Maycocks - Sand Channels - West Coast

Pillar Rock in the Bay of Islands offers a dive that often surprises us. It's not the deepest spot, maxing out around 18 metres, but it delivers on character. You drop down onto a rocky, kelp-strewn reef, and immediately, the fish life starts to unfold. We’ve had dives here where schools of blue maomao and two-spot demoiselles are so thick they part around you like a curtain, glinting in the shafts of light that push through the surface. It’s an almost tactile experience, feeling them shift around you. What we love about Pillar Rock is its gentle ebb and flow, making it ideal for a relaxed exploration. We've often spotted big schools of drummers here, moving with a calm, deliberate rhythm, and the occasional bronze whaler shark has cruised by in the blue, though they're usually just passing through. Keep an eye out in the kelp fronds for the smaller stuff too, like the oblique-swimming triplefin, which often blends in perfectly with its surroundings. Our pick for the best experience is often a mid-morning dive, as the light penetrates the kelp just right.

Location
West Coast, Barbados, Caribbean
Coordinates
13.290400, -59.657600
Type
reef

Marine Protected Area: Folkstone

Best Time to Dive in West Coast

The warmest water temperatures in West Coast occur in January, averaging 28.2°C. The coolest conditions are in December at 28.2°C.

Monthly Water Temperatures

  • January: 28.2°C (air: 26.0°C)
  • February: 28.2°C (air: 26.1°C)
  • March: 28.2°C (air: 26.3°C)
  • April: 28.2°C (air: 26.9°C)
  • May: 28.2°C (air: 27.7°C)
  • June: 28.2°C (air: 27.8°C)
  • July: 28.2°C (air: 27.6°C)
  • August: 28.2°C (air: 27.8°C)
  • September: 28.2°C (air: 28.2°C)
  • October: 28.2°C (air: 28.1°C)
  • November: 28.2°C (air: 27.3°C)
  • December: 28.2°C (air: 26.7°C)

Nearby Dive Sites in West Coast

Nearest Dive Centres to Maycocks - Sand Channels

Marine Life in West Coast

Home to 379 recorded species including 334 reef fish, 23 hard corals, 7 other, 4 sea snails & nudibranchs, 2 whales & dolphins, 2 octopus & squid.

Notable Species

Recommended Packing List for Maycocks - Sand Channels

Based on average water temperature of 28.2°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