Anchorage· Ilet Caret· Leeward Islands
Ilet Caret
16° 21.3′ N · 61° 37.7′ W · approximate
A tiny, shrinking sand islet on the reef of the Grand Cul-de-Sac Marin off Sainte-Rose - white coral sand, turquoise shallows and reef fish, the archetypal 'desert island' day stop. It was about 120 m long in 2022, half its size of the early 2000s.
Practical
Coordinate approx: in the water just west of the islet (OSM way 88015495; Wikipedia gives 16.3558, -61.6272), checked as open water. The national park names Caret, Blanc and Fajou as the bay's most visited spots. The Grand Cul-de-Sac Marin park waters ban anchoring - use the white park buoys and check the Nav&Co app for positions. A wreck is mapped about 2 km to the north-west (OSM node 9178392808). Shallow reef all around: approach in good light from the Sainte-Rose side with local knowledge or a park-buoy chart. Day trips from Sainte-Rose crowd it at weekends; no shade or facilities.
Best for
A reef-islet day stop inside the Grand Cul-de-Sac Marin
Season
Settled weather, good light
Nearby
- Ilet Fajou2.5 NM away
- Ilet Blanc Tern Colony3.4 NM away
- Passe a Colas Dive Site (Grand Cul-de-Sac Marin)3.4 NM away
- Distillerie Reimonenq (Musee du Rhum)4.3 NM away
- Grand Cul-de-Sac Marin Nature Reserve4.7 NM away
- Port-Louis Anchorage6.4 NM away
- Destreland Hypermarket6.5 NM away
- Plage du Souffleur (Port-Louis)6.8 NM away