Scuba Diving in St. Martin and St. Maarten

The water temperature here is rarely below 70°F (21°C). Visibility is often excellent, averaging about 100 feet to 120 feet. The island has more than 40 good dive sites, from wrecks to rocky labyrinths. Beginners and night divers will get a kick out of tugboat Annie, which lies in 25 feet to 30 feet of water in Simpson Bay. Right outside of Philipsburg, 55 feet under the water, is the HMS Proselyte, once explored by Jacques Cousteau. Although it sank in 1801, the boat's cannons and coral-encrusted anchors are still visible.

Off the north coast, in the protected and mostly current-free Grand Case Bay, is Creole Rock. The water here ranges in depth from 10 feet to 25 feet, and visibility is excellent. Other sites off the north coast include Ilet Pinel, with its good shallow diving; Green Key, with its vibrant barrier reef; and Tintamarre, with its sheltered coves and geologic faults. On average, one-tank dives start at $51; two-tank dives are about $95. Certification courses start at about $400.

On the Dutch side, the following shops are full-service outfitters and SSI (Scuba Schools International) and/or PADI certified.

Blue Bubbles (Dawn Beach Resort, Oyster Pond. 599/542-2503. www.bluebubblessxm.com) has several locations, including two in Great Bay, and offers Snuba, a shallow-water diving technique that is a great way to try undersea exploring. Dive Safaris (Bobby's Marina, Yrausquin Blvd., Philipsburg. 599/542-9001 or 599/545-2401. www.divestmaarten.com) has a shark-awareness dive where participants can watch professional feeders give reef sharks a little nosh. Ocean Explorers Dive Shop (113 Welfare Rd., Simpson Bay. 599/544-5252. www.stmaartendiving.com) is St. Maarten's oldest dive shop, and offers different types of certification courses.

On the French side, Blue Ocean (Sandy Ground Rd., Baie Nettlé. 590/87-89-73. www.blueocean.ws) is a PADI-certified dive center. Octoplus (Bd. de Grand Case, Grand Case. 590/87-20-62. www.octoplus-dive.com) offers diving certification courses and all-inclusive dive packages. At Grand Case Beach Club, O2 Limits (Bd. de Grand Case, Grand Case. 690/50-04-00) offers a variety of dives.