Dominica, Caribbean

A small island in the Antilles chain of the Caribbean and not to be confused with the Dominican Republic. It was the last British colony and gained independence in 1978. It has since become a nature lovers paradise. Ecologically minded, the islanders have created three marine reserves of which Soufriere is the most well known. The small fee to access the parks is used to maintain the reef. The main sites are situated off the south-west coast. Here diving features huge shoals and a mixture of deep wall to shallow coral fields. Unusual marine life such as frogfish and seahorses are regularly seen. The Danglebens Pinnacles in the south are five coral stacks on which large numbers of coral and sponges sit one against another. The deep coastal waters are the feeding grounds for pods of deepwater squid, sperm whales, humpback whales in season. The Guadeloupe Channel offers a more advanced dive.