Just one of the 600 islands that make up the Grenadines, Carriacou’s Frigate Island is small and rocky, and is located just a short distance from the larger island of Carriacou. A fantastic place to visit between January and May, and nice during the remainder of the year as well, this wonderful piece of paradise is tiny, but features some spectacular dive sites. Here are the three most popular.
Pagodas Garden
Named for its hard coral formations, which are shaped like traditional Chinese pagodas, this gorgeous reef is washed by strong currents most of the time and is suitable only for experienced divers. The reef top begins at a depth of eight meters, eventually sloping to join with the ocean floor at a depth of twenty-three meters. Pagodas Garden is located where the Atlantic Ocean and Caribbean Sea melt together, and besides the hard coral, you’ll find an abundance of soft coral, anemones, sea fans, and sponges. Watch for black durgeon, big ocean triggerfish, groups of elegant Moorish idols and lots of butterfly fish, along with creole wrasse and lots of crustaceans, including conchs. In addition, keep an eye out for turtles and nurse sharks as you explore.
The Rock
A magnificent rocky reef with its top at five meters and maximum depth at forty meters, The Rock is an exceptional site for a fun and fast paced drift. The current is strong most of the time, keeping the larger pelagics coming in droves. Watch for everything from jack to barracuda, and in sheltered areas, look for purple and gold fairy basslets, rock beauties, and nudibranchs galore. Along the top of the reef, beautiful fields of lettuce and elkhorn coral host a kaleidoscope of smaller reef creatures, and beneath the many overhangs and inside the grottoes along the wall, you can find scores of lobsters. If you’re lucky, you may even encounter napping nurse sharks.
Shark Canyon
As with the other popular sites around Frigate Island, Shark Canyon is subject to intense currents and is suitable for experienced divers only. The reef top is very shallow, beginning just three meters beneath the surface, while maximum depth is a still easy thirteen meters. The dive begins along the canyon’s outer walls, where reef sharks put on an incredible show, hunting with barracudas from massive swathes of silver sided fish. Inside the shelter of the canyon, nurse sharks sleep, and on occasion, so do turtles. Watch for schooling chub and creole wrasse, big queen angelfish, bright yellow butterflyfish, blue tangs, and huge Moorish idols. Keep an eye out for conch and lobster, as well.
Frigate Island is a short boat ride from Carriacou, which is pristine, offering year-round diving and excellent beaches. There are a few nice resorts and other accommodations available, and the area is home to well equipped dive operators that do all they can to ensure you have a fantastic stay. If you hope to dive Frigate Island and other fantastic sites in the Grenadines, be sure to work on your physical fitness level beforehand, as this will enhance your enjoyment of the many beautiful, but challenging dive sites.