Friars Craig Wreck - South Coast
The Friars Craig, settled upright in the sand at Carlisle Bay, is one of our favourite wreck dives on the south coast. This 60m freighter, scuttled back in the 80s, still feels like a proper ship, not just a pile of metal. At 18 metres max, it’s a good one for some easy penetration – we love swimming through the cargo hold, looking up to see the light filtering down through the deck openings. You'll often find schools of Grey Snapper hanging out around the superstructure, and the Emerald Sleepers are always a treat, darting in and out of the nooks. Keep an eye out for Sponge Cardinalfish tucked into the crevices; they’re masters of camouflage. The corals here, like the Mustard Hill and Grooved Brain, are really establishing themselves on the wreck, turning it into a living reef. It's a great dive for intermediate divers who want to explore a substantial wreck without deep-diving stress, and brilliant for photographers looking for that moody, atmospheric shot inside the holds.
- Location
- South Coast, Barbados, Caribbean
- Coordinates
- 13.073000, -59.618000
- Type
- wreck
- Maximum Depth
- 8-18m
- Difficulty
- Intermediate
Marine Protected Area: Carslisle Bay
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)
Nearby Dive Sites in South Coast
- Bow Bells Reef (reef)
- CARINTILLES - 3m (wreck)
- Carlisle Bay - 3-20m (wreck)
- Cobblers Reef (reef)
- Freights Bay (reef)
- FRIARS CRAIG - 14m (wreck)
- JOHN R PENROSE - 3m (wreck)
- mv Brianna H - IMO6511908 - 24m (wreck)
- MV Trident - 18m (wreck)
Nearest Dive Centres to Friars Craig Wreck
- 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 Friars Craig Wreck
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