Mabouya Whirlpool, Carriacou - Carriacou
The Pamir, off Barbados’ west coast, is one of those wrecks we keep coming back to. It’s not a deep dive, maxing out around 16m, but what it lacks in depth it makes up for in character. Dropping down, you first pick out the stern, sitting upright and surprisingly intact. We love exploring the cargo holds, where shafts of light pierce the gloom, illuminating schools of glasseye snapper and the occasional spotted trunkfish peeking from crevices. Our favourite part is the bow, shallower at around 8m, where the deckhouse is still discernibly shaped. Look closely for tiny blackedge triplefins flitting about the decaying metalwork and watch for elusive mushroom scorpionfish camouflaged on the hull. Visibility averages a comfortable 14m, giving you plenty of time to soak in the details. It's an ideal site for newer wreck divers to get a feel for penetration in the open holds, and photographers will find endless compositions. We often combine it with a nearby reef for a solid two-tank day.
- Location
- Carriacou, Grenada, Caribbean
- Coordinates
- 12.484800, -61.495100
- Type
- wreck
Marine Protected Area: Sandy Island-Oyster Bay
Best Time to Dive in Carriacou
The warmest water temperatures in Carriacou occur in January, averaging 27.6°C. The coolest conditions are in December at 27.6°C.
Monthly Water Temperatures
- January: 27.6°C (air: 25.8°C)
- February: 27.6°C (air: 25.6°C)
- March: 27.6°C (air: 25.7°C)
- April: 27.6°C (air: 26.2°C)
- May: 27.6°C (air: 26.9°C)
- June: 27.6°C (air: 27.0°C)
- July: 27.6°C (air: 27.1°C)
- August: 27.6°C (air: 27.4°C)
- September: 27.6°C (air: 27.9°C)
- October: 27.6°C (air: 27.8°C)
- November: 27.6°C (air: 27.1°C)
- December: 27.6°C (air: 26.5°C)
Nearby Dive Sites in Carriacou
- A World Adrift Underwater Sculpture Park (drift)
- A World Adrift Underwater Sculpture Park (reef)
- Barracuda Point, Carriacou (reef)
- Barracuda Point, Carriacou (reef)
- Barrel, Carriacou (reef)
- Barrel, Carriacou (pinnacle)
- Black Rocks, Carriacou (reef)
- Black Rocks, Carriacou
- Bogles Ridge (reef)
- Bogles Ridge (reef)
- Coral Nursery, Carriacou (reef)
- Deep Blue, Carriacou (reef)
- Jack-A-Dan, Carriacou (drift)
- Jack Iron Point, Carriacou (reef)
- La Jetée, Carriacou (reef)
Nearest Dive Centres to Mabouya Whirlpool, Carriacou
- Deefer Diving - ["PADI"]
- Deefer Diving Carriacou - PADI
Marine Life in Carriacou
Home to 296 recorded species including 258 reef fish, 13 hard corals, 11 whales & dolphins, 3 seagrass & algae, 2 jellyfish, 2 sea snails & nudibranchs.
Notable Species
- Mustard hill coral (Porites astreoides) - Hard Corals
- Finger Coral (Porites porites) - Hard Corals
- Barber (Acanthurus bahianus) - Reef Fish
- Dark Green Parrotfish (Sparisoma viride) - Reef Fish
- Gutong (Sparisoma aurofrenatum) - Reef Fish
- Sheephead (Microspathodon chrysurus) - Reef Fish
- Gutong (Scarus iseri) - Reef Fish
- Sammy Johnson (Scarus taeniopterus) - Reef Fish
- Parrotfish (Thalassoma bifasciatum) - Reef Fish
- Blueman (Scarus vetula) - Reef Fish
- Blue Doctor (Acanthurus coeruleus) - Reef Fish
- Coney (Cephalopholis fulva) - Reef Fish
- Flamefish (Apogon maculatus) - Reef Fish
- Hamlet (Gymnothorax moringa) - Reef Fish
- Devilfish (Ophioblennius atlanticus) - Reef Fish
- Fire coral (Millepora complanata) - Jellyfish
- Molly Miller (Labrisomus nuchipinnis) - Reef Fish
- Slippery Dick (Halichoeres bivittatus) - Reef Fish
- Lawyer (Halichoeres radiatus) - Reef Fish
- French grunt (Haemulon flavolineatum) - Reef Fish
Recommended Packing List for Mabouya Whirlpool, Carriacou
Based on average water temperature of 27.6°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