Diving Into the Local Culture on the Caribbean Island of St. Lucia
Diving on the Caribbean island of St. Lucia is a life-altering experience. It’s not a matter of just standing on the seabed and waving your arms for days at a time. There is the language to learn, the etiquette to learn, the culture to live with and the food to eat. Here are a few things to consider when deciding whether to partake in a dive on the island.
The local government of St. Lucia is very protective of its culture and heritage. In fact, they seem to be very open about the fact that they don’t want the island to become “too white” or “too ‘European’”. While the culture may not be what you would consider a “Mediterranean” or “European” culture, it is a fascinating one. And it is a far cry from the type you would find on, say, the coast of the United States.
The local food…
While the local food is pretty damn good, it isn’t quite the same as our typical Caribbean fare. Most of the restaurants have a pretty limited selection of fare. One exception to this is the local seafood. While the rest of the island doesn’t have a great reputation for it, St. Lucia’s waters have a pretty great reputation. It is, after all, one of the most accessible islands in the Caribbean, and it is easy enough to spend a day or two on an island filled with stunning coral reefs. There are literally no fewer that 12 dive sites on the island, so you are bound to find something spectacular, whether it is a sea turtle, a shark, a manta ray, a reef fish or a school of fish. While most of these sites are shallow, you might find yourself in the water in less than 30 seconds after coming out of the water.
The local language…
This might be the easiest part of the trip to get right. If you know how to speak the local language, you can be quite sure you’ll be able to connect with pretty much anyone you meet. While English is the official language, you’ll be able to get most of the basic stuff across in the local language. You might not be
