Mada Plongée - Diamond Rock

Okay, Mada Plongée at Diamond Rock. This isn’t a gentle drift over pretty corals, let’s be clear. It’s a dive that gets your heart going, especially if the current is pushing. We love it because it’s raw, a colossal volcanic plug erupting from the sea, and underwater it’s just as dramatic. You’re descending onto sheer rock walls, riddled with caves and overhangs, often with a powerful surge pushing you around a bit. The real show here is the schooling fish. We’ve been enveloped in clouds of silverfish so thick it feels like twilight, and watched huge aggregations of burro grunt just hanging in the blue. Keep an eye out for larger pelagics too – we've spotted the occasional long-beaked dolphin cruising by, and once even a mako shark on the deeper side. Trumpetfish are always trying to blend in, and the hogfish here are particularly bold. It’s a site that rewards experienced divers who are comfortable in strong conditions and appreciate a dramatic, wild environment over a manicured reef. Come prepared for an exhilarating ride, especially if you catch it when the current is running.

Location: Diamond Rock, Martinique, Caribbean
Coordinates: 14.491713, -61.080730

Marine Protected Area: Cap Salomon

Best Time to Dive in Diamond Rock

The warmest water temperatures in Diamond Rock occur in January, averaging 27.5°C. The coolest conditions are in December at 27.5°C.

Monthly Water Temperatures

January: 27.5°C (air: 25.8°C)
February: 27.5°C (air: 25.8°C)
March: 27.5°C (air: 26.2°C)
April: 27.5°C (air: 27.0°C)
May: 27.5°C (air: 27.9°C)
June: 27.5°C (air: 27.9°C)
July: 27.5°C (air: 27.6°C)
August: 27.5°C (air: 27.9°C)
September: 27.5°C (air: 28.1°C)
October: 27.5°C (air: 27.8°C)
November: 27.5°C (air: 27.0°C)
December: 27.5°C (air: 26.3°C)

Nearest Dive Centres to Mada Plongée

CANOPEE BLEUE
Deep Turtle
Espace Plongee Martinique - ["PADI"]
NATIYABEL - SSI, PADI, CMAS, FFESSM, ANMP
O FIL DE L’EAU - FFESSM, CMAS
PLONGEE IMMERSION CARAIBES

Marine Life in Diamond Rock

Home to 369 recorded species including 327 reef fish, 15 whales & dolphins, 8 sharks & rays, 3 seagrass & algae, 3 sea snails & nudibranchs, 3 other.

Notable Species

Barber (Acanthurus bahianus) - Reef Fish
Greater Soapfish (Rypticus saponaceus) - Reef Fish
Sperm Whale (Physeter macrocephalus) - Whales & Dolphins
Lawyer (Halichoeres radiatus) - Reef Fish
Pacific Spotted Scorpionfish (Scorpaena plumieri) - Reef Fish
Flamefish (Apogon maculatus) - Reef Fish
Bastard soldierfish (Myripristis jacobus) - Reef Fish
Clown Wrasse (Halichoeres maculipinna) - Reef Fish
Devilfish (Ophioblennius atlanticus) - Reef Fish
Cook (Holocentrus adscensionis) - Reef Fish
Jack (Epinephelus adscensionis) - Reef Fish
Hamlet (Gymnothorax moringa) - Reef Fish
Coney (Cephalopholis fulva) - Reef Fish
Porcupine (Diodon holocanthus) - Reef Fish
Blackfish (Globicephala macrorhynchus) - Whales & Dolphins
Spotted Soapfish (Rypticus subbifrenatus) - Reef Fish
Yellowtail Parrotfish (Sparisoma rubripinne) - Reef Fish
Cluck (Pareques acuminatus) - Reef Fish
Spotted Goatfish (Pseudupeneus maculatus) - Reef Fish
French grunt (Haemulon flavolineatum) - Reef Fish

Recommended Packing List for Mada Plongée

Based on average water temperature of 27.5°C.

Shorty or Rashguard - warm 27°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