St. Lucia

Diving In St Lucia
St Lucia is a diving paradise. The island is at the tip of an underwater volcano where both beginner and experienced divers alike will enjoy the stunning variety of coral, sponge and marine life. Artificial reefs have developed around a number of sunken ships which have become home to huge gorgonians, black coral trees, gigantic barrel sponges, purple vase sponges and black lace corals. Exciting Caribbean diving trips will reveal turtles, nurse sharks, seahorses, angel fish, and golden spotted eels, to name but a few, among the dazzling cross section of Caribbean marine life.

There are several spectacular diving sites just off St Lucia, ranging from easy to challenging. Keyhole Pinnacles consists of 4 seamounts rising from incredible depths to within a few feet of the surface. Superman's Flight, a drift dive on a gentle wall which drops to 1,600 feet. At the base of Gros Piton the Coral Gardens rise from a depth of 15 to 50 feet and Anse La Raye, midway up the west coast is a superb wall and drift dive, where huge boulders cover a shallower slope creating fascinating formations to explore. On the point of Anse Chastenet, a plateau slopes gently from 40 - 60 feet. The reefs fall away to a depth of 140 feet in a unique coral chain, meandering out from the Bay. A number of shipwrecks provide adventure and exploration for divers. For the experienced only, off the southern part of the island, the Waiwinette freighter lies 90 feet below. The currents here make this dive extremely challenging, whereas further up the coast off Castries, there is a pleasant wreck dive in 20 feet of water for those less experienced.

Diving schools and centers abound in St Lucia. Trips, tuition, guides and equipment for scuba or snorkelling are offered for all levels of diving experience and can be arranged through your travel agent or when you arrive. You can also visit the award-winning Soufriere Marine Management Area on the west coast. An important project created to conserve St Lucia's coastal environment, its activities and vigilance ensures that underwater St Lucia retains its immense wealth and beauty.

Divers from all over the world know the exotic beauty and warm crystal waters of St Lucia. A great deal of care has been exercised to ensure that the island, as well as the surrounding water remains as pristine as it was a generation ago when it first began attracting divers in search of a paradise less traveled.

As mountainous below sea level as it is above, St Lucia offers incomparable sightseeing for divers who are drawn to the tremendous variety that nature has to offer: huge gorgonians, black coral trees, gigantic barrel sponges, purple vase sponges and lace coral. Angelfish, black beauties, golden spotted eels, seahorses, Stingrays, nurse sharks, turtles and many varieties of schooling fish are as plentiful as they are colorful and varied. A few submerged shipwrecks and a mysterious serpentine creature of mythical proportions known as “the thing” add to the excitement of diving in the waters of St Lucia.

Listed below are some of the islands most intriguing underwater diving sites

• Anse Chastanet: One of the most dramatic spots for diving is the stunning Anse Chastanet reef in the southwest of the island. The shallows, with depths to 25ft can be entered directly from the beach. The reefs falls away from 20-140 ft in a unique coral wall that continues from Anse Chastaner Bay around the headland of Grand Caille and in towards the harbor of Soufriere, providing some of the best diving in St Lucia.
• Anse La Raye: Known as one of the finest wall and drift dives in St Lucia, Anse La Raye can be found below a shallow wall. Interesting formations at the slope which consists of huge bolders, stimulate the eye and imagination.
• Coral Gardens: Located at the base of the Gros Piton, the Coral Gardens offer breathtaking scenery above and below the water, where five finger coral runds from a depth of 15-50ft.
• Fairy Land: At the point of Anse Chastanet, a plateau named Fairy Land slopes gently from 40-60ft. Since strong currents here keep the corals and sponges clean and the viewing is excellent and, this site is ideal for underwater photography.
• The Key Hole Pinnacles: Voted one of the "10 Best Dive Sites" by Caribbean Travel & Life, The Pinnacles are described by the magazine as "four coral and gorgonian-encrusted seamounts that rise tantalizingly up from the ocean depths".
• Lesleen M Shipwreck: The Lesleen M, a 165-foot freighter, was sunk by the Department of Fisheries in 1986 to provide an artificial reef. It lies upright in 60 ft of water near Anse Cochon on the west coast, just south of Marigot Bay. Divers can tour the ship in its entirety.
• Superman’s Flight: Names for a scene on St Lucia for the movie Superman II, this site is a drift dive on a gentle wall that drops to 1600ft. Good visibility created by strong currents permits crystal clear viewing for underwater exploration. Divers can enter the water here at the base of Petit Piton.
• The Thing: According to those who have seen it “The Thing” is said to be St Lucia’s own “Loch Ness Monster on Vacation” Seen regularly (but only at night) one may catch a glimpse of this mysterious creature at Anse Chastanet.

Tropical Island Rainforest
Deep in St Lucia's mountainous, tropical islands interior almost 1,800 feet above sea level, lies 19,000 acres of rainforest and the 29 miles of trails that run through it.

The rainforest is respected as a habitat for rare birds and plants, a world where lushness is overpowering, where elusive parrots squawk overhead, orchids scent the air, hummingbird buzz near brilliant heliconia and climbing palms encircle tall trees like lovers in a parting embrace.

It has taken centuries for St Lucia's tropical island rainforest to become its current well-developed refuge. Nonetheless, two thousand years ago, Arawak tribes associated the dark woods with evil spirits and for centuries the forest remained untouched and the spirits the Amerindians feared evolved into island folklore.

Amongst the most enduring symbols of the rainforest is St Lucia's National bird, the Amazona Versicolor or the Jacquot as it is affectionately known, once an endangered species, with protection its numbers have risen.

The local craft markets sell baskets that have been woven from climbing foot palms and aralie (a hanging root) and beautiful necklaces made from colourful dédéfouden seeds from the mammoth trees which form the forest’s canopy.

The St Lucia National Trust and the Forestry Department has played a key role in the development and maintenance of the rainforest and its trails, whilst the government licenses the trained guides to lead visitors through its trails.

More and more visitors are discovering and enjoying this ancient complex world.

Tropical Rain Forest Walks--

Barre De L'isle Trail (Non-Strenuous)

The Barre de L’isle Forest Reserve gets its name from the fact that it is a ridge that divides the eastern and western halves of St Lucia. It takes approximately one hour to walk this one-mile trail and another hour to climb Mr. La Combe ridge.
The Barre de L’isle trail provided panoramic views from four lookout points along the trail. Observe the ragged Mount Gimie and the blue-green mountain rainforest, Cul-de-Sac valley, the Caribbean Sea and community of Aux Leon. View the expansive Mabouya Valley and Fond d’Or beach on the Atlantic coast.

Des Cartiers Rainforest (Strenuous)
Experience a botanical paradise at Mahaut, St Lucia’s most hidden lush rainforest. Drive six miles inland from the east coast main highway through a secondary road. Hope to the rare St Lucia Parrot (Jacquot). Trek through the rainforest and view the wonderful verdant forest, discover some of St Lucia’s endemic wildlife on this two-kilometer trail.

Edmund Forest Reserve  ( strenuous ) 
This 3½-hour will take you through the heart of the tropical island into Edmund Forest Reserve on the western side of the island, to experience some of nature’s pristine opportunities. Numerous plants, such bromeliads, orchids, mushrooms, lianas and others can be seen attached to their hosts, sitting on large buttress roots or branches on the spongy forest or even cascading the sides of the trail. Continue westward for a magnificent view of Mt Gimie, St Lucia’s highest peak.

Enbas Saut (Moderate to Strenuous)

This trail is within the 19,000 acres of Central Rainforest Reserve; six miles East of Soufriere and at the foot of the highest mountain peak, (Mount Gimie) in St Lucia.
The Enbas Saut Falls trail is a 4km cut trail. Remote, yet unbelievably scenic, with a combination of Rainforest, Cloud Forest, Elfin Woodlands and wildlife. The hilly terrain of Piton Canarie, Piton Troumassee and Mount Gimie stands predominant not too far from the trail. Enbas Saut when translated to English means “below the falls”. Hence the trail is famous for its two cascading waterfalls and pools at the head of the Troumassee River.