La Cheminée - Saint-Gilles & West Coast
La Cheminée is a relaxed cave dive right off Saint-Gilles. It’s a pretty straightforward swim-through, peaking at 21 metres, which makes it an excellent introduction to overhead environments for newer divers. We often see schooling sweepers hanging out in the darker sections, and the light play as you exit the chimney is always pleasant. It’s a good spot to build confidence and enjoy a bit of cavern exploration without anything too demanding.
- Location
- Saint-Gilles & West Coast, Réunion, Indian Ocean & East Africa
- Coordinates
- -21.034900, 55.217400
- Type
- cave
- Maximum Depth
- 21m
- Difficulty
- Beginner
Marine Protected Area: Grande Ravine
Best Time to Dive in Saint-Gilles & West Coast
The warmest water temperatures in Saint-Gilles & West Coast occur in January, averaging 27.9°C. The coolest conditions are in December at 27.9°C.
Monthly Water Temperatures
- January: 27.9°C (air: 26.6°C)
- February: 27.9°C (air: 26.6°C)
- March: 27.9°C (air: 26.4°C)
- April: 27.9°C (air: 25.6°C)
- May: 27.9°C (air: 23.8°C)
- June: 27.9°C (air: 22.0°C)
- July: 27.9°C (air: 21.1°C)
- August: 27.9°C (air: 21.2°C)
- September: 27.9°C (air: 21.6°C)
- October: 27.9°C (air: 23.0°C)
- November: 27.9°C (air: 24.0°C)
- December: 27.9°C (air: 25.4°C)
Nearby Dive Sites in Saint-Gilles & West Coast
- Abyss Plongée - 25-40m (wreck)
- Ali Baba - 28m
- Antonio Lorenzo - 37m
- Bleu Marine Réunion
- Bossy’s Canyon - 19m
- Bouée rouge - 18m
- Bouée verte - 11m
- Canyon - 15m
- Cap la Houssaye - 13m
- Corail Noir - 44m (reef)
- Deux Arches - 18m (cave)
- FONG KUO - 2m (wreck)
- Grotte aux Dentelles - 21m (cave)
- Haï Siang, wreck - 50m (wreck)
- Kary's smiles - 38m
Nearest Dive Centres to La Cheminée
Marine Life in Saint-Gilles & West Coast
Home to 524 recorded species including 348 reef fish, 99 hard corals, 30 sharks & rays, 15 whales & dolphins, 9 sea cucumbers, 9 sea snails & nudibranchs.
Notable Species
- loggerhead turtle (Caretta caretta)
- Allison's Tuna (Thunnus albacares) - Reef Fish
- Ocean Triggerfish (Canthidermis maculata) - Reef Fish
- Dorado (Coryphaena hippurus) - Reef Fish
- Stripy (Katsuwonus pelamis) - Reef Fish
- Mahi Mahi (Coryphaena equiselis) - Reef Fish
- Cowfish (Tursiops truncatus) - Whales & Dolphins
- Oriental flying gurnard (Dactyloptena orientalis) - Reef Fish
- Swordfish (Xiphias gladius) - Reef Fish
- Barracuda (Acanthocybium solandri) - Reef Fish
- Hatchetfish (Sternoptyx pseudobscura) - Reef Fish
- Kingston (Decapterus macarellus) - Reef Fish
- Sperm Whale (Physeter macrocephalus) - Whales & Dolphins
- Brim (Kyphosus sectatrix) - Reef Fish
- Savigny's Brittle Star (Ophiactis savignyi)
- Immaculate Squirrelfish (Myripristis vittata) - Reef Fish
- scad (Priacanthus hamrur) - Reef Fish
- Racoon (Chaetodon lunula) - Reef Fish
- Gilbert's Synaphobranchid Eel (Synaphobranchus affinis) - Reef Fish
- Black sea cucumber (Holothuria atra) - Sea Cucumbers
Recommended Packing List for La Cheminée
Based on average water temperature of 27.9°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