Carriacou Scuba Diving: Quiet Reefs in the Grenadines

About Carriacou

Carriacou lies about 30 km north-northeast of Grenada, in the chain of small islands called the Grenadines. It's part of the nation of Grenada, along with its tiny neighbour Petite Martinique. The island is small, hilly and quiet, with one main town, Hillsborough, and a sheltered anchorage at Tyrrel Bay on the southwest coast where sailing yachts gather. Life moves slowly here, and that suits divers who want reefs without crowds.

Most Carriacou diving is run from Tyrrel Bay and Hillsborough. The reefs are spread around the island and the small cays nearby, and boat rides are short. Because the island sees far fewer visitors than Grenada, you'll often have a dive site to yourself.

What the diving is like

Carriacou has dozens of dive sites. The reefs here are known for soft corals: sea rods, sea plumes and sea fans that sway in the current, mixed with sponges, hard coral heads and rocky outcrops. Turtles are common, and divers regularly see nurse sharks, stingrays, eagle rays, barracuda and big schools of reef fish. Some sites are gentle reef dives. Others sit in channels between the islands, where current brings in fish and makes for exciting drifts.

• Sisters Rocks Advanced

  Rocky islets northwest of Carriacou that drop into deep water. The walls are covered in sponges and soft corals, and the current often brings in big fish. It's usually dived on calm days with an experienced group.

• Sandy Island All levels

  A small, low island of white sand and palms off Hillsborough, inside a marine protected area. The shallow reefs around it are good for snorkeling and easy dives.

• Mabouya Island All levels

  A small island off the west coast with gentle reefs and sandy patches, a good spot for turtles and rays.

• Local wrecks Varies

  Carriacou has a few wrecks of its own, including small cargo ships and boats sitting on sand near the island. Ask the local dive centers which are being dived.

The Sandy Island Oyster Bed Marine Protected Area

Much of Carriacou's west coast lies inside the Sandy Island Oyster Bed Marine Protected Area (SIOBMPA). It covers Sandy Island and its reefs, and the mangrove lagoon at the Oyster Bed near Tyrrel Bay, an important nursery for young fish. As in Grenada's other MPAs, divers and snorkelers usually pay a small user fee, and fishing and anchoring are controlled. Follow your guide's instructions, keep off the reef, and don't feed or chase the marine life.

Kick 'em Jenny

Between Grenada and Carriacou lies Kick 'em Jenny, an active underwater volcano. It's monitored closely, and an exclusion zone for boats applies around it. The size of the zone depends on the current alert level, so ferries and dive boats follow the latest notices from Grenada's disaster management agency. There is no diving on the volcano.

After Hurricane Beryl

In July 2024, Hurricane Beryl hit Carriacou and Petite Martinique hard. It damaged homes, boats and much of the islands' infrastructure, and recovery has taken time. Marine services have since reopened, but some hotels, restaurants and services may still be limited. Check directly with your accommodation and dive center before you travel, and expect some reefs to show storm damage while they recover. Visiting divers bring income that helps the islands rebuild.

Getting to Carriacou

There are two ways to reach Carriacou from Grenada:

• Ferry from St. George's to Carriacou. The main service currently docks at Tyrrel Bay. The trip takes roughly 90 minutes to two hours depending on the boat, and the crossing can be rough when the trade winds blow. Check the current port and timetable before you travel.
• A short flight from Grenada's Maurice Bishop International Airport to Lauriston Airport on Carriacou, about 20 minutes.

Remember the time you need between your last dive and any flight, including this short hop. The Grenada dive trip planning guide covers flying after diving, the seasons and what to pack.

Combining Carriacou and Grenada

Many divers spend most of their trip on Grenada, with its wreck diving, the underwater sculpture park and the main Grenada dive sites, then finish with three or four days on Carriacou. If you're doing a course, finish it on Grenada first, where there are more dive centers and courses to choose from: see learn to dive in Grenada.