Concord, Annadale, Mount Camel, Seven Sisters waterfalls. Here you’ll find Chocolate factory, Two rum distilleries and beer brewery. You can make a weekly hash with the locals and expats, which is a hike around the island through the jungle, local villages and beaches, with stunning views, various animal encounters, exotic fruits and nuts spotting and a fun party afterwards.
Take time to make the half-day hot sulphur springs tour with deep tissue massage and corn cob exfoliation, dip into therapeutical mud and soak in natural sulphur springs with Caribbean rum cocktail in hand.
Our recommendation: Definitely take 3-4 days to enjoy the land based activities in Grenada, it could be half day after morning dives or full day of explorations.
GETTING TO GRENADA
You may take a direct flight to Grenada from the following airports: Miami, New York, Atlanta, Toronto, Frankfurt (with Condor), and the Caribbean. International flights stop arrive at Maurice Bishop International Airport. If you want to continue your trip to the sister isle of Carriacou you can take a short trip by inter-island charter to Lauriston Airport. On site you may use our partner private driver services, taxi, public mini-vans or rent a car. Driving in Grenada is left-sided.
Our recommendation: Before booking your trip to Grenada, ask me for more insights and recommendations, since I had lived there for a while and am happy to share information and tips 😊
Dive shops we can recommend: Aquanauts Grenada & Eco Dive. On Carriacou – Deefer Diving Carriacou.
We look forward to your insights! Leave us a comment!
Your dive buddy,
Jenny.
Planning your own trip to Grenada ? Let me help you: jenny@divingspecials.com
published in March 2020
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