Sandy Island Drift, Carriacou - Carriacou

Tee Box is one of those sites we always try to hit when we're diving Curaçao's southeast. It’s boat access only, a short hop from Sandals, and the real draw here is that wall. We like to drop anchor in the sand just above it, around 8 to 10 metres. The wall itself doesn't go super deep, topping out at 17 metres, but it’s packed with interesting nooks. Look for the Great Star Corals and Smooth Flower Corals; they’re thriving here. We've seen King Mullet cruising the sandy bottom and schools of Spanish Grunts hanging out in the crevices. Keep an eye out for Angelfish and the Barber Butterflies too. Visibility usually sits around 18 metres, which is decent for photography. But the real secret to Tee Box? The ostracod show. Four nights after a full moon, about 40 minutes after sunset, this place lights up with bioluminescent ostracods in the shallows above the wall. It’s an absolute spectacle, like tiny blue fireworks. It’s a superb spot for a relaxed daytime wall dive, but you absolutely have to plan a night dive for the ostracods. They really are something else.

Location: Carriacou, Grenada, Caribbean
Coordinates: 12.486300, -61.481400
Type: wall

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)

Nearest Dive Centres to Sandy Island Drift, 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 Sandy Island Drift, 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