Intermediate Dominica
Dominica
A flooded volcanic crater, bubbles rising from the seafloor, and resident sperm whales offshore
At the island's southern tip, the sea occupies the interior of a volcanic crater. You dive inside it, along walls dropping from the shoreline, with gas bubbles rising from the sand and warming the water to the touch.
In this guide you'll find what it's like to dive a young, rugged volcanic island, what the geothermal vent zone is, what it means to have resident sperm whales offshore, when to go, and what level you need.
It's the Caribbean destination where the geology is most alive underwater, and one of the few places in the world with a sperm whale population that can be studied continuously off the same stretch of coast.
Geography and access
Dominica is a young, mountainous volcanic island in the Lesser Antilles arc, with geothermal activity still active on land and underwater.
The west coast, sheltered from the prevailing wind, is where diving happens; the east coast faces the Atlantic and is exposed.
At the southern tip, the sea has flooded the interior of a volcanic crater, and its walls form the island's most distinctive dive site.
Nearby, a shallow stretch of seafloor releases gas bubbles of geothermal origin that rise through the water column and warm the surrounding water.
The island shelf is extremely narrow: a short distance from shore the water reaches hundreds and then thousands of metres, which explains why large cetaceans come so close.
Access combines a flight with a connection from neighbouring islands or a ferry, with a road transfer to the west coast.
Keep reading with full access
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