Caribbean · Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
Bequia — Admiralty Bay & the Stratmann Wreck
Healthy fringing reef, boulder swim-throughs and a tug wreck minutes from the beach
Photo: Barry Peters from Greer, SC · CC BY 2.0
Bequia, an island in the Grenadines, is ringed by a fringing reef with four wrecks, swim-throughs, walls and a cave. Boats leave the beach at Belmont on Admiralty Bay for sites 5 to 25 minutes away, where dives run from 5 m to 30 m over sloping coral, boulder fields and the sunken Stratmann tug. The draw is healthy reef and varied terrain within a short boat ride.
About diving in Bequia — Admiralty Bay & the Stratmann Wreck
Most reefs, wrecks and walls lie offshore, out of reach from the beach, so shore diving is not offered and every dive goes by boat. Boats launch right off the beach at Belmont on Admiralty Bay, and the run to a site takes from 5 minutes to 25. The site is chosen on the morning of the dive to suit the weather, and a sheltered cove such as Moonhole, twenty minutes out, can be dived on most days. Night dives run on request.
Sloping coral gardens give way to steeper reef and walls, and the reef holds breeding areas, cleaning stations and critter hideouts. At North West Point frogfish sit on the large boulders beside colourful sponges and fans. Several sites are dived in either direction depending on the current, and on one drift queen triggerfish have been seen among azure vase corals and pink and yellow sponges. Eagle rays, barracuda and turtles pass in the open water off the reef.
The mix suits divers past their first certification who want variety on short boat rides: the Stratmann tug, North West Point and Robyn's Reef are all rated for intermediate divers, and the deeper sites add a chance of southern stingrays. Beginners and macro photographers have Devil's Table, the closest site, which starts in sheltered Rocky Bay. Divers after big animals should know that the fish life runs small to medium, with a larger visitor only now and then.
Best time to dive Bequia — Admiralty Bay & the Stratmann Wreck
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Good |
Diving runs all year with no peak month; heavier rain is possible from July to November, and the rest of the year is pleasant with the odd shower.
Best months: January, February, March, April, May, June, December
Dive types & marine life
Hawksbill turtles pass regularly and big schools of fish work the reef, while blacktip sharks are occasional. Seahorses sit in the sea grass for those who know where to look, and frogfish, nudibranchs and octopus reward slow dives.
- Reef
- Wreck
- Drift
- Sea turtles
- Eagle rays
- Barracuda
- Frogfish
- Nudibranchs
- Octopus & cuttlefish
Best dive sites in Bequia — Admiralty Bay & the Stratmann Wreck
- 1
Stratmann Wreck
Tug wreck for intermediate divers, its stern on sand at 18 m (60 ft) among garden eels and jawfish
- 2
Boulders
Huge 9 m (30 ft) boulders forming swim-throughs, with a chance of shy nurse sharks
- 3
Devil's Table
Reef deepening gradually to 18 m (60 ft), with a series of caves at the end holding spotted morays
- 4
North West Point
Healthy reef for intermediate divers starting at 7 m (25 ft) and dropping to 25 m (82 ft)
- 5
Cathedral
Steeply sloping reef from 5 m (15 ft) down to the sandy floor
- 6
Moonhole
Sloping reef in a sheltered cove, with a strong current possible at the northern corner
- 7
Robyn's Reef
Drift dive down a reef slope that is home to about 12 giraffe garden eels
Site guides
Reef
Swim-throughs between giant boulders where shy nurse sharks hide
Reef
A steep reef slope from the shallows down to open sand
Reef
A sheltered start in Rocky Bay and small caves full of macro life
A sheltered cove reef that can be dived on most days
Reef
Frogfish on large boulders among colourful sponges and fans
Reef
A drift past azure vase corals, home to a colony of giraffe garden eels
Wreck
A tug wreck whose portholes and hatches shelter green morays
How to get to Bequia — Admiralty Bay & the Stratmann Wreck
J. F. Mitchell Airport (BQU) on Bequia has scheduled and charter flights from Barbados, St Lucia and St Vincent. The Bequia Express runs 5 ferries a day, fewer at weekends, from Kingstown on St Vincent to Port Elizabeth. The dive centres sit along the Belmont harbourwalk on Admiralty Bay, near guest houses and small hotels.
Photos from Bequia — Admiralty Bay & the Stratmann Wreck
D-Stanley · CC BY 2.0
Dive videos
Brilliant Coral & Healthy Sealife With Dive Bequia in SVG · Goats On The Road on YouTube
Questions divers ask
Is there shore diving on Bequia?+
No. Most reefs, wrecks and walls lie offshore, so diving is by boat from the beach at Belmont, with rides of 5 to 25 minutes.
What certification does the Stratmann wreck need?+
It is rated for intermediate divers. The stern sits on sand at 18 m (60 ft), and the dive ends on Devil's Table reef, which also suits beginners.
How do divers get to Bequia?+
Fly into J. F. Mitchell Airport from Barbados, St Lucia or St Vincent, or take the Bequia Express ferry from Kingstown to Port Elizabeth, which runs 5 times a day, fewer at weekends.
When is the best time to dive Bequia?+
Diving runs all year, with water from 25 °C (78 °F) in winter to 30 °C (86 °F) in summer. July to November can bring heavier rain.
Sources
- Dive Bequia — Dive Bequia
- Bequia Dive Sites - Reefs, Wrecks, Walls and Drifts! (Wayback) — Dive Bequia
- Bequia Dive Adventures — Bequia Dive Adventures
- Bequia – Wikivoyage — Wikivoyage
- J. F. Mitchell Airport – Wikipedia — Wikipedia
- Devil's Table – Scubago — Scubago/SSI
- Moonhole – Scubago — Scubago/SSI
Photo credits
- A speckled mantis shrimp peers out of a round hole in coarse grey sand, its stalked eyes raised. by Barry Peters from Greer, SC, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- A two-masted schooner and several sailing yachts at anchor in a calm bay below green hills, with a sandy shore in front. by D-Stanley, CC BY 2.0, via Openverse
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