David M. Benz
There’s a word Kittitians use to describe the art of having a good time and letting go of your troubles: “limin’.” Spend some time diving St. Kitts and you’ll see why the concept is so popular here. Each end of this 18-mile-long Caribbean island is a different and equally beautiful experience, offering an alluring blend of adventure, history and relaxation. The destination’s natural beauty extends underwater. Returning to St. Kitts recently after getting certified here 14 years ago, I was delighted to see that the reefs are still as exquisite as I remembered.
David M. BenzA vibrant reef on Monkey Shoals.
Sweet Solitude
The reefs may not be spoiled, but we certainly were—spending day after day of our St. Kitts trip diving in solitude. Aside from the occasional passing of a fishing boat carrying the catch of the day, we had the ocean to ourselves. The glass-like waters offered incredible visibility that only enhanced our exploration of vibrant reefs with lush gardens of rocky hard and soft corals slowly swaying in the gentle currents. It’s the kind of place where life slows down just enough for you to catch your breath and take in all there is to see underwater. The dive sites here are diverse, untouched and exceptional—from vibrant coral reefs such as Monkey Shoals (a coral atoll situated outside the channel between St. Kitts and Nevis) to shipwrecks (highlights include the River Taw and Corinthian] and geothermal volcanic vents.
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Michelle GaylordA panoramic view from Timothy Hill Overlook in Frigate Bay, where the Atlantic Ocean meets the Caribbean Sea, with the distant silhouette of Nevis gracing the horizon.
The Dive Scene
St. Kitts stretches only 18 miles long, but it’s well set up for divers. The diving infrastructure is laid-back but professional. It’s enough to support an effortless dive trip but not so built up that it feels commercial. Local dive staff are friendly and accommodating, and they’ll likely remember your gear setup better than you do. Dive boats are midsize and comfortable. For easy access to dive operators, stay in or near Basseterre and Frigate Bay. Accommodations range from full-service resorts, such as the Marriott Resort & the Royal Beach Casino, to smaller boutique hotels, such as Timothy Beach Resort. Pro Divers, a PADI Five Star Dive Center, offers complimentary 8:45 a.m. hotel pickup and gear storage for the duration of your trip. If you’re looking for a hands-on way to support the local reef ecosystem by culling an invasive species, Pro Divers allows lionfish hunting from its boat.
David M. BenzThe wreck of the Corinthian, an intact tugboat that sank in 1995, rests upright in the sand next to a thriving coral reef in about 60 feet of water.
Wreck Check
For wreck enthusiasts, St. Kitts doesn’t disappoint. Make sure to drop down on the island’s most famous wreck, the River Taw, a shallow and easily accessible former island cargo ship, resting on a sandy bottom offshore Frigate Bay. It was split into two sections in 1989 during Hurricane Hugo. If you’re looking for an easy navigation exercise, follow the anchor chain to a nearby sunken school bus and bulldozer. For a deeper thrill, explore the wreck of the Corinthian, an intact tugboat that rests perfectly upright in the sand next to a thriving coral reef. Finish the dive gliding over rays and flounder in the sandy seabed to get to the shallow reef next to the wreck.
David M. BenzA Caribbean spiny lobster on the reef.
Limin’ with Lobsters
St. Kitts boasts an abundance of spiny lobsters, which is not always typical of the more frequently dived locations in the Caribbean and a testament to the untouched reefs here. The nutrient-rich waters of St. Kitts support a thriving food chain, from small organisms to apex predators like gray reef sharks, which were a common sighting during our week of diving.
Dive sites like Brimstone West, Brimstone Shallows and the Finger were all notably sharky but always in harmony with the laid-back vibes that St. Kitts is known for. The underwater solitude lends an air of reverence to the underwater landscape, creating a calm sense of shared space and time with the local critters and their habitat.
David M. BenzThe wreck of the River Taw is encrusted in corals and sponges
Feast Your Eyes
The health of the reefs in St. Kitts appears to be flourishing, and both natural and artificial reefs flow vividly with hard and soft corals, creating a virtual candy-store cornucopia of yellows, pinks, oranges and purples. Don’t forget your camera and lights to fill your frame with a tapestry that only Mother Nature could weave. From grooved brain corals to barrel sponges swaying in the current, the reefscape is alive with diversity.
Colorful reef fish, such as banded butterflyfish, angelfish, smooth trunkfish and glasseye snapper, dart through the coral heads, while green moray eels peer from crevices. Here, metal seamlessly blends with nature across a series of wrecks that have melded into the ocean floor, becoming part of the landscape and home to coral and critters alike. These iconic encrusted dive sites create some of the more dramatic scenes you can swim by and through.
Michelle GaylordRemnants of an old sugar mill in Dieppe Bay Town.
Past Meets Present
For history buffs, St. Kitts is a land to love. Be sure to set aside at least one day to immerse yourself in the history that permeates every corner. Take a road trip to explore centuries-old churches, and don’t miss St. John’s Anglican Church, a well-preserved relic of the colonial era that holds the remains of Samuel Jefferson, ancestor of U.S. President Thomas Jefferson. Visit historic landmarks and estates like the Romney Manor, and stroll through monuments such as Independence Square. Whether you are topside, exploring the island’s natural gifts, sampling its culinary delights (and drinking Killer Bees) and meeting warm and welcoming Kittitians, or you are underwater exploring all the treasures of the reef, you will love your dive vacation on St. Kitts—and you’ll easily master the art of limin’.
Need to Know Diving St. Kitts
When to Go St. Kitts is a year-round destination, with reliable sunshine almost every day and an average temperature of 82 degrees.
Dive Conditions From January to March, you can expect some surface chop due to prevailing trade winds. Winds typically come from the east, so the west side of the island provides the calmest conditions. Water temperatures can range from 85 degrees in September to 79 in February—a 3 mm wetsuit or rash guard should suffice. Strong currents are very rare.
Operator Pro Divers (prodiversstkitts.com)
Travel Tips Check visitstkitts.com for ideas for your topside itinerary, and look for seasonal discounts while you’re there. If you can drag yourself away from the dive sites, take a day trip to neighboring Nevis aboard one of the scenic passenger ferry services. While you’re there, don’t forget to stop by the iconic Sunshine’s Beach Bar & Grill for their famous Killer Bee rum punch (warning: it packs a sting!).
