Known as the Land of Reefs, Carriacou is truly a diver’s paradise. With an abundance of historic and cultural features topside, it is surrounded by fantastic reefs and many smaller islands, one of which is Mabouya Island. Unlike many of the other islands surrounding Carriacou, which offer exciting dives mainly for those with plenty of experience, Mabouya’s waters are calmer, offering snorkeling and diving opportunities even for those who are relatively new to the sport. Here are a few favorite sites around Mabouya – grab your camera, and come along!
Sharkey’s Hideaway
Featuring a slope so steep that it is often described as more of a wall than a reef, Sharkey’s Hideaway is suitable for all divers. The reef top is situated at a depth of just 8 meters, while maximum depth is at 23 meters. At the bottom of the reef, you’ll find a magnificent garden of coral and sponge covered rocks and boulders, where nurse sharks can be found sleeping. Look for giant moray eels, porcupine fish, queen angelfish, and huge schools of glassy and copper sweepers taking shelter among the boulders. Along the reef’s slope, which features overhangs and small caves, look for grey angelfish and nudibranchs, lobsters, and lots of crabs. In addition, peek inside the purple vase sponges – you might be rewarded by the site of a tiny shrimp or a few little fish hiding inside.
Twin Tugs
The Twin Tugs, Boris and Westsider, are each around 100 feet long, and both are lying beneath 28 meters of water. Washed by currents and suitable for experienced divers only, this pair of wrecks is sometimes dived together, although some divers prefer to enjoy them one at a time.
The Boris was deployed as an artificial reef on September 10, 2007. After just a few short years beneath the waves, the old tug is already gaining a colorful blanket of sponge and coral, and offers an excellent look at how artificial reefs are formed. French, gray, and queen angelfish like this wreck, as do Moorish idols, tangs, and butterfly fish. Look for moray eels and groupers, too.
The Westsider has been enjoying her retirement longer than her sister – deployed as an artificial reef on September 4th of 2004, she shows more coral and sponge growth and is a nursery for juvenile pelagics. You’ll find an abundance of reef fish here, along with crustaceans galore. Look for nurse sharks, reef sharks and barracudas, and the occasional turtle at both wreck sites.
Whirlpool
Named for its spa-like bubbles, which come from volcanic activity beneath the ocean floor, Whirlpool is a fun site for all divers. The reef’s top is situated at a depth of 8 meters, and after a long, gentle slope, it meets the seabed at a depth of just twenty meters. Further along, you’ll find the wreck of a small tugboat which has been here since 2001. Sitting beneath 24 meters of water, the tug is still intact, and divers frequently enter the wheelhouse to play with the helm. Home to a fantastic variety of marine life large and small, the site is excellent for both macro and wide angle photography.
As with other locales near Carriacou, Mabouya Island is just a short boat ride away from major resorts and other accommodations. If you hope to dive here, be sure to select a dive operator in advance – quite a few local dive shops do provide tours to Mabouya, as it has so much to offer.