Tobago Dive Log, Part 3

This drift dive around Goat Island is a lush, beautiful reef sloping gently toward the sea. Currents are extremely variable, from nothing to a fast, steady flow of three knots or more. This dive site name is descriptive of the cascading garden of hard and soft corals. Sea whips like bonsai trees and stony corals arranged as if in a rock garden, inspire the imagination of an oriental garden.

The drop-off point is southeast of Goat Island, close to a row of tooth-like jagged rocks jutting above the surface. Below the boat is about 30 feet of water, a base of coral heads and big vase and barrel sponges. Depending on the current, you can either leisurely or swiftly begin drifting and descending along the sloping shore westward through huge sponges in all sorts of formations, some with red banded coral shrimp and arrow crabs as residents.

Black coral trees mingle with the waving sea fans, sea rods, and barrel sponges giving this reef lots of dimension. About 150 years from the start and near the southwest corner of Goat Island is another grouping of rocks that protrude the surface and provide a cut to swim through while diving. The dive briefing clued us to stay close to the bottom here to avoid being swept up and over the top of the reef face if the currents are strong. We had variable current up to this point, some slow stuff then picking up the pace as we get closer to this cut. We go through one by one, at a comfortable speed and marvel at the lovely encrusting sponges in purple, orange, and green; star coral, and hydroid growth. The cut is about six feet wide and 15 feet long at the 45 foot depth.

Once through the cut, you reach the prettiest area of the dive. A steeper slope marked with a series of coral ledges features large angelfish, spanish hogfish, bi-color damselfish and a solitary barracuda. Swarms of chromis and creole wrasse hang in the water column as we drift by. Under the several ledges we look for sleeping nurse sharks and find just one back under a ledge not wanting to be disturbed. A medium-sized green moray eel stretches himself out from under a coral head.

Around another corner on the NW side of Goat Island the terrain changes again. The slope is now white sand covered with waving sea plumes and coral heads, many covered by bright orange encrusting sponges. We hover around at 30 feet enjoying the sunlight reflecting off the sand and lighting up the technicolor scenery before us. Large trumpetfish hang vertically among the sea rods thinking they are invisible. We ascend to 15 feet and glide along the reef for our safety stop, once again contented and pleased with our lovely Tobago dive.

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