WARREN HASTINGS - Saint-Gilles & West Coast

The Warren Hastings. Now, this is a wreck we genuinely love. She's a military vessel, a troopship that met her end back in 1897, and she sits deep, around 50 metres, so it's one for those with some deco training under their belts. Dropping down, you feel the cool bite of the thermocline before her outline begins to resolve from the blue. It’s not one of those intact, explore-every-cabin wrecks, but her bones are impressive, huge plates of steel draped in soft corals. Our favourite part is the bow section; it's just massive, and you can really sense the scale of the ship she once was. Look closely, and you'll find clouds of glassfish shimmering inside what's left of her internal structure, a living, breathing part of the wreck now. We’ve seen big morays peeking out of crevices, and often, a few reef sharks will cruise past, just checking things out. It's a proper deep dive, a quiet, contemplative one, and it really lets you appreciate the history and the transformation of steel into reef. If you’re comfortable with depth and love big wrecks, this one’s a real treat on the West Coast.

Location: Saint-Gilles & West Coast, Réunion, Indian Ocean & East Africa
Coordinates: -21.358334, 55.475000
Type: wreck
Maximum Depth: 50m

Marine Protected Area: Terre Rouge

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)

Nearest Dive Centres to WARREN HASTINGS

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 WARREN HASTINGS

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