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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 · Pinnacle · Reef

Pain de Sucre

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

Area photo: Don Loarie · CC BY 4.0

Pain de Sucre is an underwater pinnacle at the entrance to Gustavia Harbor, about five minutes by boat from the port. The rock is dived between 10 and 20 m (30 to 65 ft) with minimal currents, and its shallow depth and calm conditions make it a good site for new divers, certification courses and snorkellers.

Also known as Le Pain de Sucre, Sugarloaf Rock.

Where it is and how deep

Depth profile of Pain de Sucre: typical dive 10–20 m (33–66 ft) 18 m · Open Water30 m · Advanced40 m · Recreational limit10 m20 mtypical dive
Depths on a shared scale to 40 m (130 ft); dashed lines mark common certification limits.

17.8971° N, 62.8766° WApproximate position — the dashed circle shows where the site lies; your operator's briefing has the mooring.

The dive

The dive works around the rock formations, where healthy coral gardens of brain corals, sea fans and sponges give shelter to angelfish, parrotfish and butterflyfish. Sea turtles glide past, moray eels and lobsters hide in the crevices, spotted eagle rays and stingrays cross the sand, and nurse sharks and barracudas turn up on occasion.

Marine life and season

  • Sea turtles
Month-by-month season rating for Pain de Sucre
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
PrimePrimePrimePrimePrimeGoodFairFairFairFairPrimePrime

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.

Sources

  1. Scuba Diving at Le Pain de Sucre, St. Barts — Gustavia Harbor
  2. Best places snorkeling and diving around Gustavia — Gustavia Harbor
  3. Diving in St. Barts — TripBase
  4. Saint Barthélemy – Wikivoyage — Wikivoyage
  5. Le Pain de Sucre (OpenStreetMap) — OpenStreetMap contributors

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Wall

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Pinnacle

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