From the Saintes, we motorsailed up to Pigeon Island off the west coast of Guadeloupe. The weather was perfect for a visit to the dive sites at the Jacques Cousteau Underwater Park. We timed our departure to arrive at lunchtime. This is when the tour operators are usually changing out the morning and afternoon tourists, and the mooring balls are available. We had to wait about 30 minutes. We finally asked a family whose inflatable was tied up to a mooring if we could share. They were Dutch cruisers, and welcomed us alongside.
I was a little banged up with a stiff knee, so I sat this one out. Cary, Ginny and Tricia dove and said the conditions were wonderful! (Tricia) - Pigeon Island is small. There are dive/snorkel sites on three sides, and we were moored at the southwest corner, which turned out to be the best site. We dropped in 20' of crystal clear water. Visibility was impeccable. Most of the volcanic islands have runoff of dust from the volcanos that makes the water grainy, but not this little gem. Unfortunately, Ginny had trouble clearing her ears, so back to the boat we went. Once Ginny was back on board, Cary and I tried again. At first we tried to go east, toward the other moorings, but seeing little there, other than divers, we turned and headed west. What a sight of healthy corral, sponges, fish big and small, lobster, turtles, and very few anemones. It was the kind of dive you wish you could do again and again, and probably never tire of seeing the beauty. It amazes me how much more vibrant colors are when the water is truly clear. It was, for that reason, one of the busiest dive sites we have seen.
After the dive, it was a quick trip up the coast to Deshaies (Day-Ay) where we anchored for a few days.
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