Molinere Underwater Sculpture Park: Art That Becomes Reef

The Molinere Underwater Sculpture Park in Molinere Bay, on Grenada’s west coast, was created by British sculptor Jason deCaires Taylor starting in 2006. The park contains more than 65 life-sized cement figures placed on a sand plain in 3-8 metres of water, designed specifically as artificial reef substrate. Over 15+ years, coral and sponges have colonised the sculptures extensively. The visual result is figures half-buried in coral growth, surrounded by fish, with the filtered sunlight of shallow Caribbean water above.

This is the first underwater sculpture park in the world; it was followed by MUSA in Mexico and other installations elsewhere. The Grenada site remains the original and continues to be maintained and expanded.

Visiting the Park

The park is accessible by snorkelling and by scuba diving. The depth of 3-8 metres makes it suitable for reasonably competent snorkellers, not just certified divers. Several dive operators in St. George’s and Grand Anse offer trips specifically to Molinere Bay.

Aquanauts Grenada (Grand Anse) and Dive Grenada (also Grand Anse) are the established operators. A snorkel trip to the park typically costs around USD $50-70 per person including equipment, transport by boat, and a guide who explains the sculptures and points out marine life. Dive trips run USD $90-120 for a two-tank dive including the sculpture park and other nearby sites. Both operators are PADI-affiliated.

The bay also has coral reef beyond the sculpture area; the full site is a marine protected area, and the reef health is generally good by Eastern Caribbean standards. Hawksbill sea turtles are frequently seen. The sandy bottom between the sculptures is worth looking at closely: stingrays rest there, partially buried.

What You’ll See

Taylor’s sculptures draw from human figures in everyday situations: a ring of children holding hands, a man reading a newspaper at a desk, a crowd of people facing in different directions. The details that were sharp in 2006 have been softened by coral growth and the effect is more organic than sculptural at this point. This is intentional; the works are designed to transfer authorship to the sea over time.

Underwater cameras are essential. Natural light is adequate down to about 4-5 metres; below that, a small underwater torch improves colour rendition.

Grenada Beyond the Bay

St. George’s is one of the prettiest capital cities in the Eastern Caribbean: a horseshoe-shaped harbour with Georgian brick buildings on the hillside, Fort George at the entrance, and a market on the waterfront. The market on Saturday mornings sells spice, nutmeg products (Grenada produces 20% of the world’s nutmeg), cocoa, and produce. Buy a bag of spices here rather than the airport gift shops.

Grand Anse Beach, 2km of white sand south of St. George’s, is where most tourist accommodation concentrates. Spice Island Beach Resort is the luxury end (suites from USD $800/night). True Blue Bay Resort is smaller, quieter, and significantly cheaper at USD $200-300/night, with a good restaurant.

Annandale Waterfall, 8km inland from St. George’s, is a 10-metre fall into a natural pool in secondary forest. The walk from the road is 10 minutes. Local boys dive from the rocks into the pool; you are not expected to join them.

Getting There

Maurice Bishop International Airport receives direct flights from London Gatwick (British Airways, around 9 hours), New York, Toronto, and several Caribbean hubs. A taxi from the airport to Grand Anse takes 20 minutes and costs around EC$50 (around USD $18). The currency is the Eastern Caribbean dollar (XCD), pegged to the USD at 2.70.

The dry season (December to May) is the best time for diving visibility.