Diving in Mauritius
Due to the mild and constant temperature of its waters (between 22 and 25°C in winter and 26 to 29°C in summer), the variety of its sites and its underwater fauna, Mauritius attracts divers from all over the world and allows the uninitiated to discover the joys of a sport where accidents are very rare, but sometimes fatal. Hence the importance of being supervised by professionals belonging to the fifty or so diving centres affiliated to the MSDA: The Mauritian Scuba Diving Association - Website: www.msda.mu. The centres affiliated to this federation require divers to have a licence which serves as insurance. Beware, in Mauritius anyone can offer to dive for a fee. Avoid the one who will not ask you to fill in the MSDA Temporary Affiliation Form, the blue form for the French. Moreover, all the clubs are attached to one or more international organizations delivering diplomas valid in the whole world.
In any case, even if the diving center seems serious and that the instructors and assistants have the required diplomas (do not hesitate to check because during the high season, it is not rare that it is a friend of the mono who leads the boat! Asthma, heart failure and eardrum problems are contraindicated for diving. If you suffer or have already suffered from these problems, you should ask your doctor's advice and obtain a medical certificate of fitness for diving.Dive at your level
One should not dive to any depth without training, which one is very quickly tempted to do as diving is so pleasant and easy. When you have no training (even if you have already done several first dives and an instructor invites you to do so), it is better not to go deeper than 5 m and if possible 3 m - a specific diving accident, pulmonary overpressure, is fatal at 10 m. When you have a Level 1 or Open Water Padi diploma, you should not exceed a depth of 20 m despite the confidence you can have and the professionalism of the instructor. It cannot be said enough that diving accidents are very rare, but always serious. Do not dive when you are tired, ill or sober. Finally, do not forget to respect a time interval of at least 12 hours to go up to altitude after a dive, and 24 hours to take the plane - time necessary for a correct desaturation. The island's hyperbaric chamber is located at the Victoria Hospital near Quatre Bornes (tel: +230 427 5131) and the doctors in charge are very competent.
Snorkeling
This form of aquatic hiking is very popular. Most of the clubs lend equipment: fins, mask and snorkel. Rather than staying close to the beaches, it is better to take a boat that will take you to the coral reef to contemplate the underwater fauna and flora. The most beautiful snorkelling dives are done around the islets scattered off Mauritius, notably Gabriel and Coin de Mire, as well as in the two marine parks of the island: Blue Bay in the south-east and Baie aux Tortues in the north-west.
The best spots : South West (from Grande Rivière Noire to Le Morne)
Castle. Night diving recommended. This site is known for its interesting marine life at night, especially the presence of Spanish dancers and hawksbill turtles. Beautiful corals.
The Pass. Average depth of 12 meters. Unspectacular corals, but great variety of fish.
Needle Hole. Average depth of 12 m. Sergeant-majors and riflemen in abundance, good spot for underwater photography.
The best spots : the West (from Black River to Flic en Flac)
Cathedral. Average depth of 25 m. Diving in the drop off, along two cliffs (numerous cracks and crevices sheltering interesting fauna) which lead to a huge open cavern at the bottom. Dark and imposing vaults giving the impression of being in a sunken cathedral. Many squirrels and pteris.
Bamboo Hill. Average depth of 25 m. Great diversity of marine landscapes (chimneys, cracks, stone bridges). Possibility to see coral sharks, grey sharks, tuna, black spotted rays.
Rampart l'Herbe or Shark Place. Average depth of 45 m. Experienced divers. Nice site with many predators such as grey sharks, tuna, barracudas.
Snake Rampart. Average depth of 25 m. Experienced divers. This site is characterized by a sinusoidal rock of a hundred meters long, similar to a snake crawling on the sand, and attracting many tropical fishes including the largest variety of stonefish, scorpion fishes, laffes and moray eels that can be seen in Mauritius. A highly recommended dive with an excellent reputation
Tug. Interesting site based on a wreck at a depth of 19 m, accessible to divers of level 1. Possibility to see the Mauritius scorpionfish, a rare and beautiful fish.
The best spots : North-West (from Pointe aux Piments to Pointe aux Canonniers)
Stella Maru. Average depth of 23 m. The Stella Maru is a Japanese trawler which the Mauritius Conservation Society sank in 1987 to create an artificial reef. Unspectacular flora, but interesting marine fauna in and around the boat: moray eels, stonefish, threadfin scorpion fish..
Stenopus Reef. Average depth of 29 m. Lots of corals, tropical fish and pelagic fish.
Peter Holt's Rock or The Boulders. Average depth of 18 m. A site known for its huge basalt rocks of volcanic origin. Rocks riddled with cracks, caves, crevices filled with marine life.
The best spots : North (from Pointe aux Canonniers to Grand Gaube)
Aquarium. Average depth of 10 m. A festival of colours orchestrated by the many varieties of fish that frequent the site. Many small reefs attracting juveniles of all species, including some rare specimens such as the small scorpion fish(Brachypterus biocellata) and the grouper(Epinephelus longispinis).
Tortoise. Average depth of 13 m. Here again, an interesting spot for its great diversity of tropical fish: a treat for the eyes.
Pointe-Vacoas. Average depth of 22 m. Lots of corals attracting an abundant fauna, giant starfish and big firefish. From August to December, dolphins can be seen.
Whale Rock. Average depth of 25 m. Large plateaus of black rocks, caves, canyons, beautiful varieties of corals... Possibility to see hammerhead sharks.
Coin de Mire. Depth: 22 m. To the east of the islet, beautiful reliefs outcropping at the surface with reef fauna and the presence of large parrots. Large predators pass by. Dive often difficult in case of strong current. The dive ends at Confetti Bay with a firework display of corals, anemones and clown fish.
Bain Bœuf. Average depth of 20 meters. Interesting dive for the corals. The site is often visited by groupers.
The Silver Star. Depth from 22 m to 42 m. Boat sunk in 1992 to create an artificial reef. The incredible thing is that it sank upright, which makes the dive fascinating.
The best spots : in the East (from Poste de Flacq to Grande Rivière Sud Est)
The Pass. Average depth of 22 m. At Trou d'Eau Douce, a drift dive... Many varieties of fish, including groupers, red mullets, wrasse..
La Passe de Belle Mare or Passe du Puits. Depth from 3 to 18 m. One of the most famous dives on the east coast, with a first class drift to be done at low tide. The current leads through a pass where jacks, eagle rays, reef sharks and other predators abound.
Gorgonian forest. Depth from 22 to 33 m. Experienced divers. Green parrotfish play hide and seek in a forest of gorgonians with thick trunks, in which groupers, hogfish, diodon and platax hide. Around the summit, it is possible to see schools of pseudo-anthias. A lively and very colorful site. An atmospheric dive with good visibility.
Japanese garden. Depth from 19 to 24 meters. A site known for its coral life: flying gurnards, nudibranchs, crescent groupers, angelfish, butterflies, surgeonfish, triggerfish, wrasse... The walk on the plateau is like a treasure hunt! A dive appreciated by photographers.
The best spots : South-East (from Vieux Grand Port to Souffleur)
Blue Bay. Average depth of 7 m. Impressive variety of corals. Quiet diving, which can be done by snorkeling - 5-star rating.
Sirius. Average depth of 18 m. British warship that exploded during the battle of Vieux Grand Port on August 25, 1810. Three distinct sites to explore around the wreck. Caution ! Visibility sometimes zero due to the mouth of a river.
The Colorado. Average depth of 33 m. As the name indicates, this is a dive to be made in a 400 m long canyon, encased between high cliffs: long tunnel filled with lobsters, chimneys, amphitheatre..
Zozo rocks. Average depth of 33 m. Dive more interesting for its site than for its fauna. Rocky peak, tunnel, canyon.
