Overview

Nevis, West Indies – October 15th, 2009

Scuba Safaris, the only certified dive facility in the dual-island Federation of St. Kitts and Nevis, is putting Nevis on the Caribbean dive map with their new commemorative offshore diving experience to the largely unexplored Christena Ferry site, located between the two islands.

“The Christena, a local ferry servicing St. Kitts and Nevis, sunk to the ocean floor on August 1, 1970, taking the lives of 236 passengers. The tragedy is a big part of Nevisian history and it’s important that visitors know what a powerful effect it had on the island,” said Ellis Chaderton, Scuba Safaris owner/operator. “While wreck diving is always a unique experience for divers, we're confident the Christena dive will become one of the most well-known sites in the Caribbean not only for its history, but for its beauty and variety of sea life.”

In a collaborative effort, Scuba Safaris and Oualie Beach Resort, which are both located on Oualie Beach, have minted and are selling silver ($50 USD) and bronze ($20 USD) collective coins aimed at establishing and maintaining a protected underwater sanctuary surrounding the vessel. In addition to the Christena Memorial Dive, St. Kitts and Nevis offer a wealth of historical dive options as more than 400 ships sank off the shores between 1493 and 1825. However, only a dozen have been identified.

Scuba Safaris offers daily one- and two-tank dives to relatively new, untouched dive sites for divers of all levels including Monkey Shoals, a two square mile reef; Devil’s Caves, where divers can navigate through deep caverns and overhangs; and the Thermal Vents, where water as hot as 100F fizzes up from the island’s dormant volcano.

Underwater explorers can take advantage of being on the beach for early morning dives by staying at Oualie Beach Resort, a classic Caribbean hotel featuring charming guestrooms, a beachfront bar with tables in the sand and live music twice a week.

Nevis is part of the Federation of St. Kitts & Nevis and is located in the Leeward Islands of the West Indies. The island of Nevis is a tiny jewel just eight miles long and six miles wide, yet it has a natural beauty that is unparalleled. The Spanish explorers called Nevis, “Nuestra Senora de Las Nieves” (Our Lady of the Snows) as a tribute to the white clouds surrounding the island’s central volcanic peak. Nevis is a tranquil island paradise where relaxation is raised to an art form.

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