Grenada completes restoration of underwater sculpture park

The local tourism ministry has announced the completion of the restoration of the sculptures that make up the Grenada Underwater Sculpture Park.

The underwater sculpture park in Granada was the first of its kind in the world. The first visitors to this then pioneering and innovative tourist attraction arrived in 2006. All the installations that make up the park were created by British sculptor Jason deCair es Taylor. It turned out that the idea caught on, and the artist made many underwater projects around the world over the next 15 years.

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An unusual attraction from the Caribbean

Grenada Underwater Sculpture Park is located on the west coast of the island, in the Molinere Beausejour Marine Protected Area. As with the other parks created by Taylor, the whole thing is open to divers and freedivers.

The installation consists of a total of 82 sculptures representing human figures on a scale of 1:1. All of them refer to the culture and traditions of Grenada and have been made from environmentally friendly materials. As a result, they provide an ideal substrate for stimulating the flourishing of local flora and fauna.

This is where you will find one of the most famous underwater sculptures in the world – Vicissitudes. It represents a circle created by 28 figures holding hands. They are unique because the prototypes for all of them were Grenadian children from the local community. This is another characteristic element, for the works of the British sculptor.

Among the 82 sculptures from the park in Granada are others that have become popular over the years. The Lost Correspondent – a man working on a typewriter on a desk that is covered with clippings from historical newspapers. Sienna – features a young diver from a local story. TAMCC Faces, on the other hand, are life-size faces moulded into the crevice of a large coral boulder.

Renovation

Unfortunately, over the years, the installations forming the park have been increasingly affected by the forces of nature. It was therefore necessary to clean, renovate and repair individual structures. Some of the sculptures were excavated, while others were moved to more suitable locations.

Without a doubt, Grenada Underwater Sculpture Park is a national treasure. Designed in an innovative way to function as an artificial reef. Therefore, since opening in 2006, the park has attracted a staggering diversity of marine life and provided a surface for coral growth. This is extremely important for our ongoing conservation efforts – said Petra Roach, Director General of the Tourism Authority.

In addition to the underwater park, more than 30 dive sites are located in Grenada’s waters. Among them is the Bianca C, the largest shipwreck in the entire Caribbean.

Photo by Jason deCaries Taylor/underwatersculpture.com

The Musem of Underwater Sculpture Ayia Napa in Cyprus is a stunning facility opening in summer 2021. You will find an account of our visit in Issue 17 DIVERS24 quarterly! The digital version of the magazine is available free of charge, while you can purchase the printed version in our e-shop.