Ins & Outs of St. Vincent and the Grenadines - 2023

33 DIVING eye out for southern stingrays and eagle rays that pass by. More adventurous divers and snorkelers will head over the horseshoe reef to glimpse nurse and reef sharks or dive on the World War I gun- boat wreck, Purini, near Saline Bay, Mayreau. St. Vincent and the Grenadines continues to promote its marine resources with an emphasis on conservation. Throughout the pandemic several dive shops used the down time to establish coral nurseries. Located in St. Vincent, Bequia, Mustique and the Southern Grenadines, the nurseries are already producing coral to be replanted and offer visiting divers opportunities to volunteer. If you would like to get involved, contact your local dive shop for more information. Dive Bequia “The best kept secret of the Grenadines: healthy fringing reefs, exhilarating drifts and diverse marine life, Dive Bequia has it all!” Established since 1984, join us to discover the stunning reefs and wrecks surrounding Bequia. Find us along the Belmont Walkway to arrange PADI instruction, guided dives, private charters and snorkel trips. Snorkel equipment sales and rentals plus souvenir t-shirts and caps available in store. Tel: (784) 458-3504 or WhatsApp (784) 495-9929 www.divebequia.com | cathy@divebequia.com Belmont Walkway, Bequia Grenadines Dive Run by NAUI instructor Glenroy Adams, catering to small groups and offering resort courses to full certification. Instructors are NAUI or PADI professionals, their “rendezvous service” collects you from your yacht and takes you to any of the countless dive sites. As one diver put it, “The dive sites I visited seemed untouched. On many days I dove with the dive master only. On crowded days I dove with six others. This is SCUBA at its best... I have dived in areas ranging from the Pacific to the Indian Ocean. The dive sites in your country rank on a world class level!” Tel (784) 458-8138 or 455-3822 www.grenadinesdive.com | gdive@grenadinesdive.com Clifton Harbour, Union Island of rarely-seen creatures earned St. Vincent the nickname Critter Capital of the Caribbean and the island was voted as having the best Caribbean diving by Sport Diver magazine. As spectacular as the diving is in St. Vincent, the Grenadines are not to be outdone, with easily accessible wrecks and pristine reefs full of nooks and crannies to search for lobster, cleaner shrimp and eels. The island of Bequia has two dive shops both located on the Belmont Walkway. The close proximity of the dive sites makes diving easy and rewarding. Bequia’s leeward coastline is fringed by a sloping reef where divers may find themselves surrounded by schools of creole wrasse, blue tangs and dozens of other curious species. Heading further south, fabulous diving and snorkeling is available in the turquoise waters around Mustique, Canouan, the Tobago Cays, Mayreau, Union, Palm and Petit St. Vincent (PSV), with dive shops in Mustique, Union and PSV. Snorkeling within the Tobago Cays Marine Park almost guarantees you’ll find Hawksbill and green turtles. You can float lazily on the surface and watch them grazing on the turtle grass while keeping an Dive Bequia diver tending to a coral nursery Photo: Dive Bequia