Scuba Diving in St. Martin and St. Maarten

Scuba Diving

The water temperature here is rarely below 70°F (21°C). Sometimes visibility is excellent, averaging about 100 feet to 120 feet. Other times, it's not. The island has more than 40 good dive sites, from wrecks to rocky labyrinths. Beginners and night divers will appreciate the tugboat Annie, which lies in 25 feet to 30 feet of water in Simpson Bay. Off the north coast, in the protected and mostly current-free Grand Case Bay, is Creole Rock. The water here ranges in depth from 10 to 25 feet, and visibility is excellent. Other sites off the north coast include Ilet Pinel, with its good shallow diving; Green Key, with its vibrant barrier reef; and Tintamarre (Flat Island), with its sheltered coves and geologic faults. Right outside of Philipsburg, 55 feet under the water, is the HMS Proselyte, once explored by Jacques Cousteau. Although it sank in 1801, the boat's cannons and coral-encrusted anchors are still visible. On average, one-tank dives start at $49; two-tank dives are about $93. Certification courses start at about $360.

On the Dutch side, the following shops are full-service outfitters and SSI (Scuba Schools International) and/or PADI certified. Blue Bubbles (Dawn Beach Resort, Oyster Pond. 599/542-2333. www.bluebubblessxm.com). Dive Safaris (Bobby's Marina, Yrausquin Blvd., Philipsburg. 599/544-9001. www.divestmaarten.com). Ocean Explorers Dive Shop (113 Welfare Rd., Simpson Bay. 599/544-5252. www.stmaartendiving.com).

On the French side, Blue Ocean (Sandy Ground Rd., Baie Nettlé. 590/87-89-73) is a PADI-certified dive center. Octoplus (Blvd. de Grand Case, Grand Case. 590/87-20-62. www.octoplus-dive.com) is a complete PADI-certified dive center. O2 Limits (Blvd. de Grand Case, Grand Case. 690/50-04-00), in the Grand Case Beach Club, is PADI certified.