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A branching coral colony with orange-yellow antler-like tips and dark brown patches, rising from grey rocks underwater — Saint Barthélemy.

Saint Barthélemy · Saint Barthélemy · Drift · Wall

Gros Ilets

Drift dive along steep drop-offs swept by fast currents

Area photo: Don Loarie · CC BY 4.0

Gros Ilets is a group of rocky islets off the western coast of Saint Barthélemy, near Colombier Bay, whose fast-moving currents make it a popular drift dive. Steep drop-offs fall to about 30 m (100 ft), and the site is recommended for Advanced Open Water divers with drift experience.

Also known as Les Gros Îlets, Gros Islets, Gros Îlets.

Where it is and how deep

Depth profile of Gros Ilets: typical dive to 30 m (to 100 ft) 18 m · Open Water30 m · Advanced40 m · Recreational limit30 mtypical dive
Depths on a shared scale to 40 m (130 ft); dashed lines mark common certification limits.

17.9007° N, 62.8605° WApproximate position — the dashed circle shows where the site lies; your operator's briefing has the mooring.

The dive

Divers ride the current along the reef past large rock formations, over steep drop-offs that descend to about 30 m (100 ft), with boulders, swim-throughs and caves along the way. Schools of barracudas, jacks and snappers hunt along the reef, and reef sharks, nurse sharks, turtles and eagle rays are all seen. Visibility runs from 20 to 30 m (65 to 100 ft) depending on the strength of the current, and the currents are slightly calmer in the early morning.

Marine life and season

  • Barracuda
  • Reef sharks
  • Sea turtles
Month-by-month season rating for Gros Ilets
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Season follows Saint Barthélemy: November to May is the dry peak season; July to October is hurricane season, with a risk of storms and heavy rain.

Know before you go

  • Strong, fast-moving currents run along the reef; beginners should gain experience on gentler sites first.

Dive videos

Plongée Sbh Sub Gros ilets 7 Jan 23 · mikesoubdhan on YouTube

Sources

  1. Les Gros Îlets, St. Barth — Gustavia Harbor
  2. OpenStreetMap — OpenStreetMap

More dive sites in Saint Barthélemy

Reef

Fourchue

Hundreds of garden eels on the sand below a leeward coral reef

to 22 mintermediate

Pinnacle

Pain de Sucre

A pinnacle at the harbour mouth, five minutes by boat from Gustavia

10–20 mbeginner

Wall

Pointe de Colombier

A sponge-covered wall and a pinnacle where barracudas live

to 25 mintermediate

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