Tobago Dive Sites - Page 2
Diver’s Dream, Colombus Passage
A challenging dive around a reef plateau, which rises up from the ocean floor to just 5m. Prevailing currents whip through here and can make it an extremely challenging dive. You aim to move around the north side of the plateau where large pelagic species are common, then turn in behind it for the shelter of a ledge. Here you get out of the current, just slightly, and wait to see what else will pass. It’s one of those dives where you can be fining like crazy into the current and still go backwards while an eagle ray nonchalantly and seemingly effortlessly, passes by and reminds you why you live on land. It’s not always diveable and not for everyone.
Breakfast Hole, Delaford
Along the South Eastern side of Tobago there is even more healthy and beautiful hard coral reef never dived by the dive shops. The fish life here is big, abundant, and extremely curious as they never see divers. It’s both a feeding ground for sharks and a hunting ground for local fishermen so caution is applied. The reef depth drops to 25m, making a great multilevel dive, there’s a bit of a reverse profile but the main aspect is the very strong currents and big sharks. You get the normal nurse and black tips but also bull sharks, lemon shark and tigers. Like diver’s dream it is not always diveable and defiantly not for everyone.
Sisters Out & In, Parlatuvier
Many people would agree that Sisters is the best dive in Tobago. These are rock pinnacles which form the very end of the South American Andes mountain range. Pushed up by plate tectonics they rise from the seabed and break the surface in the open ocean. The northern “Out” side is deep and exposed to cool currents while the southern “In” side is shallower and more sheltered. The topography is stunning. You can see the ancient rock strata and immense ledges and drop-offs. Divers come here for hammerheads and mantas. They can be seen from December to May when the cooler currents of 26˚ bring them in. However even if you don’t encounter hammerheads the variety and abundance of fish life is astounding, the topography alone is worth the longer boat ride.
Bannochburn, Speyside
This site is an exposed rock pinnacle which drops to almost 50m forming one of the deepest dives in Tobago waters. It is commonly exposed to strong 4 knot currents and not always diveable but when possible divers drop down to 30m plus and circumnavigate the pinnacle, searching for a wide variety of marine creatures that live on the outer edge. Pelagic are also around, and I bring divers here for hammerheads and mantas. They can be seen from December to May when the cooler currents of 26˚ bring them in. Almost always a big fish dive.
The Dive Sites use by CaribStu Dive Service
These are the standard dive sites I use for my customers. One or two of the dive site names you won’t find elsewhere on the internet or the Lonely Planet "Diving and Snorkeling in Trinidad & Tobago" guide. That’s because they are sites I have explored and named myself.
Site |
depth |
level |
type |
Cove |
7-25m |
advanced |
fringing reef |
Cove Ledge |
7-14m |
advanced/expert |
bank reef |
Flying Reef 1 |
6-16m |
medium |
fringing reef |
Flying Reef 2 |
6-16m |
medium |
fringing reef |
Stingray Alley |
7-18m |
medium |
fringing reef |
Kariwak |
4-15m |
easy |
fringing reef |
MS Maverick |
18-32m |
advanced |
wreck sunk '97 |
Mt.Irvine XT |
10-25m |
medium |
fringing reef |
Dutchman's Reef |
5-16m |
easy |
fringing reef |
Mt Irvine Wall |
6-15m |
easy |
rock headland |
Arnos Vale Nursery |
4-20m |
medium |
head/patch |
Castara |
12-28m |
advanced |
fringing reef |
Sisters Rocks In |
12-40m |
advanced |
rock pillars |
Sisters Rocks Out |
12-40m |
advanced |
rock pillars |
Booby Island |
5-25m |
easy |
fringing reef |
Pirates Reef |
4-15m |
easy |
fringing reef |
Hide and Seek |
5-9m |
easy |
fringing reef |
Sleeper |
12-25m |
advanced |
rock outcrop |
Roundtable |
17-32m |
advanced |
wreck sunk '04 |
Angel Reef |
5-12m |
medium/expert |
fringing reef |
Japanese Garden |
5-18m |
medium/expert |
fringing reef |
Cathedral High |
5-18m |
medium |
fringing reef |
Cathedral Deep |
5-35m |
medium |
fringing reef |
The Point |
5-30m |
expert |
fringing reef |
Kelleston Drain |
9-20m |
medium |
fringing reef |
The Ledge |
15-33m |
advanced |
backside reef |
Coral Gardens |
11-18m |
easy/medium |
plateau |
Snap, Crackle, Pop |
10-15m |
easy/advanced |
plateau |
Favourite |
10-26m |
advanced |
mixed |
Black Hole Jack |
6-21m |
medium |
fringing reef |
Special |
12-40m |
advanced |
outcrop |
Runway |
12-26m |
medium |
bank reef |
Bookends |
12-35m |
advanced/expert |
bank reef |
Shark Bank |
10-35m |
advanced/expert |
rock outcrop |
Spiny Colony |
5-12m |
medium |
fringing reef |
| These are the Exclusive dive sites I use for my experienced customers. They are dive sites I will only use when conditions and safety issues allow. | |||
| Site | depth | level | type |
Marble Wall |
40m+ |
expert |
rock pinnacle |
Bannochburn |
12-32m |
advanced/expert |
rock pinnacle |
Culloden |
8-24m |
advanced |
bank reef |
Aquarium |
12-20m |
expert |
bank reef |
Diver's Dream |
5-25m |
advanced |
bank reef |
Breakfast Hole |
10-25m |
advanced |
fringing reef |
Picker |
10-30m |
advanced |
fringing reef |
