t Diver exploring the Hilma Hooker wreck, at 98 ft (30 m) below the surface off Bonaire
The Caribbean’s scintillating blue waters offer an entire realm of fantastic aquatic adventures. Almost every isle has sensational snorkeling and diving, but the trade winds fuel wind-reliant sports, and you’ll also find an abundance of other power-craft options.
t Diver exploring the Hilma Hooker wreck, at 98 ft (30 m) below the surface off Bonaire
Sunken ships hold a special allure for divers, not least because they attract a wealth of marine life. Often, cannons and other artifacts can still be seen, while World War II ships are especially fascinating to explore. Wrecks are scattered all along the Caribbean chain. Bucket-list dives include Hilma Hooker, a drug-smuggling vessel condemned to the deep off Bonaire; and HMS Endymion, a 44-gun man of war sunk by a storm in 1790 off Turks & Caicos. It is also worth exploring the overloaded freighter Superior Producer that sank in 1977, off CuraÇoa’s southwest coast. At night, an artificial reef is lit by the glow of cup corals.
Surfing the Caribbean swells offers all the fun and thrills of a rollercoaster. For aficionados, waves that reach 40 feet (12 m) off Rincón, in Puerto Rico, are the ultimate ride. Fun seekers can howl with delight on a “banana-tube” towed by a powerful speedboat off The Bahamas’ Paradise Island. Negotiating the rapids on the Río Yaque del Norte on a white-water rafting trip with Rancho Baiguate (ranchobaiguate.com) in the Dominican Republic’s Jarabacoa, will guarantee plenty of thrills.
Don a breathing tube, face mask, and fins and snorkel like a fish on the water surface. SNUBA (SNorkel + scUBA) tethers compressed air canisters to floating rafts, connecting swimmers to air tubes without heavy restrictive gear. On Aruba, you can explore a German World War II freighter and Lockheed Lodestar plane while SNUBA-diving with Antilla Dives. Beginners should head to Champagne Reef in Soufrière, Dominica to explore the kaleidoscopic sealife teeming just below the surface.
The Caribbean is caressed by near-constant trade winds, powering a panoply of breeze-dependent sports. Enjoy a day-sailing excursion from the Grenadines to the tiny Tobago Cays. On Aruba, learn to perform exhilarating aerial kite-surf acrobatics from the experts. Or simply have fun with an easy-to-maneuver Hobie Cat, offered at resort beaches the length of the island chain.
Picture Perfect
Diving with sharks is not for the faint- hearted, but it is a specialty at Cuba’s Jardines de la Reina. Armed with a waterproof camera, capturing a shot of a shark’s toothy grin is guaranteed to impress.