Dominica · Dominica · Muck & macro

Pole to Pole

Seahorses, batfish and flying gurnards under a cruise ship dock

The dive under the Cabrits cruise ship dock, worked from one piling to the next among wooden posts covered in sponges. Cabrits Dive Centre lists seahorses, batfish, flying gurnards and sand eels as regulars, PADI adds crabs, shrimp, frogfish, octopus and a big barracuda, and the whole thing happens between 4.5 m and 14 m.

Where it is and how deep

Depths on a shared scale to 40 m (130 ft); dashed lines mark common certification limits.

15.5819° N, 61.4714° WPublished position for this site.

The dive

The dive is what the name says: you work from one dock pole to the next, checking each one and the sand around it, and it all happens between 4.5 m and 14 m. PADI describes going through 15 m (50 foot) posts, and Cabrits Dive Centre calls them towering wooden poles covered in sponges. There is no route beyond the line of pilings, so the pace is set by how carefully you look.

Cabrits Dive Centre lists seahorses, batfish, flying gurnards and sand eels as regular sightings here, and PADI adds crabs, shrimp, frogfish and octopus found on the poles themselves, plus a large barracuda that turns up out of the blue. The centre rates the site as good at night as by day, and Scuba Diving Magazine named it one of seven top pier dives in 2010.

Marine life and season

Barracuda
Frogfish
Octopus & cuttlefish
Macro critters

Month-by-month season rating for Pole to Pole
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.

Questions divers ask

What can you see at Pole to Pole?+

Cabrits Dive Centre lists seahorses, batfish, flying gurnards and sand eels as regular sightings, and PADI adds crabs, shrimp, frogfish and octopus on the dock poles along with a large barracuda.

Is Pole to Pole suitable for beginners?+

Yes. Cabrits Dive Centre rates it an easy dive, and the published range is only 15 to 45 feet, about 4.5 m to 14 m, under the Cabrits cruise ship dock.