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Tropical Mansion Suites

The pool at Tropical Mansion Suites

The Caribbean

MONTSERRAT

Emerald Isle of the Caribbean

The mysterious comb jelly of Caribbean waters (Sheila Pearce)

The lush and unspoilt volcanic island of Montserrat lies like an emerald teardrop in the Caribbean Sea. Rainforest-covered cliffs plunge into the ocean and small sandy bays, mostly of black sparkling sand, visited by Brown Boobies and Brown Pelicans, remain largely deserted. By day, it is possible to see the hazy outline of neighbouring island of Guadeloupe in the distance. Sometimes, on a clear night, the twinkling lights of far-off Nevis shine through the dark. Montserrat is an island which prides itself on its unspoilt character, natural beauty and the friendliness of its people. But Montserrat also has something very different: an active volcano (which has been determined as female by the locals, due to her capricious behaviour!). In July 1995 the serenity of the island was shattered when the Soufrière Hills volcano surged into life after 400 years of dormancy. The sleeping giant had awoken. Black smoke, grey ash and white-hot boulders were thrown spectacularly from the heart of the mountain. Just two years later a pyroclastic flow of ash, rocks and lava buried the small capital of Plymouth, destroyed the coastal town of St Patrick’s and killed 19 farmers who had chosen not to leave their lands, despite the warnings of the government. After the eruptions, the runway and airport were gone and much of the southern half of the island was destroyed or rendered uninhabitable; reclaimed by the volcano. Around two-thirds of the population left the island, mostly to re-settle in Britain.

Today things have moved on dramatically. The island is a fascinating and beautiful paradise, though one which is divided north from south, with the northern part of the island designated a ‘safe zone’ and the southern section of the island an ‘exclusion zone’.

Here there are no large hotels. No ‘all-inclusive’ resorts. No charter flights bringing thousands of tourists every week. There are brilliantly coloured hummingbirds which zip from flower to flower. Frangipani scents the air. Orchids bloom along the rainforest trails where the island’s endemic bird, the Montserrat Oriole, can be found. The gentle cooing of doves issues from the palm trees. The sky is mostly bright blue with billowing white clouds and the sea is warm, clear and tempting. The tree frogs’ chorus provides an evening lullaby. But the volcano is a beguiling creature too, luring the visitor to see the evidence of her power. Curiosity and intrigue beckon one to visit the buried remains of Plymouth, now simply a grey moonscape. Just the rooftops of buildings, the spire of a church, ghostly shells of factories, shops and houses remain. Simple shack houses are gone without trace. Millionaire’s villas lie lost in time, abandoned forever. The residents of the area were evacuated in 1997 and the south of the island is now an exclusion zone, parts of which can be visited with permission from the local police. The volcano remains active and occasionally ash showers are sprinkled over parts of the island. The dome inside the volcano’s crater continues to build, and collapse, then re-build. The volcano is monitored by a large percentage of the world’s volcanologists. She is watched and measured 24 hours a day. A visit to the Volcano Observatory is a fascinating and extraordinary experience, not to mention the fabulous views from the observation deck!

Under the water and as a result of its turbulent volcanic history, Montserrat has some interesting diving. The island was always sparsely populated, even before the volcano erupted, and so hard corals have not been subjected to the stresses and strains of pollution and disease. The island is surrounded by a sloping sandy shelf at around 20 metres. Volcanic boulders form the base of extensive patch reefs. Beyond the shelf the sea floor drops away to the Caribbean abyss. The sea is not under fishing pressure as the very few locals who fish have only small boats and do not impact the area a great deal (try ordering fresh fish in the restaurants and you will understand how little fishing goes on here!). Some sport fishermen, mostly from the US, bring in catches of off-shore species such as Wahoo and tuna. These species are not often seen inshore, but it is good to know they are out there, beyond the reef and completing the natural food chain of the ocean, and that they may venture inshore from time to time.

The majority of the dive sites are found off the west coast, which is in the lee of the island and mostly sheltered. The east coast is still affected by restrictions due to volcanic activity, but it is hoped that once the restrictions are lifted there will be chance to witness the formation of new reefs.

Pot of Gold is a lovely dive on a reef formed from a natural ‘dump’ of huge volcanic boulders. At around 24 metres one can wander around and explore the sand patches and the coral covered boulders. Large barrel sponges, brain corals and some looping wire corals are found here and organ-pipe sponges rise over the reef. There are splendid encrusting sponges in all kinds of milkshake shades with strawberry, yellow, green and purple (or banana, pistachio and blueberry!) predominating. Although fish life is not especially prolific, one can find good numbers of some common Caribbean species such as Yellowtail Damselfish, Sergeant Majors, Brown Chromis, Rock Beauties and Blue Tangs. In summer months, one can watch the Sergeant Majors guarding extensive patches of bright purple eggs which they have laid on the side of rocks. On most dives in Montserrat one will encounter a single silvery, sharp-toothed Giant Barracuda hovering silently. Could it be the same one on every dive, one wonders? Both Hawksbill and Green Turtles are common sights on many dives, Hawksbill being the more frequently seen, usually resting on a coral or rock shelf. Large Southern Stingrays, snuggled in the sand, are a fascinating, common encounter, as are elegant Spotted Eagle Rays, which glide by, taking a cursory glance at the strange underwater visitor. Unusual for the Caribbean, and yet common at many Montserrat dive sites, are Flying Gurnards, which open their ‘wings’ and reveal their hidden colours of brilliant iridescent blue as they glide swiftly away. Often found in pairs, Flying Gurnards will often simply ‘walk’ away on the tips of their spiny fins when they want to leave.

Many areas are not named as dive sites as yet, so it was with great pleasure that our own Hilary Lee explored and named, Hilary’s, just south of Little Bay beneath the rocky cliff that is topped by Montserrat’s prison (this must surely be the finest location of any prison in the world: sea views from every cell!). This is a shallow dive of around 11 metres where one can clock up a long dive time exploring the nooks and crevices of these fascinating reefs. Here are all the Caribbean favourites. Corkscrew Anemones, that look like purple dreadlocks, hold fragile Pederson Cleaner Shrimps that will dance out of their anemone home and give you a manicure. Stubby, Branching Anemones hide within recesses and retract if a diver approaches. Peep into the shadow of a dark crevice to find brilliant-red Rough Fileclams with their fine tentacles waving like frilly ballet skirts. Elegant black and white Spotted Drums circle nervously beneath the rocks. Check out the sand patches and you may discover a pair of Yellowhead Jawfish hovering over their burrows. These fascinating fish will dart back into their burrow, tail first, if you get too close. The males incubate the eggs in their mouths, blowing them out in a long stream from time to time, to aerate them, then sucking them back in to safety.

Rendezvous Beach is reached only by an hour’s hike over a hill and through dense undergrowth or, for divers, by a five-minute boat ride. It has the only vanilla-coloured sand on the island and, if you were considering getting married in the Caribbean, this would be the most perfect, romantic spot. Some people do elect to tie the knot here (by which we mean maybe 3 couples a year, in a good year!) and a post-wedding dive could be arranged! This can be quite a fishy site and a school of Bermuda Chub live here, flashing silver in the shallow water as they swim close to the surface.

While diving in Montserrat it is possible to see the ‘impossible’, especially if you are interested in the more secretive fish species or invertebrates. Check out your marine life books and it will tell you that such and such a species is only found in a certain place, yet you know you have just found them in Montserrat. So it was with a pair of lovely Black-spotted Sea Goddesses (“uncommon, known only from South Florida” as the Paul Humann guide says), delightful golden-striped nudibranchs with dark spots around the edge that we found living happily just off Rendezvous Beach. There is much to discover and much still to find in this area of the Caribbean, which has been so little studied below the waves.

Like another volcanic island, Dominica, Montserrat has its Champagne dive where hot water surges from crevices in the volcanic rock and streams of bubbles make their way to the surface from the trapped volcanic gases below. A unique and fascinating sight.

On many dives you will find brittle stars wrapped around sponges, furled basket stars waiting for night and crinoids curling and swaying their delicate arms. Black and purple spiny sea urchins simply litter some dive sites. Yellowline Arrow Crabs peep from within vase sponges and rocky crevices. Look out for the tiny juveniles of the Smooth Trunkfish, which look like floating, rounded, black dice with yellow spots as they bob along the reef.

Montserrat, a British Overseas Territory which also has a strong Irish connection, is a great choice for divers who want to leave the crowds behind, who are happy to dive with a small dive operation and enjoy the island’s natural attractions such as the volcano and the rainforests as well as the diving. On this tiny island, the locals will welcome you with open arms. The famous Air Studios, set up by Beatles producer George Martin but now derelict, has had many famous visitors who still return to Montserrat from time to time: Paul McCartney, Mick Jagger and the Rolling Stones, Elton John and many others. Visit Montserrat to discover your own dive site, see creatures which apparently should not exist here and relax ...

TROPICAL MANSION SUITES & GREEN MONKEY

Tropical Mansion Suites, which is the only open hotel on the island, is owned by the Galloway family, who are one of the most prominent business families on Montserrat and can trace their family history back to 17th Century West Africa. The hotel was designed by Ivason Galloway the eldest son, and built by J E Galloway Construction Company. Today the hotel is managed and efficiently run by the family’s only daughter, Merle Galloway. You can be sure of a friendly welcome from everyone at Tropical Mansion Suites.

The hotel is situated at Sweeny’s which is just a five minute drive from the island’s small airport, so once you land on lovely Montserrat there are no tedious transfers – just a very short car ride before you are welcomed at Tropical Mansion Suites. The hotel has 18 guest rooms, built around a lovely central swimming pool. The rooms have stunning views across the island to the sparkling Caribbean Sea below, or across the lush rainforests to the Centre and Silver Hills which rise above the hotel and stretch away across the island as far as the eye can see.

All the rooms have en-suite bathrooms with both bath and shower, colour cable television, tea and coffee making facilities, ceiling fans, daily maid service, iron and ironing board, desk, internet access and both 110 and 220 volt electrical outlets. All rooms also have a patio or balcony and are furnished in light, bright tropical style with pastel bed linens. Draw back the curtains to let the warm Caribbean sun flood the room, or close them if you want to shade the room and keep it cool! Standard rooms have a choice of two double beds or one king-sized bed. Air-conditioning is available in some Standard Rooms. Deluxe Rooms have one king-sized, four-poster bed, air conditioning, a refrigerator, two burner stove and a microwave oven in addition to the standard facilities.

Breakfast, lunch and dinner are available in the restaurant, which is on the ground floor of the hotel and is decorated in modern Caribbean style, reflecting the bright and breezy tropical scenery outside. The chef is an expert at combining local Caribbean ingredients and recipes with modern ideas to create some tasty and interesting dishes. You will always be sure of a welcome at the well-stocked bar, so choose your favourite cool Caribbean cocktail to sip leisurely when the diving day is over.

The hotel is situated close to the airport and only a short ride from the beaches, local restaurants and shops, as well as Little Bay (usually the main area for diving departures). Car hire is recommended as there is so much to see on this fascinating island. Daily or weekly car hire is available and guided local tours can be arranged at the hotel’s front desk.

It is important to be aware that volcanic activity can occur at any time. On occasion, dustings of volcanic ash fall on the northern part of the island. The hotel has had guests that were disappointed that they did not witness volcanic activity during their stay and others who were disappointed that they did! Far better that you choose to visit Montserrat with an open attitude and enjoy the fascinating attraction of spending some time at the feet of an active volcano! Montserrat’s Volcano Conference of 2005 printed on their logo ‘Plenty rum in me belly an ash in me hair, me vaguely remember, me tink I was there’! Good job they were not there to dive!

Green Monkey Dive Shop is right on the water’s edge at Little Bay. Troy Depperman and his partner Melody moved to Montserrat several years ago and set up the dive centre. Troy has over 20 years diving experience and is a PADI Master Scuba Diver Trainer. He is very proud of the personal service that he offers and will happily customize your diving for you. Green Monkey have two dive boats, with the main boat being Giant Stride, a 9-metre Delta dive boat which can take up to 12 divers but, for comfort, Troy keeps the number down to a maximum of 9. The boat has twin inboard diesel engines and is fully fitted with safety equipment, including oxygen, life jackets and life rafts. Fresh water is supplied on board for photography equipment rinsing. Monkey Sea is a back-up boat, converted from a speedboat, and is much smaller, taking up to four passengers. Troy sometimes uses this boat for deep sea fishing too.

Transfers will be arranged for you between Tropical Mansion Suites and Little Bay. Divers normally take a morning two-tank dive, spending their surface interval on the boat or on a deserted beach. Shore diving can be arranged for the afternoons, subject to availability.

Price: from about £90 per night (from about £42 per night without diving). Includes: airport transfers; room-only accommodation on a twin/share basis in a Standard Room without air-conditioning at the Tropical Mansion Suites; 2 morning boat dives daily, dive guide. Airport transfers and each set of transfers between the hotel and the dive centre cost from about £6 return for 2 people; from about £12 return for one person. Deposit: £200.

Single Occupancy Supplement: from about £23 per night.

FLIGHTS: Prices from about £742 to Montserrat. There are daily flight connections to Montserrat via Antigua. We will quote you the airfare applicable, based on routing, season, current fare levels and booking class availability. Our quote will include all taxes and fuel supplements applicable at the time of quotation, as well as our service charge. The usual airfare deposit is £300.

COMBINATIONS: Why not combine some diving on Montserrat with a visit to one of the Caribbean’s other unspoilt islands, St Lucia or Dominica, or with a week of liveaboard diving on Caribbean Explorer II in Saba and St Kitts or Wind Dancer in Grenada. There are daily flights between Montserrat and St Lucia, Grenada, Dominica, St Martin and St Kitts, via Antigua. Talk to us about the possibilities.

Grey Angel Fish (Sheila Pearce)