Rocky Bay - St. Vincent
The Kai Iwi Lakes, part of Taharoa Domain, offer a freshwater dive experience that’s a real change of pace from the usual Bay of Islands ocean sites. We found the eastern end of the lake a good spot to get in; it's shallow at first, maybe half a meter, before quickly dropping to around 10 meters. The bottom here is soft, fine white sand, shifting to a siltier texture as you go deeper. You’ll be looking for koura, the freshwater crayfish, perhaps a brown or rainbow trout, and perch. Visibility averages around eight meters, which is decent for a lake, and with a maximum depth of 14 meters, it’s a relaxed dive suitable for newer divers or those looking to refine their buoyancy in calm conditions.
- Location
- St. Vincent, St. Vincent & the Grenadines, Caribbean
- Coordinates
- 13.011100, -61.247300
- 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)
- Coral Nursery (reef)
- Deep Boulders (reef)
- Devil's Table + dinghy mooring - 10-25m (pinnacle)
- ELIZABETH BOYE - 15m (wreck)
- Flat Rock (cave)
- LADY ANGELA - 0m (wreck)
Nearest Dive Centres to Rocky Bay
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 Rocky Bay
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