Freights Bay - South Coast

Freights Bay on Barbados’ south coast? We love this spot, especially for a relaxed shore dive when the swells are mellow. You’re not looking for dramatic depths here, but rather a slow, deliberate exploration of the sandy bottom and the small rocky outcrops. It’s a macro playground, plain and simple. We’ve spent whole dives just watching the sandy patches, finding lizardfish perfectly camouflaged, waiting to ambush. Keep an eye out for the small-scaled spinycheek sleepers, they’re masters of disguise, and you’ll often see tiny blennies peeking out of crevices. Our favourite time to dive Freights is early morning, before the surfing lessons really kick off. The light penetration through the shallow water is beautiful then, illuminating the subtle colours of the sand and rocks. You’ll often find schools of false herring or redear herring shimmering just off the bottom. It’s also fantastic for spotting juvenile puffers and the occasional bridled burrfish bumping along. This site really suits divers who enjoy slowing down, looking closely, and appreciating the smaller inhabitants of the reef. It’s not about big pelagics; it’s about the intricate details.

Location: South Coast, Barbados, Caribbean
Coordinates: 13.052921, -59.535233
Type: reef

Marine Protected Area: Graeme Hall Swamp

Best Time to Dive in South Coast

The warmest water temperatures in South Coast occur in January, averaging 28.0°C. The coolest conditions are in December at 28.0°C.

Monthly Water Temperatures

January: 28.0°C (air: 26.1°C)
February: 28.0°C (air: 26.1°C)
March: 28.0°C (air: 26.4°C)
April: 28.0°C (air: 27.0°C)
May: 28.0°C (air: 27.7°C)
June: 28.0°C (air: 27.8°C)
July: 28.0°C (air: 27.6°C)
August: 28.0°C (air: 27.8°C)
September: 28.0°C (air: 28.1°C)
October: 28.0°C (air: 27.9°C)
November: 28.0°C (air: 27.2°C)
December: 28.0°C (air: 26.6°C)

Nearest Dive Centres to Freights Bay

G Fish Watersports Barbados - ["PADI"]
West Side Scuba Centre - ["PADI"]

Marine Life in South Coast

Home to 382 recorded species including 336 reef fish, 23 hard corals, 7 other, 4 sea snails & nudibranchs, 3 octopus & squid, 2 whales & dolphins.

Notable Species

Slippery Dick (Halichoeres bivittatus) - Reef Fish
Dusky Damselfish (Stegastes adustus) - Reef Fish
Devilfish (Ophioblennius atlanticus) - Reef Fish
Barber (Acanthurus bahianus) - Reef Fish
Horse-eye Jack (Caranx latus) - Reef Fish
Parrotfish (Thalassoma bifasciatum) - Reef Fish
Greater Soapfish (Rypticus saponaceus) - Reef Fish
French grunt (Haemulon flavolineatum) - Reef Fish
Hamlet (Gymnothorax moringa) - Reef Fish
Molly Miller (Labrisomus nuchipinnis) - Reef Fish
Flamefish (Apogon maculatus) - Reef Fish
Blackfin Blenny (Paraclinus nigripinnis) - Reef Fish
Saddled Blenny (Malacoctenus triangulatus) - Reef Fish
Rusty Goby (Priolepis hipoliti) - Reef Fish
Pearl Blenny (Entomacrodus nigricans) - Reef Fish
Butterbun (Chaetodon striatus) - Reef Fish
Sand Stargazer (Dactyloscopus tridigitatus) - Reef Fish
Slender Mojarra (Eucinostomus jonesii) - Reef Fish
Sergeant-major (Abudefduf saxatilis) - Reef Fish
Mulet (Mugil curema) - Reef Fish

Recommended Packing List for Freights Bay

Based on average water temperature of 28.0°C.

Shorty or Rashguard - warm 28°C water needs minimal exposure protection
Mask - essential for every dive
Fins
BCD - buoyancy compensator
Regulator - your most safety-critical piece of gear
Dive Computer - tracks depth, time, and NDL
Surface Marker Buoy (SMB) - essential for boat pickups
Dive Torch - useful for crevices and colour at depth
Underwater Camera - capture your diving memories