Dive sites in Martinique

Rocher du Diamant sits approximately 1.8 kilometres off the southern coast of Martinique near the village of Le Diamant. The boat ride takes about 15 minutes from the nearest marina. Several dive centres in Le Diamant and nearby Sainte-Luce run regular trips to the rock, weather permitting. The crossing can be choppy when the trade winds are strong, and conditions around the rock itself are often rougher than inshore sites. Most operators cancel trips when swells exceed 2 metres.

In 1804, during the Napoleonic Wars, the British Royal Navy landed a garrison of about 120 sailors on the rock and fortified it with cannons, effectively commissioning it as HMS Diamond Rock. From this improbable fortress, the British blockaded the nearby French port of Fort-de-France for seventeen months before a combined French and Spanish force recaptured it in 1805. Cannon positions and steps carved into the rock are still visible above the waterline. Underwater, ballast stones and occasional artefacts from the naval occupation can be spotted on the seabed around the base.

An Open Water certification is sufficient for the shallower eastern side of the rock where depths stay within 18 metres and conditions are more sheltered. The deeper western and southern walls require Advanced Open Water certification as depths quickly exceed 30 metres and currents can be significant. Most dive operators in Martinique will assess conditions on the day and choose which side of the rock to dive accordingly. Divers should be comfortable with moderate currents and boat entries in potentially rough water.