Marine life
St. Martin’s Island is situated in the archipelago of the Windward Islands and is divided into two parts. A French part of Saint Martin, in the north of the island, and a Dutch part in the south of the island. Located 20km from Saint Barthélemy, Saint Martin is full of exceptional flora and fauna. It is surrounded by 37 beaches and has more than 45 diving spots, enough to make you happy! Definitely a great place to dive in the Caribbean. You can find the majority of diving centers in Saint Martin in the Dutch part of the island because this is where most diving sites are concentrated.
When to go there?
We can find two kinds two seasons in Saint Martin: a wet season taking place from June to October resulting in strong depreciations and hurricanes. The dry season takes place from December to May. You will be able to dive on Saint Martin all year long, avoid the school periods from July to August anyway. The months of March to June are the best times to dive in Saint Martin to avoid the wet season and tourists. If you wish to see humpback whales, the breeding season runs from February to June.
Diving conditions
Visibility is mostly excellent, however it can deteriorate during the wet season.
The sea currents vary according to the dive spots, so it is advisable to ask directly to the on-site dive center.
Required diving level: There is diving sites for everyone, from beginners to experts. With its many wrecks you can even spend your certification “wreck diving”.
The temperature of the water varies according to the seasons. During the warm months it will be 27-29 ° while in wet season it will lose about 3 degrees reaching a temperature of 23° to 26°C.
Liveaboard in Saint Martin
The best way to enjoy a dive trip in Saint Martin is to book a diving cruise. To discover a wide choice of cruises, we invite you to visit our partner’s website. You will have the chance to observe different species such as sea turtles, humpback whales visible during their breeding season, rays or barracudas. And discover throughout your diving cruise in Saint Martin some diving sites only accessible with a liveaboard.
What to see while diving or snorkeling?
The dive sites of Saint Martin are usually shallow about 18 meters deep. Most of the diving spots that you will encounter are wrecks, old rock reefs inlaid with beautiful colored corals, hydroids, and sponges. To extend your diving trip, you can go to the dive sites in Saint Barthelemy, Saba and Anguilla. One of the main advantages of St. Martin is that the island also offers snorkeling sites easily accessible by the shore including Dawn Beach, Mullet Beach and Simpon’s beach.
HMS Proselyte, a must-see wreck
This wreck is the best dive site of Saint Martin. Built in 1770 in Rotterdam, the frigate nicknamed Jason suffered a mutiny following the conditions of life and the treatment granted to sailors. The frigate sailed to Greenock, was remodeled and named the HMS Proselyy then armed with a total of 32 guns. The frigate of the Royal Navy sank on September 2, 1801 hitting a shoal. Today you can observe a rich wreck encrusted with beautiful corals. Cannons, ballast bars, anchors are scattered on both sides of the wreck. It is lying on the sand at 15 meters deep.
Fauna and flora
The fauna and flora is rich in Saint Martin. Among the species, you can see gray sharks, humpback whales, sea turtles, parrots, rays, barracudas, groupers and many more.
