Carlisle Bay Beach is a beautiful crescent of sand found just south of the urban center of Bridgetown. Hotels like the huge Barbados Hilton and the all-inclusive Almond Beach Club & Spa empty their vacationers onto her sand, cruise ship buses add to the masses and the best place to get lobster on the entire island, Lobster Alive, feeds her throngs.

But for the uncommon traveller, it’s not what’s on the sand that makes Carlisle Bay special, it’s what’s under the waves: five storied shipwrecks teaming with sea life in shallow water that turn an easy dive into an exceptional one.

There’s the 20ft Berwind sunk by its own mutinous crew, the ill-fated Canadian Cornwallis torpedoed TWICE during World War II, 110ft captured drug boat the Eillon, the 45ft Ce-Trek deemed too ugly to float, and the Bajan Queen a one-time local party boat whose partying days are behind her.

There’s a standard course to take through the sights found on the sea floor in Carlisle Bay, but that doesn’t mean you won’t be surprised by a bunch of friendly turtles, majestic rays, or curious barracuda. The water is crystal clear, fairly shallow, and guaranteed to deliver exceptional sea life sightings. There’s also a mixed bag of other seafaring relics littering the area like old anchors and cannons.