An enchanting sea, full of life. A lush green paradise in the Caribbean. This could be any island, but the focus here is one island in particular, one that is small, but mighty. Montserrat is an incredible destination for diving and for many other activities. A British overseas territory, the island is about 64 square km (40 square miles) and it has had recent a history of natural devastation, with the devastating Hurricane Hugo in 1989, Hurricane Luis in 1995, and a live volcano, the Soufriere Volcano, located on the southern half of the island which erupted in 1995 and 1997.
The volcanic activity wiped out the capital city of Plymouth and has made the southern half of the island uninhabitable, although it has not harmed the northern half of the island nor has it harmed the diving in Montserrat. The diving around the island is fantastic; there are numerous reefs around the island, the substrate for which has been provided by the volcanic boulders that have plunged into the sea and the ridges formed by the pyroclastic flows that have run into the ocean. The rich volcanic soil both above and beneath the waves have created a substrate in which the corals can thrive and in which plant life has been able to flourish. And like the sea life and plant life, the people that continue to live on the northern half of the island are thriving like never before.
Diving The Bat Cave
One of the most popular dive sites in Montserrat is the Bat Cave and there is little wonder as to why that is. This dive site offers divers the unique experience of viewing the fruit bat in its native environment. Located in the point of Rendezvous Bluff, the Bat Cave can be reached by swimming from the shore or diving from a boat and both snorkelers and divers can enjoy the experience. The cave itself is a partially submerged crevice that houses these special flying mammals and is often the highlight for divers visiting Rendezvous Bluff.
Described by some as a “bat orchestra”, the Bat Cave offers a chorus of bat chirps that greet divers as they enter the cave. Thousands of bats hang upside down from the ceiling in this fabulous cave, which offers them a protected environment, and these bats literally cover the walls and ceilings of the cave. This protection is important as these bats and all the bat species have been affected by the devastation the island has experienced in the past. Hurricanes and volcanic eruptions have destroyed the natural environment of the bats of Montserrat and there have been two droughts since then.
The fruit bat is a species of bat that enjoys fruit and the nectar of flowers. These bats live on the fruits and flowers in Montserrat, often crushing the fruit first to release the juices before eating them. These bats are important pollinators and seed carriers, making them crucial for the re-growth of the island. They discard or eliminate the seeds of the fruit they eat and then pass pollen from flower to flower as they drink the nectar with their long tongues. The droughts experienced on the island significantly and negatively impacted the quantity of food available for these creatures. However, despite these difficulties the fruit bat has faced, these animals are recovering and their numbers are growing. This is very obvious for anyone who has ever entered the Bat Cave.
Other Dive Sites Filled With Marine Life
There are a variety of other sites besides the Bat Cave that divers can enjoy. Some of these occur in calm waters and others, such as Little Redonda, The Pinnacles, and Yellow Hole, have stronger currents that are only available for experienced divers. However, there is also plenty of diving for beginner divers as well. Besides the many reefs that occur at both shallow depths and deeper down, there is the Pot of Gold, which is home to sting rays and massive barrel sponges. Potato Hill Reef is another spectacular site where two coral species commonly found only in deep water were once found at only 20 feet in depth. The species are wire coral and deep sea fan coral and they were destroyed by Hurricane Luis in 1995. Fortunately, the deep sea fan coral is coming back, which is a site to see, and in the same area divers can also see bushy black coral. There are also ancient turtles that breed in Montserrat and these turtles get very big. Other animals that can been seen in the waters of Montserrat include jellyfish, stingrays, scorpion fish, fire corals, moray eels, sea urchins, sharks, and lots of brightly colored tropical fish.
Diving is still a relatively quiet activity in Montserrat, despite the fact that it has some of the best and most pristine diving in the entire Caribbean. The water is warm, the visibility is fantastic, and the climate is near perfect. With only a few dive operators, there is a lot of relaxed diving going on for those who decide to visit this small island paradise. On land visitors can hike, bike, and take in the lush forest and volcano watching that the island provides. The people are friendly, the culture quiet yet fun, and the volcanic sand beaches are a special treat. And this is the Emerald Isle of the Caribbean where St. Patrick’s Day is a celebrated national holiday with weeklong celebrations held to celebrate the Irish heritage of the people who live on the island. With all of this going on, a diving vacation in Montserrat is well worth it for anyone looking for some tropical fun in a place filled with life.