The Dives • Dive Shops• Accommodation • Your Comments
6 December 2022
Great for wreck diving, Barbados is also said to be home to the second-largest hawksbill turtle nesting population in the Caribbean. This is largely because of the Barbados Sea Turtle organisation working to restore local turtle populations.
As well as turtles, you might see eagle rays and many fascinating smaller animals like frogfish and seahorses.
One of the best wreck dives is the Stavronikita, sunk as an artificial reef in the Folkestone marine park in 1978. On the Atlantic coast Consett Bay is a good dive in calm conditions. For a chance to see Eagle rays and turtles check out the Boot.
Hawksbill Turtle. Photo credit: Rich Carey/Big Stock
It is always warm in Barbados and you can dive year round. The rainy season is from June to November. Sea temperatures range from 26 oC in March to sometimes 30 oC in September.
In September 2022, Barbados discontinued all COVID-19 related travel protocols. There are now no testing requirements for entering Barbados whether you are vaccinated or unvaccinated. The wearing of masks is generally optional More information.
Dive Sites | Dive Shops | Accommodation | Comments
Carlisle Bay is a marine park. A natural harbour, there are six wrecks in the bay. These are shallow at between 3 and 17 m and all within 200 m of the shore. The oldest is the Berwin, tugboat that sank in 1919. The biggest is the Bajan Queen a tug turned party boat which was sunk in 2002. There is lots of life on the wrecks and several green and hawksbill turtles in the bay. All the wrecks are buoyed.
Carlisle Bay by P. Hughes, CC BY-SA 4.0
"5 or so wrecks in a small marine park. 30 - 54 feet in depth, visibility fantastic. Turtles, Rays and numerous fish can be seen here."
Anna, UK
"Relaxing, sea horse, frog fish, 6 ship wrecks"
Chris Rushfel
A reef with much fish life.
"Drift dive over the reef. Visibility again great (Feb) and similar aquatic life to Carlisle Bay but with more chances to see Rays.."
Anna, UK
A drift dive between 12 and 24 m. Good for sighting turtles and eagle rays.
"Sting ray, Eagle ray, Lots of Turtles"
Chris Rushfel
The Friars Craig is a shallow wreck which was sunk in 1985. Broken into three pieces.
"Combination Reef and Wreck together."
Chris Rushfel
The most well known wreck in Barbados. A Greek cargo ship built in 1956. In 1976 it was carrying cement from Ireland to Barbados but caught fire. It was sunk as an artificial reef in the Folkestone marine park in 1978. It lies between 6 and 35 m and is covered in marine life.
Can only be dived in calm conditions in summer. Many hard corals and caverns and a chance sometimes to see sharks.
Recommend a dive shop or list your diving company on this page.
Family owned PADI centre established in 1994.
Queen St
Speightstown
Barbados
Tel: 246-234-1377 or 246-422-5450
UK: +44(0)7834556777
scubadiving@caribsurf.com
"My wife and I are middle aged and have just concluded our PADI Open Water Scuba diving
course - Our Dive Master 'Michael' was excellent and we felt totally confident with him. he has a wicked sense of humour but at no time left us feeling unsafe in any way."
Norman, UK
"I would definitely not recommend Reefers
and Wreckers dive shop. They are careless, dangerous, slapdash and ignore safety. They are particularly dangerous with children. DONT GO THERE!"
Carey, 2008
"I found no problems with the professional attitude of the dive
masters. I had a safe and pleasurable week with good diving!"
Helena, 2008
PADI centre established 1993.
Bridge House Cavans Lane
Bridgetown St. Michael
Barbados
Tel/Whatsapp: 1 (246) 262-1029
E-mail: westsidescuba@gmail.com
PADI dive shop located on the beach on the West Coast of Barbados. Established in 1995
Lorenzo Garraway
Lorenzo's Scuba Dreams
The Fairmont Royal Pavilion and Glitter Bay Hotels
Porters
St James
Barbados
West Indies
Tel: (246) 422 4414 / 422 5555
Mobile: (246) 245 4288
E-mail: bowlman88@yahoo.com
" We arrived 10 minutes before agreed time, but the boat had left already! Don't touch them!
"
Nigel
" Fantastic dive operator - been diving with them for over a decade now. Would recommend them to anyone."
Alex Da Costa
PADI resort: 1 dive costs US$50 or BDS$100 (2007).
Hilton Barbados
Needham's Point
St Michael
Barbados
West Indies
Tel: 1-246-434-5764
E-mail: info@divebarbadosblue.com
"The experience of diving with Barbados Blue can be captured in a single word: "Meh...". The shop had good gear for use, but the whole pre-dive experience was not like many other dive shops. Rather than talk about where we were heading, how long the ride is, what the temp and visibility would be, etc., we were put on a bench and ignored until we were asked to carry our gear onto the boat--no idea where we were headed or how long we would be in transit. The ride was wet as the boat is, as described, a barge. At the dive site, were were given a cursory overview of the dive and safety, and away we went. When we were called to the surface after an entirely uneventful and slightly below average for Caribbean dive, we still had 2/3 of our tanks full of air. I understand that some people in the group were low, but why not let those of us who were not low extend the dive under the boat? The second dive was the same thing--an OK dive with some fish and healthy coral and a few turtles, then surface with lots of air left after just under 45 minutes. I would rate the shop and the dive sites slightly below average as compared to the other dive shops and sites we have visited in the Caribbean. Honestly, we saw better fish and many more turtles just snorkeling on our own from the shore in Carlisle Bay.
"
Tim Mahoney, 2022
" I highly recommend diving with Andre, Roger or Christie at "Barbados Blue". Experienced divers, very knowledgeable about the ecological aspects of the reefs and wildlife, great people to dive with.
"
Pat, 2008
" I'd definitely dive with anybody from Barbados Blue again. All instructors very friendly and knowledgable. With 2 or 3 dives each day there will always be something that suits.
"
Anna, UK
Specialise in semi-private and small group dives.
House of Pillars
Cavens Lane
Bridgetown
St. Michael
Barbados
Tel: (246) 243-5816
E-mail: dive@ecodivebarbados.com
Carlisle Bay Highway 7
Barbados
Tel: (246) 436 3483(Dive)
E-mail: info@rogersscubashack.com
Small group diving.
St. Lawrence Main Road
Christ Church (on Highway 7)
Barbados
Tel: +1 (246) 230-7485
Whatsapp: (246) 824-6352
E-mail: info@seahorsediversbb.com
For hotels in Barbados see the Agoda site...
Shutters is a 4-bedroom house, sleeping 8 and offering comfortable rental accommodation on the west coast of Barbados. It is situated in Lower Carlton, in the parish of St James, just off the coast road between Holetown and Speightstown, five minutes walk from the beach. SCUBA diving is available within a 10 minute drive. Two companies, Reefers and Wreckers in Speightstown and West Side Scuba in Holetown, will pick you up from the house.
E-mail: jenniferkemp1@aol.com
Web: shuttersinbarbados.com/
Please send us your comments on Barbados. Do you want to recommend a diving centre or dive site? Let us know. Have a question - we're waiting to hear from you.
