One of the most impressive features of Bequia's diving are the very large soft corals found at most of the dive sites. Sea plumes, sea rods and sea whips dwarf the divers both in the Bequia Channel and on the southern edge of Admiralty Bay.

Admirality Bay Area

Dive sites are located all around Bequia with the most protected sites within Admirality Bay. Within the bay, white sand and boulders comprise many of the dive sites. Large stands of pillar coral and delicate finger corals are found here in areas protected from the current. Occasionally, large schools of silversides gather in the shallows where they are hunted by giant silvery tarpon.

At sites like "Devils Table" on the point at the north end of the bay, small fish and interesting creatures, such as the seahorse, sharptail eel, social duster worms and many varieties of butterfly and filefish thrive. There are occasional sightings of turtles and manta rays at this point. This is a wonderful site for a night dive.

Dark red gorgonians thrive atop giant boulders at sites along the southern edge of Admiralty Bay such as "The Boulders" and "Moon Hole". These boulders shelter a variety of small fish and are so large they can hide a diver.

Out toward the southern point of the Bay at "Ship's Stern", schools of snapper and grunts eye divers warily as they drift by in the current. A curious Great Barracuda will often circle the divers, the barracuda coming close enough for a good photo!

Seagrass grows in the white sand near the bottom of the reef at about 50- 60 feet where Granddaddy peacock flounder, flying gurnard and other sand-dwelling creatures florish.

The North Coast

Off the rough cliffs of Bequia on the north coast of the island, strong currents flow through the Bequia Channel bringing a wealth of nutrients to an outrageous profusion of sea whips and sea plumes that bend and sway with the current.

As divers drift along one of the several sites (dives here are frequently done as drift dives), they see schools of fish. Anything from snapper to boga, tomates to creole wrasse, as well as the always present blue and brown chromis school above the channel's reef. Currents are unpredictable, and the direction of the dive cannot be chosen until the boat arrives at the site. Even then, the current will sometime change in the middle of a dive, and the divemaster will signal a change of direction to avoid a tiring swim for the divers.

The North Coast dives are scattered with large boulders most of which are covered with beautiful dark gorgonians. Peeking into the nooks and crannys formed by the boulders, a diver may be rewarded with the sight of a large green moray eel or a sleeping nurse shark. Giant lobster also live among the boulders and may come out to great a diver in the middle of the day. When the current is running, more fish and creatures seem to come out. The schooling fish can surround a diver with fish so dense as to hide one dive buddy from the other.

In the shallow areas, schools of butterflyfish may torment the sergeant majors' by attacking their eggs when a diver swims nearby. Large trumpetfish hang out everywhere. The trumpetfish are particularly fond of imitating a branch of a sea plume or sea rod.

L'Anse Chemin, a wildly beautiful site on the far Northwest corner of Bequia is one of the favorite dive sites on the North Coast. Its location near the Atlantic side of the island and on the edge of the Bequia Channel where it is buffeted by currents, insures a steady supply of food that attracts fish and feeds the corals in the area. Schools of fish, snapper, chromis, tomates, and the occasional large grouper swim here among the swaying soft sea plumes and fans.

It is worth a look for the dramatic scene near the shore where waves breaking on the rocks attract dense schools of silversides and the larger fish that dart in to feed on them. Balls and streams of silversides are silhouetted against the white water created by waves crashing on the dark cliffs.