56Isea&iIWINTER 2011

WINTER 2011I sea&iI57and lots of dancing. Arrive early for sundowners (skip thebarbecue) and enjoy the sunset over English Harbour.Abracadabra'sin English Harbour is always jumping. Servingfresh seafood early on, the night later evolves into a danceparty as live jazz, reggae and often carnival costumes take over. Down in the Windward island chain, Basil's Baron Mustiquehas been welcoming celebrities and royalty for more than 30years. Constructed on stilts over the beach, the bar is legendaryfor parties and late night jump-ups. For local rum and reggae, Grenada'sbest-known nightlife canbe found at the Bananas Nightclubor Karmaon the Carenagein the capital of St George; and for live entertainment theCalebasse Café in Martinique'sLe Marin is a fashionable cosyspot that features Cuban, jazz and French music. Snorkelling The Caribbean has fantastic reefs and wrecks for diving andscuba-diving. All ages can experience the underwater world ofexotic fish and colourful coral with a snorkel and mask, and tomake it even easier many of the snorkelling spots have markedunderwater trails for snorkellers to explore with signsdescribing the typical marine life for the area. The Virgin Islands are synonymous with some of the world'sbest snorkelling opportunities. Lying just off Norman Islandinthe BVI, The Indiansare a dramatic reef and rocky outcrop,resembling an Indian headdress and providing superbsnorkelling. The Bathson Virgin Gordaare perfect for childrenand novice snorkellers as the shallow pools are calm and clear. Over in the USVI, Buck Island National Monument, lying justoff St Croix'snorth shore, is an 850-acre national park where thereef is home to more than 250 species of fish and a variety ofcorals and crustaceans. Cane Bayon St Croix has a reef thatextends out to Cane Bay Wall, a dramatic drop into deep waters.Almost all of the beaches aroundSt John, also in the USVI, havecoral reefs around the bays where a variety of coral and tropicalfish can be seen in the clear waters. Caneel Bay, Hawknest Bayand Trunk Bayin the USVI also have great snorkelling withwaters shallow enough for children. Antiguais surrounded by warm, clear waters with anabundance of colourful marine life. Several coral reefs, wallsand shipwrecks provide a home to many varieties of fish, andwith little current, these waters are ideal for children and novicesnorkellers. The one-and-a-half kilometre (one mile) longParadise Reefoff Dickenson Bay, and Cades Reef, now an under-water park, are among the area's popular snorkelling spots. Down in the Grenadines every island in the chain offerssnorkelling opportunities, but the Tobago Caysare particularlyspecial. A protected area, the coral is untouched and the calmwaters allow you to float and let the water gently pull you overthe reef. Other areas of note in the Grenadines include thewaters surrounding Palm Island, Petit St Vincentand Canouan.Lying at top and the bottom of the Grenadines island chain, StLuciaandGrenadahave ample snorkelling spots. SoufriereMarine Parkin St Luciais perfect for snorkelling, as is the coralaround Anse Chastanet, where the reef is long with plenty ofshallow areas to explore. The area is a marine reserve and nomotorised boats are allowed near the snorkelling site. For aunique experience, Molinier Bayin Grenadais an eerie site withan underwater gallery of sculptures anchored 4.5 metres (14.7feet) beneath the surface. Diving Home to several marine national parks, shipwrecks, andtropical marine life, the Caribbean is a must-visit destinationfor scuba-divers. Beach dives, reef dives, wreck dives and walldives are all on offer for experienced divers. Most of theaforementioned snorkelling spots provide ample divingopportunities, but the following are further dive sites for thoselooking for the ultimate diving experience.In the USVI, divers can explore a number of shipwrecksaround the Buck Island Reef National MonumentincludingNorthwind, theRosaomaria, and the Suffolk Maid. Other gooddive sites include the drop-offs and coral canyons at Cane Bayand Davis Bay- the latter of which, at 3,600 metres (11,800feet), is the fifth-deepest body of water in the world.The neighbouring BVIs have several gentle dives that rarelyexceed 30 metres (98 feet). Lying just off Salt Islandis the wreckof HMS Rhone. The Royal Mail steamer, which went down in1867, is one of the most celebrated dive sites in the Caribbean.Other spectacular dive sites in the area include the ChikuzenoffTortola. This 82m (270') steel-hulled ship sank off the island'seast coast and is now home to an array of tropical fish, includingyellowtail, barracuda, black-tip sharks and drum fish.Meanwhile, the brilliant coral wall known as Alice inWonderlandat nearby Ginger Island slopes to a sandy bottomat 30 metres. Aptly named, the site is often referred to as afantasy due to its overhangs, vibrant colours, huge mushroom-shaped corals and colourful fish. The southwestern side of mountainous St Kitts offersspectacular dive sites for all standards. The more popularand challenging include the 30-metre long canyons in theSandy Point Reef National Marine Park. The waterssurrounding neighbouring volcanic island of Sabaare hometo 38 official dive sites. Unusual lava flows, black sand, andlarge strands of black coral attract millions of colourful fish.Just over the water, the Pillars of Herculeslying off Antiguaare a group of coral columns resembling an ancientGreek temple. aboardashore?Opposite page, clockwisefrom top:the FourSeasons Nevis RobertTrent Jones (Junior) golf course; the Spa on Mustique; the VirginIslands have severalsnorkelling spots; theLeeward island of Nevis;Little Dix Bay, VirginGorda, BVI; The BeachBar & Grill at the PeterIsland Resort, BVI