Carlisle Bay Reefs – South Coast – Carlisle Bay Marine Park

18m Max

18-32m Vis

boat

Site Overview

Beyond her famous wrecks, Carlisle Bay is wrapped in a band of healthy fringing reef that divers and snorkellers alike enjoy off beaches like Pebble Bay, Browne's Beach and Needham's Point - a sheltered, sunlit world of coral heads, rock ledges and sandy channels that is the gentler yin to the bay's wreck-filled yang. The reefs teem with the everyday abundance of a protected Caribbean bay: green and hawksbill turtles cruise the sand, bold queen and French angelfish hold territory among the coral, parrotfish crop the reef and drum hover in the open. Because the water is warm, shallow and calm, these are the sites where families, beginners and long, lazy second dives thrive - and often the very spot a first-time visitor meets the underwater Barbados. Depths run from about 4 m at the shallowest point to 18 m at the deepest, with most of the dive spent near 11 m. Barbados is the easternmost Caribbean island, sitting where the Atlantic sweeps in to meet the calm Caribbean, and that convergence keeps its waters clear, warm and rich - the sheltered west and south coasts hold healthy reefs and a famed cluster of wrecks, turtles cruise the shallows year-round, and the deeper walls can turn up pelagics and the occasional shark.

Dive Briefing

“Ease over the reef from the beach or a short mooring, keeping your fins up to protect the coral and avoid kicking up sand. Work along the ledges and sand channels slowly, watching for turtles grazing and for the bold angelfish and parrotfish that crowd the coral heads. Because families and snorkellers share these popular beaches, stay aware of swimmers, surface clear of bathers and keep your buoyancy tidy. The divemaster sets the entry, mooring and ascent plan at the briefing - agree buddy signals, DSMB routine and safety-stop depth before you splash, and start the dive slowly to let the reef or wreck come into focus. Run a three-minute safety stop on the ascent, position clear of the boat if there is any drift, and signal your position with a DSMB on the way up. Conditions around Barbados vary with the season and tide, so confirm the day's plan with your local dive operator before you go. As the easternmost Caribbean island, Barbados sits where the Atlantic meets the Caribbean, which keeps its waters clear, warm and rich in both reef and pelagic life”

Location

Carlisle Bay Reefs and 4 nearby dive sites in Barbados.