Caribbean Explorer II's Two-Island Treat

By: Karen Stearns

A step from the swim platform erases the last remnants of sleep and offers a welcome return to warm, clear waters a state of weightless calm. The burp of purging BC’s signals the beginning of our descent. We are near the Caribbean island of Saba, diving onto a deep water seamount known as Third Encounter. But just as the outlines of this submerged precipice begins to take shape, our guide Dawn motions us away, signaling ‘follow me’ into what seems like complete nothingness. As the edge of the seamount fades to blue, the silhouette of something new comes into view.

In the early morning hours, with defused rays of the sun filtering down from 100 feet above, I think my eyes are playing tricks. As each fin stroke closes the gap, a steeple-shaped structure of seemingly impossible proportions takes shape. Rising from the edge of a shelf some 110 feet below, this slender pinnacle measures just 20 feet in diameter at its widest point. I’m later told that, down at a depth of 160 feet, there is a hole that runs through the center of this rocky spire. It is this tunnel, combined with the spire’s incredibly thin profile, which inspires its name: Eye of the Needle.

As I hovered in mid water, my husband Walt goes to work with camera and strobe, attempting to make graphic sense of this underwater wonder. Lit by the strobe’s powerful pulse, sponges that had seemed dim in the blue twilight turn momentarily to brilliant reds, orange, yellows and violet. A hawksbill turtle slumbering next to a large barrel sponge decides it’s had enough of our annoying intrusion and glides off into open water, angling for the surface. All too soon, we have to leave this geological marvel behind, but even months later, the details of this dive remain as vivid as a photograph, forever etched in that portion of the mind reserved for favorite memories.

As I hovered in mid water, my husband Walt goes to work with camera and strobe, attempting to make graphic sense of this underwater wonder. Lit by the strobe’s powerful pulse, sponges that had seemed dim in the blue twilight turn momentarily to brilliant reds, orange, yellows and violet. A hawksbill turtle slumbering next to a large barrel sponge decides it’s had enough of our annoying intrusion and glides off into open water, angling for the surface. All too soon, we have to leave this geological marvel behind, but even months later, the details of this dive remain as vivid as a photograph, forever etched in that portion of the mind reserved for favorite memories.

Climbing back on board the Caribbean Explorer II a few minutes later, we are greeted by the sweet aroma of fresh baked cookies floating down from the sun deck above. With an itinerary that includes up to four dives a day, plus night dives, it’s quite easy to work up a hearty appetite. My one fear on this weeklong scuba odyssey is the potential damage the boat’s tempting fare might do to my waistline - but it’s a risk I’m willing to tackle.

Enjoying a week of diving adventures aboard a 115-foot yacht in the Lesser Antilles is a pretty good way to spend a vacation. Especially when two of the region’s best diving destinations- Saba and St. Kitts – are brought right to you. No need to rise early and hustle gear to the dock; you can linger over coffee in the dining saloon, then amble to the back deck to step into your fins to discover new underwater adventures each and every day.

Our trip started with three days of diving around Saba. Not every site near this island lies in the deep, twilight realm like Third Encounter and Eye of the Needle. The area also features quite a few sites between the 90 and 30-foot mark. A personal favorite in Saba’s shallower, sun-dappled depths is Diamond Rock, distinguishable by the sharp 35-foot high pinnacle of white and dark-gray stone rising the ocean.  Like a mini rendition of Saba Island itself, Diamond Rock's huge pinnacle descends with equal intensity to a depth of 80 feet. Covering this small summit from the surface to bottom is a stunning collection of bright encrusting corals and sponges, which host a wealth of small tropicals and invertebrates. Just as dramatic is Tent Reef, which includes a mini-wall and a series of massive 10 to 20-foot tall coral encrusted rock formations set in tight groupings that creating the appearance of a deep crevasse.

For the remainder of the week, the boat moved to St. Kitts, where the underwater landscape includes large underwater structures and dramatic coral formations. A notable favorite is Paradise Reef, which lies off the island’s northwest coast. A large portion of this reef features 10 to 15-foot tall coral heads that follow the bottom’s sloping profile down to 100 feet. Wedged between two of the reef’s immense coral heads at 50 feet is a large 16th-century anchor so heavily overgrown with coral and sponges that it is almost completely obscured.

The final day of diving typically ends at noon, as most guests will be flying out the following morning. The underwater itinerary on this day is usually back-to-back dives on the broken remains of the MV River Taw. Sunk by accident, then snapped in two by a hurricane in the mid-1980's, both halves of this island freighter still sit upright, affording plenty of structure to explore – including a bulldozer and a bus the ship was apparently transporting when it went down. More than a wreck dive, this is a spot that will bring out the fish and critter hunter in you, as it is home to the most comprehensive list of unusual and interesting creepy-crawlies between the three islands.

It would be hard to pin one single dive of the trip as the best, as they were all good to excellent in their own highly varied way. And thanks to this underwater diversity, you are left with the feeling that you dove not one but three separate destinations – all in the course of a single week. This variety of scenery, combined with the crew’s attentive attitude and professionalism, made for a most enjoyable week of diving. The Caribbean Explorer II truly is a pleasure to be aboard.

The Caribbean Explorer II comfortably accommodates 18 passengers in 9 double staterooms, all of which have private bathroom facilities and most of which have queen-sized beds. The semi-enclosed, air-conditioned salon on the upper deck includes dining tables, TV, CD/DVD, video library, light table and lounge area; a large sundeck with lounge chairs is aft of the main salon. The photo/video lab is below decks. The large dive deck is equipped with a bathroom, individual gear lockers, camera table with a low-pressure air hose, recharging station, air and nitrox filling stations, tank racks, and a separate fresh water rinse for both scuba and underwater camera equipment. There are two sets of stairs accessing the dive platform, where two in-water ladders hang for easy access to and from the water. The vessel is equipped with a satellite telephone for incoming and outgoing calls worldwide.

After moving south to ride out Hurricane Irma on the coast of Dominica, the Caribbean Explorer II devoted several weeks to deliver much-needed supplies to the island of St. Martin. Following some scheduled maintenance, the boat is back in operation, departing weekly from the island of St. Kitts.

Contact us for the latest word on the CEXII and other diving operations in the Caribbean at sales@caradonna.com or 800-330-6611.