Scuba Dive

This Eastern Caribbean island is a paradise where the majestic mountainous landscape is as spectacular underwater as above. There are approximately 20 dive sites to explore including caves, swim-throughs, volcanic vents, and coral gardens.   Marine life is plentiful offering many rare species including seahorses, flying gunards, and batfish.  Water temps are in the high 70s in winter; mid-80s in summer. Vis ranges from 60 to 100 feet.  The most popular diving is found along the island’s western coast–with sites clustered in the south, mid-island and north.

Off Dominca’s southwestern end, Soufriére Bay is actually the submerged crater of an ancient volcano. Divers can explore the shallow reefs that line the rim of the crater or drop down for a deeper profile. Operators also take divers outside the bay to sites like Scott’s Head Pinnacle. Dominica’s mid-island region (mostly off Salisbury Beach and Grande Savane) features patch reefs sloping down to steep walls at sites like Rodney’s Rock, Castaways Reef and Nose Reef. Larger blue-water pelagics like spotted eagle rays and rainbow runners that are largely absent from southern sites can be spotted here.  Northwestern sites offer a varied underwater topography, exemplified at sites like Toucari Caves with its honeycombed caverns dripping with black coral and golden sea spray. Sperm whales are common off Dominica from October to March, and most of the island’s dive operators take groups on weekly excursions during this time.

Some interesting dives include:

Volcano Site at Prince Rupert Bay – This unique area has volcanic gases venting from the sea floor, which bubble up gently through the sand and coral. Hot sand, multi colored from the sulfur deposits, surrounds the huge sponges and brain corals flourishing at this site.

Pole to Pole- Dive under the Cabrits Cruise Ship Dock…this easy dive features, on a regular basis, some of the rarest critters around.  Seahorses, batfish, flying gurnards, sand eels and more, all set against a background of towering wooden poles which are covered in sponges.  Amazing both as a day and a night dive.

Toucari Caves at Toucari Bay- Toucari bay is excellent for day or night dives, as this site boasts a wide variety of sea life, including octopus, moray eels, rays, squid, lobster, crabs, trumpet fish, parrotfish and puffer fish, just to name a few. The healthy corals in this area include finger, pillar, fire, brain and vase. The “cave” part is secluded area with coral covered rocks reaching from the beach out to the main reef at about 40 feet. Toucari Bay is a honeycomb of tunnels, some as long as 45 feet, that provides exquisite swim-throughs and harbor schools of french grunts. On the lip of the bay, the reef drops to 110 feet and is home to large schools of mahogany snapper, big crabs and frogfish.