The St Lucia Dive Trail
Structural engineering
St Lucia
A narrative underwater trail blending habitat and Indigenous history
The St Lucia Dive Trail is a permanent, submerged attraction designed to support coral and reef ecosystems while guiding divers through a curated sequence of underwater sculptures that trace Indigenous history, first contact, colonial conflict and slavery, and emancipation. Developed by Deep Blue See, the trail combines cultural storytelling with durable marine design to create an educational diving experience while providing a sustainable artificial reef and new marine habitat.
Solution and Approach
KODA is providing specialist structural engineering for the submerged sculptures and trail elements, drawing on example drawings and design development studies. The material choice includes Corten steel for strength, robustness, and stable patina development and GRP (glass‑reinforced plastic) for corrosion resistance, lightweight handling, and formability.
Our role included the structural sizing and detailing of sculptural frames and shells, and foundation/anchoring strategies tailored to local seabed conditions, in order to minimise disruption or damage. Key to the project was a corrosion management strategy for the diverse materials involved, including planned allowance for marine growth over time. We used a modular approach to enable local fabrication, safe transport, and controlled underwater assembly, with tolerances suited to dive‑site installation methods.
Outcome and Impact
By integrating material choice, marine durability assessment, and buildability, KODA’s engineering enables a resilient underwater trail that will both foster reef life and provide a powerful, educational experience for divers – advancing environmental regeneration while memorialising an essential chapter of Saint Lucia’s history. Fabrication is currently underway in Saint Lucia, ahead of transport to the designated dive site for final installation.