Carriacou - Falling In Love With The Isle Of Reefs

I still remember my first sight of Carriacou. We took off from Grenada’s Maurice Bishop Airport in a tiny Islander twin-prop plane. And there it was, just minutes later - an expanse of forests and sandy beaches, surrounded by an incredibly blue Caribbean sea.

As busy as it gets on Sandy Island, Carriacou. Photo credit: Alexandra Ward

Not to be mistaken for an odd spelling of Curaçao, Carriacou is a 13 square mile island set off the coast of Grenada and a part of the Southern Grenadines island chain. I have lived and worked as a scuba diving instructor here for over 10 years. The island has become my home. I love living here, and I was so happy when asked to write an article about Carriacou as a diving destination!

First of all, you should know that Carriacou is not a popular diving destination per se, not in the way of Cozumel, the Caymans, or Turks & Caicos. Still, Carriacou offers incredible diving, a safe and friendly atmosphere, lots of old-world charm, and unspoiled nature. What it doesn’t have is large resorts, shopping malls, all-night clubbing, or super-fancy restaurants.

Carriacou Scuba Diving

Tourist information leaflets will tell you that the name Carriacou means “Isle of Reefs.” The name is an old Arawak Indian word, and this description fits perfectly. Coral reefs surround Carriacou and Carriacou’s small island cays. If you love reef diving, then you’ll find this place heavenly.

Over 30 individual dive sites can be found here, from Gun Point in the North to the Black Rocks in the very South of the island. There is little shore diving on Carriacou, though most dive sites are only 5 minutes to 30 minutes from the shore. Water temperatures range from 25°C in winter to 30°C during the summer.

The Sisters Rocks

After a10 minute boat ride from shore, you will reach the Sisters Rocks. The Sisters Rocks are home to two dive sites: Deep Blue and Barracuda Point. Depths down to 35 m can be reached here, but there are various ways to go around and between the Rocks, meaning even divers limited to 12m can have a fantastic dive.

The Sisters are just what every diver’s heart desires - excellent visibility, oodles of marine life, a beautiful coral reef in healthy condition, and incredible rock formations. After 10 years here, I still look forward to diving at the Sisters and would happily do so every day.

However, there are times when diving the Sisters is not recommended. For example, the tide change is rough during New Moon and Full Moon, and currents can get super-strong and unmanageable for most.

Your dive centre will advise you on the best time for a dive, so make sure to check ahead. You may also be asked to complete a check-dive before going to the Sisters because of the slightly more challenging conditions.

The Island of Mabouya

Mabouya is home to five reef dive sites, as well as two wrecks. Whirlpool is my favourite of the reefs. It features a coral reef with lots of life, a small picturesque wreck, a swim-through with volcanic bubbles streaming from the sea bed, and a volcanic boulder garden. The maximum depth is 23m at the wreck.

The other dive sites include Mabouya Garden, Sharky’s Hideaway, Sharky’s Part II, and Rock Garden. The maximum depth for these dives is 18m, average depth is around 14m. The wrecks are Boris and Westsider, 30m long tug boats located slightly away from the island in deeper water.

Conditions at Mabouya are gentle throughout, with minimal current. Visibility tends to be very good, and the variety of volcanic rock formations, reefs, and wrecks makes for entertaining dives.

If You Have More Time in Carriacou

For an additional afternoon dive, check out “Le Jettois,” the Hillsborough Jetty. No longer used as a port, the jetty has become home to an amazing variety of marine life. It’s a shallow shore dive, no more than 5m, but so worthwhile! In a recent REEF.org survey, we recorded over 50 species of fish here, which included longsnout seahorses, five species of eels, and two species of scorpionfish.

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Longsnout Seahorse at “Le Jettois”. Photo credit: Alexandra Ward

For experienced divers, diving to the South of the island will provide a fantastic adventure. The long deep reef wall at Layer Cake offers an exciting drift dive with the real chance of seeing bigger marine life.

Take a spear

Like so many other Caribbean islands, Carriacou has plenty of invasive lionfish. The local dive shops will be happy for you to hunt these on your dives as long as conditions are safe for you to do so.

Carriacou Marine Life

My favourite aspect of diving here is the variety of marine life. Regular sightings include:

• Nurse sharks

• Turtles

• Stingrays and eagle rays

• Moray eels: Green, spotted, and garden eels are common. Chain, chestnut, purplemouth, goldentail, and snake eels are occasionally seen

• Crustaceans, including lobsters and king crabs

• Octopus and squid

• Various reef fish, including porcupinefish, flounders, barracuda, triggerfish, jacks, and snappers

There is also plenty of macro life to be found, which I particularly love. However, I would need a whole separate article to describe!

Juvenile trunkfish, one of Carriacou’s macro residents. Photo credit: Alexandra Ward

Travel to Carriacou – As of November 2021

Things are now opening up, and travel to Grenada and Carriacou is getting easier. Please check the latest requirements before making your booking. Grenada requires all foreign visitors entering the country to be vaccinated, and PCR tests are required, as is 72 hours quarantine in registered accommodation.

At this time, travel to Carriacou is only possible via Osprey ferry, which runs on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays and takes around 90 minutes. However, SVG Air flights and the Dolly C ferry may resume service again soon and are worth checking out.

Is Carriacou Worth Visiting?

Yes! If you are looking for a place that’s off the beaten track, where you can relax, with quiet beaches and cays, lots of unspoiled nature, and beautiful Caribbean reef diving. Then Carriacou is undoubtedly for you. There are 3 dive centres on the island: Dive Carriacou, Deefer Diving, and Lumbadive. All dives are guided, and for fish ID fans, photographers, and macro spotters, the clear, gentle conditions make for a wonderful experience.

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About the Author

Alexandra fell in love with the underwater world when she was 10 years old. A fish ID expert and keen marine conservationist, she is now a PADI Master Instructor with 12 years of experience working in the Caribbean.