Virtually all diving is done from chartered boats, or from those owned by professional diving operators. With an average water temperature of 26.5 C, diving here is a year-round affair. There are no thermoclines. From time to time an occasional strong current may affect some of the sites, but most are just wind-related surface currents. Most islands are rocky with sub-tropical vegetation, and many are fringed by secluded, white, sandy beaches to the north and west.
Rocky shores break the surf of the islands southern Caribbean side.
There are no steep drop-offs, but shallow walls under 30m, which are part of the natural drop of a reef, from the surface to the sandy bottom, are common. Offshore, large coral conglomerates form caves, ledges and high-rising coral. Basically, shallow-water diving is the name of the game, with the occasional deeper site. Large pelagics such as mantas and sharks are rare, but do appear occasionally. What you will find, though, is around 60 species of coral, and more than 178 species of fish.