Ladder Bay - St. Kitts
Ladder Bay, off St. Kitts, earns its name from old steps leading ashore, and the underwater topography tells a similar story of fascinating structure. Here, ancient lava flows have sculpted a labyrinth of rocky spur and groove formations, creating plenty of nooks and crannies to explore down to about 14 meters. We often find turtles browsing the seagrass beds that transition from the rocky reef, alongside juvenile fish tucked into the crevices. It’s a site that works well for a relaxed daytime explore, but the sheltered nature of the reef really comes alive after dark, making it a good pick for a night dive if you’re looking for something different.
- Location
- St. Kitts, St. Kitts & Nevis, Caribbean
- Coordinates
- 17.626000, -63.265000
- Type
- reef
- Maximum Depth
- 5-20m
Best Time to Dive in St. Kitts
The warmest water temperatures in St. Kitts occur in January, averaging 27.1°C. The coolest conditions are in December at 27.1°C.
Monthly Water Temperatures
- January: 27.1°C (air: 25.1°C)
- February: 27.1°C (air: 24.8°C)
- March: 27.1°C (air: 25.1°C)
- April: 27.1°C (air: 25.7°C)
- May: 27.1°C (air: 26.9°C)
- June: 27.1°C (air: 27.6°C)
- July: 27.1°C (air: 27.6°C)
- August: 27.1°C (air: 27.9°C)
- September: 27.1°C (air: 27.9°C)
- October: 27.1°C (air: 27.6°C)
- November: 27.1°C (air: 26.8°C)
- December: 27.1°C (air: 25.9°C)
Nearby Dive Sites in St. Kitts
- ALBERTINA - 6m (wreck)
- Anchor Point - 18m
- Anchors Aweigh
- Big Rock Market - 20m
- Camps Reef - 5-20m (reef)
- CHARLES L BROWN - 40m (wreck)
- Charles L. Brown, wreck - 26m (wreck)
- Chien Tong, wreck - 24m (wreck)
- CHRISTENA - 22m (wreck)
- Coconut Tree Reef - 3-12m (reef)
- Coral Nursery - 16m (reef)
- Customs House - 25m
- Diamond Rock - 24m (pinnacle)
- Double Wreck - 19m (wreck)
- DUNDALK - 4m (wreck)
Nearest Dive Centres to Ladder Bay
Marine Life in St. Kitts
Home to 393 recorded species including 318 reef fish, 27 hard corals, 11 other, 7 whales & dolphins, 7 sharks & rays, 6 crabs & lobsters.
Notable Species
- Mustard hill coral (Porites astreoides) - Hard Corals
- Great star coral (Montastraea cavernosa) - Hard Corals
- Lettuce Coral (Agaricia agaricites) - Hard Corals
- Barber (Acanthurus bahianus) - Reef Fish
- Blue Doctor (Acanthurus coeruleus) - Reef Fish
- Gutong (Sparisoma aurofrenatum) - Reef Fish
- Coney (Cephalopholis fulva) - Reef Fish
- Massive Starlet Coral (Siderastrea siderea) - Hard Corals
- Grooved brain coral (Diploria labyrinthiformis) - Hard Corals
- Sheephead (Microspathodon chrysurus) - Reef Fish
- Dark Green Parrotfish (Sparisoma viride) - Reef Fish
- Boulder Brain Coral (Colpophyllia natans) - Hard Corals
- Sammy Johnson (Scarus taeniopterus) - Reef Fish
- Butterfly (Chaetodon capistratus) - Reef Fish
- Blackfish (Melichthys niger) - Reef Fish
- Gutong (Scarus iseri) - Reef Fish
- French grunt (Haemulon flavolineatum) - Reef Fish
- Hogfish (Bodianus rufus) - Reef Fish
- Angelfish (Holacanthus tricolor) - Reef Fish
- Graysby (Cephalopholis cruentata) - Reef Fish
Recommended Packing List for Ladder Bay
Based on average water temperature of 27.1°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