Anguilla Scuba Diving

Overview of Anguilla

A small, pricey island, just a short ferry ride from St. Maarten. Beautiful beaches, expensive hotels and exclusive ambiance make it popular with honeymooners and the rich and famous. Typical Caribbean reefs and reef fish are easily accessible. Ok for first-time Caribbean divers.

Anguilla Seasonal Dive Planner

Anguilla is low and dry, with an annual rainfall of about 40 inches. Dry season starts in January and runs through April. The rainy season is from August to November. However, there is very little run-off, so diving is generally not affected by the rain. The odds of hurricanes are small; the average is only one every 20 years (see Caribbean below).

Anguilla Feature Articles and Reader Reports

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Editor's Book Picks for Anguilla

The books below are my favorites about diving in this part of the world All books are available at a significant discount from Amazon.com; just follow the links. -- BD

World Atlas of Coral Reefs
by Mark D. Spalding, Corinna Ravilious, Edmund P. Green, United Nations World Conservation Monitoring Center.

If there is one book that belongs in every traveling diver's library, this is it. The superb World Atlas of Coral Reefs has everything you want to know about the reefs from Costa Rica and Cuba to the Coral Sea and Cayman. The information is specific and up to date. The photos, maps and layout superb. And the price, for this 424 page, full color, hard bound volume, is a steal at $31.50

The Atlas was released in September by the United Nations World Conservation Monitoring Center to document and conserve the world's coral reefs. Clearly written with divers in mind, it's an invaluable resource for global travelers. Here's what you'll find.

• 94 maps, including global maps of biodiversity and reef stresses, regional maps showing 3-D bathymetry and high resolution maps showing reefs, mangroves, population centers, dive centers and protected areas.
• 280 color photographs, showing reefs, wildlife, people and places, Including 84 photographs taken from space by Shuttle astronauts.
• Text explaining the formation, structure and ecology of coral reefs; their various uses and abuses at the hands of humans; and the techniques used in coral reef mapping.
• Detailed texts describing the distribution and status of coral reefs in every country.
• Data tables listing information on biodiversity, human use, and protected areas. These include statistics on coral reef area, biodiversity, fish consumption, and threats.

For example, you can learn about pollution damage to the reefs at Providenciales and the lack of human impact, as well. Or, where extensive bleaching took place in Honduras 1998. You'll read that Milne Bay in Papua New Guineas has the most extensive reef system in that country and where, in Fiji, the bumphead parrotfish and tridachna clams will not be found, thanks to overfishing. Order now.

You might find some other books of interest in our Editor's Book Picks section.