Southern Stingray swimming in Carlisle Bay Marine park

Southern Stingray enjoying his usual swim at Carlisle Bay Marine park one of the many types of marine life you can see in Carlisle Bay Marine Park. Taken by our dive master Gaird Charles.

This past week we went with a camera … here is a taste of what you can see right off the beach

juvenile Hawksbill turtle

juvenile Porcupine Fish

Soft coral and Flamingo Tongues

Ahhhhhh

Water temp -  29 C/85 F

Visibility – average to above average 60-90 feet, max 120 ft/min 30 ft

Weather – beautiful to partly shortly cloudy

Marine life – as always lots of turtles Hawksbills and Greens, Eagle Rays (yes Keith!), sea horses, southern sting rays.  No mantas yet this month, but they like the warm water so are likely around.

Some recent pics from the Coral Spawning night dives, the PAWARE Underwater Clean-up, and everyday dives… more in the photogallery

Spider Crab

snorkeling in Barbados Blue

Diver in the wheelhouse of the Eilion

(Don’t forget we are on the final night of the coral spawning night diving marathon tonight, hoping for pictures of that too)

Water temperature 28 Celsius, ~ 80 Fahrenheit
Visibility – averaging ~50 ft.

At this time of year we get a periodic shift from blue water to greenish water. This colour change is due to  the nutrient rich waters coming up from South America (Amazon and Orinoco) during the raining season.  It is very nutrient rich water and can encourage growth of the smaller herbivorous creatures (building the food chain from the bottom up) and attracts the larger filter feeders such as manta rays.  The occurrence of the ‘green water’ shifts from day to day and is intermittent with our regular boastful Barbados Blue (vis up to 100 ft).

Currents and weather systems are acute and historically yes we are below the hurricane belt (shhhh, we want to stay that way).  Either way we are exactly on the south-west corner of Barbados so when the currents south are too strong we head leeward (west) and visa verse.

Star fish in Carlisle Bay

divers looking good

Spotted Eagle Ray gliding over a sand channel full of Garden Eels

Although not a focused shot this picture shows well the head shape of an Eagle Ray for those of us that get them confused with the manta or southern sting ray. Note the distinctive forehead and beak and barbs on the base of the tail.

Green Sea Turtle on a Turtle and Shipwreck snorkel excursion. Yes he was that close! Taken by Ajhanii Miller