St. Lucia

The diving here is focused on shallow reefs, deep walls and drift dives in and around the island's marine park on the west-central side of the island. St. Lucia consistently ranks among the best shore diving destinations in the Caribbean, with Anse Chastanet Reef being one of the island's best sites. Reefs slope off more gradually here than on St. Vincent or Dominica, making sites a little shallower on average. Marine life tends to be small, with lots of tropicals and little critters packing the lush reef.

Dive conditions

The visibility hovers around 60 feet year-round, though bouts of 100 feet are not uncommon. Water temps range from 78F in winter to 82F in summer.

Topside at a glance

Forget the exports of bananas, coconuts and cacao, the cruise ship arrivals at Castries and tourism dollars that continue to flow in. St. Lucia's greatest resource is her geography--cool and damp rain forests, rich, diverse waters and a dramatic volcanic landscape punctuated by cone-shaped Petit and Gros Pitons.

By the numbers

Area - 238 square miles.
Population - 150,000, with 60,000 living in the capital, Castries.
Currency - Eastern Caribbean dollar.
Departure tax - EC$27.

Phone: 630-941-0355 · FAX 630-359-4024
e-mail: lisa@changeofscene.com