Reefwander
A diver's fins beside a black sea fan and barrel sponges on a coral wall near Soufrière, St. Lucia.

St. Lucia · St. Lucia · Reef · Drift

Fairyland

Drift over a 12 m to 18 m plateau, then the drop

Area photo: WRI Staff · CC BY 2.0

One of the afternoon boat sites close to Anse Chastanet, dived as a drift along a plateau that slopes from 12 m to 18 m before the ground falls away. The site sits on a major headland and is sometimes subject to strong currents, which keep the corals and sponges clean. Turtles are often seen on the dive.

Where it is and how deep

Depth profile of Fairyland: typical dive 12–18 m (40–60 ft), deepest point 61 m (200 ft) 18 m · Open Water30 m · Advanced40 m · Recreational limit12 m18 m61 m maxtypical dive
Depths on a shared scale to 70 m (230 ft); dashed lines mark common certification limits.

13.8640° N, 61.0792° WApproximate position — the dashed circle shows where the site lies; your operator's briefing has the mooring.

The dive

You drop on to the plateau, which begins at about 40 ft / 12 m and slopes gently to around 60 ft / 18 m. That shelf is where the dive is spent: the current sets the pace along it, and you cover ground rather than working a small area. Turtles are often seen here and are described as usually friendly, though the resort dive centre rates them an occasional sighting rather than a certainty.

Beyond the lip of the plateau the ground continues down — the tourism board gives the site a range reaching 200 ft / 61 m — and the outer edge is the colourful wall the resort operator rates as one of the best in the Caribbean. The site is on a major headland and is sometimes subject to strong currents; they are what keeps the coral and sponges clean enough to show their colour, and they are also why the dive is briefed as a drift.

Marine life and season

  • Sea turtles
Month-by-month season rating for Fairyland
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
PrimePrimePrimePrimeGoodGoodFairFairFairFairFairPrime

Season follows St. Lucia: December–April is the dry season with the calmest seas; September–October carry the highest hurricane risk.

Know before you go

  • The site sits on a major headland and is sometimes subject to strong currents. Get the day's conditions in the briefing, stay with the guide and carry a surface marker for the ascent.

Questions divers ask

How deep is Fairyland?+

The plateau most of the dive runs on slopes from about 12 m to 18 m. The site as a whole is given a range down to 61 m where the ground drops away past the lip.

Is there current at Fairyland?+

Yes. The site is on a major headland and is sometimes subject to strong currents. They keep the coral and sponges clean, and they are why the dive is run as a drift.

Are you likely to see turtles at Fairyland?+

Turtles are often seen on this dive and are usually friendly, according to the tourism board. The resort dive centre puts it lower, describing them as occasionally seen, so treat them as likely rather than guaranteed.

Sources

  1. Diving with Scuba St Lucia — Scuba St Lucia (Anse Chastanet Resort)
  2. Diving in Saint Lucia — Saint Lucia Tourism Authority

More dive sites in St. Lucia

Wreck

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Crescent reef beside turtle grass, from 12 m down

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Five-finger coral from 5 m down, under Gros Piton

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