Scuba Diving And Snorkeling In The Caribbean: The Best Places To Dive In St Kitts

Many experienced travelers consider St. Kitts to be asites surrounding St. Kitts, the reef is in excellent
well kept secret, this small tropical island boasts somecondition and teeming with spotted drums, queen
of the best snorkeling and scuba diving in thetriggerfish and large filefish.
Caribbean. With a wealth of virtually untouched diveAlso off the western coast of St. Kitts, rests the
and snorkel sites, there are unique opportunities forMonkey Reef, an intriguing flat formation of both
divers and snorkelers of all skill levels.soft and hard coral. Visibility here is superb and the
The western side of the island features placidedge of the reef is home to lobster, passive nurse
waters, visibility in the range of 60-100 feet andsharks and lizard fish.
reefs that are known throughout diving communitiesFor experienced scuba divers, Nags Head is a
as some of the most immaculately preserved in thedramatic, plunging reef in strong waters where the
world. Adding to the allure, most of the finest diveAtlantic meets the Caribbean. Here, the waves are
locations are an easy boat trip from the shore.home to stingrays, sea turtles, squirrel fish, sea
As a travel tip, it is recommended to enlist a toururchins and several species of large reef fish.
guide for your diving and snorkeling adventures.In the channel that separates St. Kitts and its sister
There are several dive operators on St. Kitts, all withisland Nevis, divers and snorkelers can find the Grid
the supplies you'll need to snorkel or scuba dive, butIron undersea shelf that rises within 25 feet of the
don't forget to bring your underwater camera.surface. It contains a multitude of shallow water
Though this article will only scratch the surface ofcorals, sea fans, sponges and large numbers of
what St. Kitts has to offer, it will bring into focusangelfish.
some of the most ideal dive sites in Caribbean.According to records, more than 400 ships sank off
Our first stop is Sandy Point Bay, a favorite site ofthe coast of St. Kitts between 1493 and 1825, yet
Caribbean snorkelers and scuba divers alike. A uniqueonly about a dozen have been identified to date.
reef with finger-shaped coral formations, the reef isThere is perhaps no finer testament to the fact that
rumored to rest atop a sunken battleship, as thisthere remain plenty of sites to explore and secrets
area of the Caribbean Sea was site of numerous seato uncover on St. Kitts.
battles. Divers still find anchors, plates and bottlesAmong the known ships, The River Taw Wreck, a
dating to the 1700s within the swim-through canyons144 foot long vessel, sank in the waters surrounding
and undercut shelves.St. Kitts only 10 years ago. Both the ship and the
Black Coral Reef is the place for snorkelers anddeveloping coral reef are in pristine condition, resting
divers to spot the most elusive of coral at depths ofat a depth of 50 feet. This is another great site to
40-70 feet. Ask your divemaster or tour guide tophotograph a seemingly endless variety of tropical
point out the black coral, as it is rather difficult tofish and sea creatures. The Beached Tug Boat and
recognize underwater. Also for the explorer, BloodBrassball wrecks offer excellent opportunities for
Bay Reef and the small caves in its vicinity are homeboth novice scuba divers and snorkelers. As each
to several varieties of coral, purple sea anemones,wreck lies in only 20-25 feet of water, the
yellow sea fans and rust-colored bristle worms.underwater visibility at these sights is unmatched.
Coconut Tree Reef is one of the largest reefs in theLastly, the M.V. Talata freighter wreck may be a
area and offers a unique challenge for both novicemore technical dive than the aforementioned wrecks,
and expert divers, as the reef begins at a depth ofbut the opportunity to swim with an unparalleled
40 feet and plunges below 200 feet. As with mostassortment of reef fish is certainly worth the effort.