Coral Nursery - St. Vincent
We’ve always had a soft spot for Hastings Reef, and the Fish Bowl really shows off what it does best. It’s not about grand pelagics or deep wrecks here; it’s about sheer fish density, hence the name. Drop in on the southern edge and you’re immediately enveloped. Schools of fusiliers are so thick they can genuinely block out the sun, and the wall itself, while not plummeting to insane depths, is just plastered with coral. Our favourite time to dive it is mid-morning, after the initial rush, when the light really punches through the shallows. You’ll spot parrotfish everywhere, the Batavian and Princess varieties are particularly colourful, along with big schools of spangled emperor and sweetlips. We often find giant clams embedded in the coral, their mantles a vibrant blue or green. Keep an eye out for cleaner mimics flitting around the bommies. It’s an easy dive, maxing out around 13 metres, so you can really take your time observing the smaller details. If you love just immersing yourself in a cloud of reef fish, this is your spot.
- Location
- St. Vincent, St. Vincent & the Grenadines, Caribbean
- Coordinates
- 13.011800, -61.247800
- Type
- reef
Marine Protected Area: Bequia Marine Conservation Area
Best Time to Dive in St. Vincent
The warmest water temperatures in St. Vincent occur in January, averaging 27.8°C. The coolest conditions are in December at 27.8°C.
Monthly Water Temperatures
- January: 27.8°C (air: 25.7°C)
- February: 27.8°C (air: 25.8°C)
- March: 27.8°C (air: 26.1°C)
- April: 27.8°C (air: 26.8°C)
- May: 27.8°C (air: 27.5°C)
- June: 27.8°C (air: 27.4°C)
- July: 27.8°C (air: 27.3°C)
- August: 27.8°C (air: 27.6°C)
- September: 27.8°C (air: 28.2°C)
- October: 27.8°C (air: 27.9°C)
- November: 27.8°C (air: 27.0°C)
- December: 27.8°C (air: 26.4°C)
Nearby Dive Sites in St. Vincent
- Almond Tree (cenote)
- Almond Tree (drift)
- Anchor Reef - 5-18m (reef)
- Bequia Head (drift)
- Bequia Head (drift)
- BOSCO - 18m (wreck)
- Brown’s Bay (drift)
- Brown’s Bay (reef)
- Cathedral (wall)
- Deep Boulders (reef)
- Devil's Table + dinghy mooring - 10-25m (pinnacle)
- ELIZABETH BOYE - 15m (wreck)
- Flat Rock (cave)
- LADY ANGELA - 0m (wreck)
- L’Anse Chemin/Long Point (wreck)
Nearest Dive Centres to Coral Nursery
Marine Life in St. Vincent
Home to 271 recorded species including 237 reef fish, 10 hard corals, 7 whales & dolphins, 4 sea snails & nudibranchs, 3 seagrass & algae, 3 sharks & rays.
Notable Species
- Mustard hill coral (Porites astreoides) - Hard Corals
- Finger Coral (Porites porites) - Hard Corals
- Barber (Acanthurus bahianus) - Reef Fish
- Gutong (Sparisoma aurofrenatum) - Reef Fish
- Dark Green Parrotfish (Sparisoma viride) - Reef Fish
- Sheephead (Microspathodon chrysurus) - Reef Fish
- Gutong (Scarus iseri) - Reef Fish
- Sammy Johnson (Scarus taeniopterus) - Reef Fish
- Parrotfish (Thalassoma bifasciatum) - Reef Fish
- Blue Doctor (Acanthurus coeruleus) - Reef Fish
- Coney (Cephalopholis fulva) - Reef Fish
- Blueman (Scarus vetula) - Reef Fish
- Flamefish (Apogon maculatus) - Reef Fish
- Orca (Orcinus orca) - Whales & Dolphins
- Fire coral (Millepora complanata) - Jellyfish
- Hamlet (Gymnothorax moringa) - Reef Fish
- Devilfish (Ophioblennius atlanticus) - Reef Fish
- Slippery Dick (Halichoeres bivittatus) - Reef Fish
- Molly Miller (Labrisomus nuchipinnis) - Reef Fish
- Yellowhead Wrasse (Halichoeres garnoti) - Reef Fish
Recommended Packing List for Coral Nursery
Based on average water temperature of 27.8°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