Centre Subaquatique Des Ilets

Centre Subaquatique des Ilets is positioned on the Malendure beach, offering immediate access to the waters of the Cousteau Reserve. This protected area within the Guadeloupe National Park provides a diverse range of underwater environments, from shallow reef flats to deeper offshore sites.

The centre's location offers a direct connection to the marine life of the Bouillante region, with the Îlets Pigeon visible from the shore. It operates as an eco-responsible diving club, maintaining a formal charter with the National Park to ensure local reef protection.

The centre is highly versatile in its training approach, holding affiliations with PADI, FFESSM, CMAS, and ANMP. This allows them to cater to both international divers seeking standard certifications and local divers following the French federal training system.

They support the next generation of divers through dedicated youth programmes for those aged 8 to 14. The centre also serves as a training ground for professional diving instructors, hosting students working towards their BPJEPS and DEJEPS state diplomas.

A comprehensive range of courses is available, covering everything from initial discovery dives to professional instructor training. Divers can work through the PADI progression, including Open Water Diver, Advanced Open Water Diver, and Rescue Diver.

For those following the French national curriculum, the centre provides training for Niveau 1 through Niveau 4, as well as Initiateur Club and Moniteur fédéral 1er Degré (MF1). They also offer specialised training such as RIFAP and support candidates for professional qualifications like BPJEPS and DEJEPS.

The centre operates two outboard-powered boats, each with a capacity for 22 to 23 divers. These vessels are equipped with sun protection in the form of a taud to ensure comfort during trips to offshore sites.

The boats are powered by either a single 225cv engine or twin 200cv engines, providing reliable transit to more distant locations such as the Augustin Fresnel wreck or the Sec Pâté sites.

The reefs are home to a variety of larger species, including nurse sharks, great barracuda, and green sea turtles. You can often spot Spanish mackerel, lionfish, and various members of the grouper family, such as the Caribbean grouper, patrolling the areas. Schools of surgeonfish and spotted sweetlips are also common sights around the reef structures.

Macro life and smaller inhabitants add significant detail to the dives, with seahorses, trumpetfish, and boxfish frequently encountered. Divers may also find spotted moray eels, porcupinefish, and various species of shrimp and anemones tucked into the crevices of the reef.

The hard and soft coral scenery is defined by sea fans and various anemones, providing a complex habitat for brittle stars and other small invertebrates. The presence of diverse life, from large tarpon to tiny seahorses, makes the Cousteau Reserve a highly biodiverse area.

Diving in the area is influenced by the local topography of the Cousteau Reserve. While specific current and swell data are not provided, the centre offers night diving, which provides a different perspective on the local marine activity.

Water temperatures typically range between 26°C and 31°C, making it a warm environment for most divers throughout the year.