A shallow reef on Dominica's south-west coast where volcanic hot springs vent beneath the seabed and send endless streams of warm bubbles up through it. The dive is run as a circuit of the reef with the bubble field saved for the end, and PADI lists a maximum depth of 4 m. Calm water and light current make it a dive for all levels, entered from a boat or off the beach.
Also known as Champagne.
Where it is and how deep
15.2433° N, 61.3739° WPublished position for this site.
The dive
The dive is usually run as a circuit of the reef first, with the vents kept for last. You follow the coral around the site and cross the shallow sandy areas on the way, where flying gurnards are common, and squid often hang in-shore not far from the bubbles. Water here is calm and the current is usually light, so the pace is yours and navigation is simple.
The safety stop is the point of the dive. Warm bubbles rise in endless streams out of the subterranean volcanic hot springs under the seabed, shimmering up through the sand and around the coral while you hang in the middle of them. With a maximum depth of 4 m there is gas to spare for it. Seahorses and frogfish turn up on the reef here, and the same ground works after dark, when the reef gets busy and large crabs and lobsters come out.
Marine life and season
- Whales
- Dolphins
- Sea turtles
- Frogfish
- Squid
- Macro critters
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Good | Good | Good | Fair | Fair | Good | Prime |
Season follows Dominica: Diving is favourable all year; December to May is the driest and calmest stretch, and occasional summer rain does little to dive quality.
Dive videos
A BUBBLING REEF? Scuba Diving Champagne Reef In Dominica - Ep 123 · Blue Horizon Diving on YouTube
Questions divers ask
How deep is Champagne Reef?+
Shallow. PADI lists a maximum depth of 4 m for the site, and the dive is a circuit of the reef followed by a safety stop in the bubble field, so it is spent in the top few metres throughout.
Can beginners dive Champagne Reef?+
Yes. Dive Dominica calls it a dive for all levels, with calm water and currents that are usually light, and it can be entered from a boat or from the beach.
Is Champagne Reef worth diving at night?+
It is dived after dark as well, and the reef comes alive then: huge crabs and lobsters are common sightings once the torches are on.
Sources
- Champagne Reef dive site — PADI
- Dominica Dive Sites — Dive Dominica
In The Logbook
- Where to dive in DecemberTrip planning · 10 min read
- Where can you legally swim with whales?Big animals · 14 min read
- Do you need a safety stop? What it buys youBody & health · 11 min read
- The best shore dives in the worldShore diving · 8 min read
More dive sites in Dominica
Wreck
The Nadine L., a 17-metre wreck (55 feet) sunk in 2003 as a first wreck dive
Swim-throughs between massive coral-covered boulders
Sand slope
A field of sea pens standing up out of the sand like white feathers
Reef
A fallen boulder shaped like a hand, its top breaking the surface
A wall for all levels, starting on a shelf at 8 m
Reef
A flat coral plateau at 12 m (40 ft) that drops sharply to 120
Reef
Round Capucin Point from the Caribbean into the Atlantic
Muck & macro
Seahorses, batfish and flying gurnards under a cruise ship dock
Similar dives elsewhere
Frogfish and snake eels on a shallow reef minutes from town
Green turtles gather here after dark
Lobster and octopus out feeding on a sheltered night reef
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Coral in 6 m a short swim off the beach, wall to 43 m