Barbados is the only coral limestone island in the Caribbean. This provides for a fringing coral reef along the entire shoreline making it a first class destination to dive!
Adapted from Sporting Barbados Magazine - http://www.sportingbarbados.com/
Fringing Reef
Barbados is the only coral limestone island in the Caribbean. This provides for a fringing coral reef along the entire shoreline making it a first class destination to dive!
Crystal clear waters
With 60 feet to 100 feet of visibility all year around you will be challenged to absorb all there is to see.
Warm water
Sea temperatures average between 26 & 29 degrees centigrade all year around. This will only vary by a degree or so at depth.
All year around diving
With visibility, water temperature and sea conditions being fairly constant the diving in Barbados is generally good all year around.
Ideal novice/training conditions
With near perfect conditions and a variety of excellent shallow dive sites the conditions are ideal for learning to dive. So no excuses! Give it a go!
Training from novice to Dive Master
The full spectrum of scuba diving training is available in Barbados with core courses in fundamental diving and a variety of specialty courses.
Boat Diving
All recreational diving is conducted by boat on the West and South coasts of the island.
Wreck diving for the novice to advanced
Barbados is known as the wreck diving capital of the Caribbean with its variety of wrecks that have developed over the years into fabulous artificial reefs.
Diving on Nitrox
Nitrox diving has become popular due to the diminished nitrogen effect and the perception of less fatigue. Hightide Watersports located in Coral Reef Hotel on the West Coast, offers a Nitrox service in both training and mixed gas supply by arrangement.
Technical Diving
Advanced recreational diving in Barbados is increasingly becoming more technical. Technical diving training programs are available through Hightide Watersports.
Hyperbaric Chamber
A hyperbaric chamber was installed in Barbados in 2004 and is operated 24/7 by a special health unit of the Barbados Defense Force (BDF)
Carlisle Bay
In order to preserve the marine bio diversity and 6 major wrecks Carlisle Bay is designated a protected area and is managed by Coastal Zone Management Unit.
Folkestone Marine Park
Extending from the northern point of the Sandy Lane beach to the northern point of Heron Bay, the marine park encompasses some wonderfully preserved healthy reefs in fairly shallow water such as Dottins, Fishermans and Church Point.
Underwater Photography
Barbados is ideal for underwater photography with lots of healthy, vibrant, brightly coloured reefs and a variety of marine life.
Cement Plant Pier
A marine life magnate with regular sightings of the rare Barbados Frog Fish and the even rarer worldwide Sea Horse. A macro photographers dream.
Barbados Sea Turtle Project
For more than 25 years, the Barbados Sea Turtle Project has been involved in conservation of the endangered marine turtle species that forage around and nest on Barbados through research, education and public outreach as well as monitoring of nesting females, juveniles and hatchlings.
Turtle Tagging
The Barbados Sea Turtle Project actively monitor turtles and update their extensive unrivalled database of turtle information accumulated in association with Hightide Watersports. They have been doing this over the past 15 years. Turtle no. 1160 of this endangered species was recorded on the Hightide dive boat in August 2016.
SS Stavronikita
This wreck is regularly listed in the top 100 dive sights world wide. This Greek merchant freighter was deliberately sunk in November 1978 and over time has become a truly wonderful artificial reef. Sitting on a slope with the prop at 135 feet, the wreck is 365 feet long . The Deck runs from 75 feet (bow) to 100 feet (stern).
MV Trident
The newest addition to the Barbados wreck portfolio, the MV Trident, the decommissioned flagship of the Barbados coast guard, was sunk in Carlisle Bay on the 28th April 2016.
Hightide Watersports
Operating as a PADI scuba diving centre since 1993 Hightide Watersports is established as the most recognizable name in Barbados scuba diving. Hightide are the only dive operator based in Folkestone Marine Park and are centrally located for the best diving. The Hightide team average 15 years together, a longevity which is reflected in the excellence of diving provision and procedural safety. So what are you waiting for?