A geothermal dive at the southern end of Douglas Bay, where volcanic gases vent from the sea floor and bubble up gently through the sand and coral. Cabrits Dive Centre describes hot sand, coloured by sulphur deposits, around the huge sponges and brain corals that grow here, publishes the depth as 60 to 115 feet (up to 35 m) and rates the site advanced.
Where it is and how deep
15.5972° N, 61.4651° WApproximate position — the dashed circle shows where the site lies; your operator's briefing has the mooring.
The dive
The whole dive sits deep. Cabrits Dive Centre publishes 60 to 115 feet, about 18 m to 35 m, and rates the site advanced, so there is no shallow shelf to warm up on and the descent goes straight to working depth. Bottom time is the limiting factor rather than anything on the site itself, and the run out is only five minutes, to the southern end of Douglas Bay.
What you come for is the venting. Volcanic gases come out of the sea floor here and bubble up gently through the sand and coral, and the sand itself is hot and stained several colours by sulphur deposits. Huge sponges and brain corals grow around the vents, and it is that combination, rather than the gas alone, that the dive centre picks out.
Marine life and season
The sources we used don't single out particular species here.
| 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.
Know before you go
- The sand around the vents is hot and the gas comes straight out of the sea floor, so stay off the venting ground rather than settling or hovering on it.
Questions divers ask
How deep is the Volcano Site?+
Cabrits Dive Centre publishes 60 to 115 feet, roughly 18 m to 35 m, and rates the dive advanced. There is no shallow section, so the whole dive is spent at depth and bottom time is short.
Sources
- Diving in Dominica — Cabrits Dive Centre
More dive sites in Dominica
Wreck
The Nadine L., a 17-metre wreck (55 feet) sunk in 2003 as a first wreck dive
Reef
A safety stop spent inside a field of volcanic bubbles
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
Similar dives elsewhere
A staircase entry onto a reef that tips over at 9 metres
Coral in 6 m a short swim off the beach, wall to 43 m
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Schools of black jacks gather here from May to July
Reef
Brimstone Reef
St. Kitts · Saint Kitts and Nevis
Coral formations sloping from 15 m (50 ft) to 40 m (130 ft)