The Grenada Tourism Authority said it completed the renovation of the Grenada Underwater Sculpture Park, which was the first of its kind when it opened in 2006 and has since become one of the country’s most popular attractions.
The park, located off the west coast of the island in the Molinere Beausejour Marine Protected Area, was envisioned by British sculptor Jason deCaires Taylor and is accessible to both snorkelers and divers. The installation includes 82 lifesize sculptures that reflect Grenada’s culture and are fashioned predominately from simple substrates, which are surfaces on which marine life may develop.
One of the park’s most famous sculptures is the Vicissitudes, a circle of 28 figures cast of local Grenadian children linked by holding hands.
Other notable pieces include the Lost Correspondent, a man working at a typewriter on a desk covered with historical newspaper clippings. Another sculpture, called Sienna, depicts the figure of a young skin diver from a local story, and TAMCC Faces is a series of life-sized faces seemingly molded into the crevice of a large coral boulder.
Over time, the sculpture park was affected by natural environmental forces. The restoration project included repairing and cleaning specific structures as well as removing some sculptures and relocating other pieces.
“The Grenada Underwater Sculpture Park is a national treasure, and its maintenance is important to the upkeep of the pure allure of Grenada’s waters,” said Petra Roach, CEO of the tourism authority.
“Innovatively designed to act as an artificial reef, the park has attracted a stunning array of diverse marine life since its installation and has provided a surface for coral to grow, which is important to our ongoing preservation efforts and commitment to combat the ravages of global warming,” Roach said.
Several local dive operators operate tours to the park, including EcoDive Grenada, which offers a two-hour tour for snorkelers to the park and nearby reefs from $45, or four hours from $60.
Dive tours also are offered, and a complete list of operators is listed.
In addition to the underwater park, Grenada’s waters contain more than 30 dive sites, including the Bianca C, the largest shipwreck in the Caribbean.
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