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ATOL 4112. ATOL Protection extends primarily to
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| Saba and St Kitts Dive Sites |
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 Saba
St
Kitts
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Saba
- THIRD ENCOUNTER, TWILIGHT ZONE &
OUTER LIMITS
These are perhaps the three best known of Saba's fantastic pinnacles,
situated together on a seamount about half a mile west of ladder
Bay. On their outer side they rise from 2000ft, topping off at
70-100ft. These volcanic rock pinnacles are coated in a forest
of gorgonians, sponges and hard coral formations. Clouds of fish,
swirling along the rock face, include grouper, sergeant-majors,
angelfish and snapper. The intricate network of holes and caverns
within the rock - formed as lava cooled rapidly on contact with
the water - are home to invertebrates and crustacea, all vying
for the best space. Third Encounter is a horseshoe shaped seamount
that within its centre has one of the highlights of any dive in
the Caribbean – the eye of the Needle. A massive lava spire
that rises from immense depth to within about 80ft of the surface,
this pinnacle is covered in sponges and soft corals, and shrouded
in fish.
- DIAMOND ROCK
A shallow pinnacle the rises from an 80ft sandy seafloor to thrust
out into the air, towering another 60ft skywards. The marine growth
found around this pinnacle is profuse, with encrusting stinging
coral & yellow tubes sponges in the shallows, deepwater gorgonians
and pink anemones at depth; you wil find little brown spotted
shrimps in these anemones. On the east side is an outcrop encrusted
with barrel sponges, star coral & brain coral. You will see
schools of barracuda, horse-eyed jacks, graysbys and coneys along
the reef, and on close inspection of the lower reaches of the
rock you may find a yellow frogfish. It is an excellent place
to find flying gurnards in the sand.
- MAN OF WAR SHOALS
Just east of Diamond Rock, this twin rock structure lies in the
sandy bottom at 70 feet rising to 15-20ft feet of the surface.
You can swim round the rocks in a spiral formation enjoying the
black coral trees & deepwater gorgonians at the bottom, yellow
and purple tube sponges at the top. Sergeant majors are very abundant,
nesting along the lower margins of the rocks and coneys &
graysbys will follow you around waiting for a free handout!
- CUSTOMS HOUSE REEF
Situated just off the steps from Ladder Bay, this is a deep dive
as the reef starts in about 65ft. You will find large stands of
deep sea gorgonians all over this reef, and on the northern slope
at about 90ft you will find an old anchor encrusted into the coral
next to a large colony of green pillar coral. The top of the reef
is made up of mountainous & cavernous star corals, finger
corals and yellow pencil corals, with soft corals waving in the
mild current There is usually a school of about 50 barracuda on
this reef, as well as groupers, snappers, creole wrazze and chromis.
- LADDER LABYRINTH
This reef is a meandering series of coral ridges with sand filled
gullies between, giving the air of a labyrinth. Here you will
find filefish, grunts and, in the sand gullies, yellowhead jawfish.
The current highlight of this dive is the pair of orangy-brown
seahorses that have taken up residence
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St Kitts
- PARADISE REEF
On the northwest corner of St Kitts is the sleepy little village
of Sandy Point. In the shallow waters off the village is Paradise
Reef, an undulating field of huge brain & star coral bommies
covered with starlet corals & barrel sponges. Sand gullies
weave between the coral heads, so you can dive along the bottom
of the bommies, or across the top. The sea bed is littered with
anchors and other maritime debris. Schools of goatfish, durgons,
tang and wrasse scoot past, while shy garden eels inhabit the
sandy patches between the coral formations. Landward of the reef
the seafloor is a vast expanse of seagrass. Inspection of the
margins of the sea grass, close to the reef itself, will unearth
all sorts of small critters such as razorfish, brittle stars,
conch and other critters.
- RIVER TAW
Sunk in 1985 during a hurricane, the River Taw is a 144ft coastal
freighter that lies broken in half on the bottom in only 50ft
of water. Despite it's relative youth as a wreck the ship already
has an established coating of soft corals and hydroids, and at
night she comes alive with small invertebrates that seek refuge
within her during the day. Schools of big eyes lurk under sections
of the hull and you can find well-camouflaged scorpionfish. On
the anchor chain is a wonderful purple tube sponge colony. At
night the wreck comes alive with a host of macro critters, but
the highlight is the giant basket stars that ooze out of holes
in the wreck, climb to the top and wave their myriad fronds in
the current to feed. Nearby, across the sand and seagrass beds,
is a collection of old cars. I found a turtle resting on one!
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