This Caribbean Island has strong connections with London since so many of its population were recruited to work in London's transport system before returning to retire back home. Hurricane Ivan wreaked havoc on Grenada in September 2004, but the infrastructure has been rebuilt. While diving is fine for beginners, some operators are trying to give more experienced divers a better ride. Grenada is the home of what was the most magnificent wreck dive in the Caribbean, the Bianca C, an Italian liner destroyed by fire decades ago. Alas, the hurricane has reduced it to mangled metal. However, since then, many other wrecks have been either discovered or sunk, so Grenada could conceivably be called the wreck capital of the Caribbean. There's also the now famous underwater sculpture park in shallow water and suitable for new divers.
Diving Guadeloupe (Caribbean) Reader Reports and Feature Articles
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We stayed in a comfortable bungalow in a beautifully peaceful garden a stone’s throw from the dive shop on Terre-de-Haut. There are no ... ... Read more
Turned up at the small dive shop on the beach at 7.30am to find a bunch of divers already kitting up. Somewhat chaotic, we left most ou... ... Read more
We did two dives with Bleue Passion just west of the town of Bouillante, outside the Cousteau marine park which most divers to the area... ... Read more
I have been coming at this location for the past 20 years. I had to change Dive Center as the old one change owner and it did not offe... ... Read more
Phillipe, the owner of the shop is immensely knowledgeable of the diving area. He gave much attention and consideration to my friend a... ... Read more
Editor's Book Picks for Scuba Diving Guadeloupe (Caribbean)
The books below are my
favorites about diving in this part of the world All books are
available at a significant discount from Amazon.com; just
follow the links. -- BD
Today's airline weight restrictions not only limit the amount of dive gear
and cameras you can pack for overseas trips, but also those valuable
prized marine life identification books. And with spotty Internet access
overseas, it's not like you can look a critter of or fish up easily
online. For the divers who still want a book in their hands post-dive to
look up the fishes they encounter, Paul Humann and Ned DeLoach are
offering "Travel Edition of Reef Fish Identification: Caribbean, Bahamas,
South Florida." It's lightweight enough to thrown in your carry-on but
rugged enough to withstand frequent saltwater washings on board.
World Atlas of Coral Reefs by Mark D. Spalding, Corinna Ravilious,
Edmund P. Green, United Nations World Conservation Monitoring Center.
If there is one book that belongs in every traveling diver's library, this is
it. The superb World Atlas of Coral Reefs has everything you want to know
about the reefs from Costa Rica and Cuba to the Coral Sea and Cayman. The information
is specific and up to date. The photos, maps and layout superb. And the price,
for this 424 page, full color, hard bound volume, is a steal at $31.50
The Atlas was released in September by the United Nations World
Conservation Monitoring Center to document and conserve the world's coral reefs.
Clearly written with divers in mind, it's an invaluable resource for global
travelers. Here's what you'll find.
94 maps, including global maps of biodiversity and reef
stresses, regional maps showing 3-D bathymetry and high resolution maps showing
reefs, mangroves, population centers, dive centers and protected areas.
280 color photographs, showing reefs, wildlife, people and
places, Including 84 photographs taken from space by Shuttle astronauts.
Text explaining the formation, structure and ecology of
coral reefs; their various uses and abuses at the hands of humans; and the
techniques used in coral reef mapping.
Detailed texts describing the distribution and status of
coral reefs in every country.
Data tables listing information on biodiversity, human
use, and protected areas. These include statistics on coral reef area, biodiversity,
fish consumption, and threats.
For example, you can learn about pollution damage to the reefs
at Providenciales and the lack of human impact, as well. Or, where extensive
bleaching took place in Honduras 1998. You'll read that Milne Bay in Papua New
Guineas has the most extensive reef system in that country and where, in Fiji,
the bumphead parrotfish and tridachna clams will not be found, thanks to overfishing.
Order
now.
The three set fish, creature and coral ID books by Paul Humann are the unparalleled sources for information on Caribbean sea life and identification. Paul and his partner Ned Deloach recently released updated and expanded editions of each, with scores of new critters, even better photos, and information unavailable anywhere else. Why, the Reef Fish Identification book, at more than 500 pages, is 20 percent larger than the previous volume, which came out in 1994. Whenever I travel to the Caribbean, I tote all three books and spend my down hours figuring out what I saw and where to look to find rare creatures. Paul's splendid Reef Creature book (420 pages), covers sponges, nudibranchs, octopus, crustaceans, Christmas tree worms and plenty more. His Reef Coral ID book (276 pages) helps you identify all the hard and soft corals, spawning, and even the growth on top of corals, as well as algae and other plant life. Beginners may want to ID only fish, but I'd recommend that all three books be part of every diver's library. And, if you have an old set, by all means replace it. You'll be delighted at the additions and improvements. Each book normally retails for $40, but are discounted when you order here. And the boxed 3-volume set is available now at a bigger discount, up to 30%. Click below to buy them at Amazon:
This book doubles as a guide to the natural history of the coral reefs and a diver's travel guide. In addition to providing information about some of the most popular diving and snorkeling, it also offers practical suggestions to divers who want to protect these sites. Author Mark Spalding, a coral reef scientist who has worked on coral reefs in over thirty countries, delves into the eco-problems with a focus on what each person can do to protect the reefs. The guide section covers 35 dive destinations with key information on the reefs, marine parks, remote places, and unusual species as well as excellent maps and a photographic field guide of the marine flora and fauna. Order Now at a reduced price of only $16.47.
The Best of Undercurrent: Bizarre and Brilliant True Diving Tales from Thirty Years of Undercurrent.
Shipping now is our brand new, 240-page book filled with the best of the unusual, the entertaining, and the jaw dropping stories Undercurrent has published. They’re true, often unbelievable, and always fascinating. We’re offering it to you now for the special price of just $14.95.