British Virgin Islands
Norman Island is at the southern tip of the British Virgin Islands archipelago.
It is one of many islands reputed to be the inspiration for Robert Louis
Stevenson's pirate novel Treasure Island.
The Indians, Norman Island
Four rocky pinnacles create The Indians, a shallow dive a great snorkeling reef.
A 15-foot tunnel, and an underwater cavern add o the beautiful underwater
terrain. Scores of colorful fish, barracuda and turtles make this one of the
BVI’s most famous sites.
Angelfish Reef, Norman Island
Angelfish Reef is best known for its maze of canyons and ridges. Snake eels and
Moray eels, turtles, eagle rays, southern stingrays, lobsters and nurse sharks
zig and zag through a rainbow of colorful gorgonians. Spotted drums, triple fin
blennies, angel fish, sea horses, shrimps, yellowhead jawfish, crustaceans, and
anemones make Angelfish Reef a photographer’s dream site.
Spyglass Wall, Norman Island
Spyglass Wall is covered in sea fans, golden tube sponges, purple tube
sponges, which create an amazing scene for both snorkelers and scuba divers. A
host of marine life includes fairy basslets, damselfish, blue tangs, tobaccofish,
anthias, tarpons, Atlantic spadefish, eagle rays, southern stingrays, turtles
and squid. It is one of the most captivating mini walls in British Virgin
Islands.
Peter Island:
The island's largest beach is Deadman's Bay, a mile-long crescent beach shaded
by palm trees with a beach, bar, and restaurants. Legend says Deadman's Bay is
named for pirates who were marooned on neighboring Dead Chest Island and
subsequently drowned swimming to Peter Island.
Carrot Shoal, Peter Island
Carrot Shoal has two open-water pinnacles. Angelfish, butterflyfish, fairy
basslets, spotted lobsters, Spanish lobsters, sea turtles, nurse sharks and
moray eels populate this, shallow, 60- foot, dive site.
Willy T Wreck and Fearless Wreck, Peter Island
The Fearless is believed to be the sister ship of Cousteau’s Calypso. Willy T
was a popular floating bar and restaurant that was scuttled as an artificial
reef. Both wrecks are made of wood. Countless black coral trees are home to
French grunts, creole wrassses and bar soldier fish.
Painted Walls, Peter Island
Painted Walls is awash with a palette of yellow, red, orange, and purple corals.
The site’s southern ridge has a huge coral reef that is bustling with macro
critters. Hawksbill turtles, lobsters, nurse sharks, barracuda, silversides,
tarpons, green moray eels cruise through canyons, a narrow cave and four
gullies. This gorgeous site can entertain divers for hours.
Salt Island:
It is named after its salt
ponds,
which were once an important natural resource for islanders.
RMS Rhone shipwreck, Salt Island
In October 1867, a hurricane slammed the 310-feet long, iron-hulled steamship
against Black Rock. She broke into two sections. The stern section rests at a
depth of 35 feet and the bow section lies at 80 feet. The two sections are about
100 feet apart. The Rhone is considered one of the world’s greatest wrecks and
was even part of the 1977 Hollywood thriller, The Deep.
The wreck’s hardware includes its massive bronze propeller, drive shaft and
100-pound wrenches. Numerous artifacts are still intact including
black-and-white tiles, a silver teaspoon, glass and metalworks. Nearly every
surface of the Rhone is covered in a kaleidoscope of corals.
Coral gardens, cleaning stations and nurseries fill the ship’s remains. Schools
of yellowtail snapper, jacks, grunts, and tarpon accompany divers throughout the
dives. Macro life includes arrow carbs, shrimp and damsel fish. Turtles, green
moray eels, octopus and barracuda are also common seen in this marine park.
An entire day can be spent examinig this incredible wreck. Conditions
permitting, the Rhone makes a fantastic night dive.
Wreck Alley, Cooper Island
The Marie L, The Island Seal, The Pat and The Beata comprise Wreck Alley. The
four wrecks are on the south-western side of Cooper Island, and they lie close
to a rich reef wall. Garden eels, stingrays, conchs and octopus hide in the
sandy bottom near the Marie L.
Thumb Rock, Cooper Island
A huge pinnacle that resembles a large thumb gave this wonderful site its name.
Clear waters and awesome marine life make this a favorite site, so grab your
camera. Spotted drums, seahorses, creole wrasses, lobsters can be seen on this
shallow dive. Tarpon, French angelfish, queen angelfish, filefish and barracuda
make this one of the central BVI’s best stops.
Chromis Reef, Cooper Island
Named for the blue chromis fish and quillfin blennies that populate the
gorgonians and coral heads, this reef has good visibility and sandy patches that
make it a great site for new divers. Anemones and shrimp hide in the coral
heads.
Dry Rocks East
Dry Rocks East is an open water area with beautiful pillar corals, black coral
and sea fans that dot the sandy bottom. Since it is an open water site, it
offers a chance to spot pelagics like cobia, nurse sharks, barracuda, hawksbill
turtles, schools of jacks, and African pompano. French angelfish, black
triggerfish, chromis, creole wrasses, coneys, trunkfish and slipper lobsters
crowd the huge boulders at the base of the ridge.
Ginger Island is
one of the last undeveloped privately held islands in the territory. It is the
location of two of the more popular dive
sites in
the British Virgin Islands: "Alice in Wonderland" and "Ginger Steps".
Steps,
Ginger Island
Steps, or Ginger Steps, is a plunging three-step wall that descends 90 feet.
Good visibility and bright white sand between the rocky drop offs make this a
great site for underwater photography. Pompano, octopi, lobster, anthias,
barracuda, dolphins, eagle rays and turtles add to the beauty of this amazing
site.
Alice in Wonderland, Ginger Island
Intricate underwater topography, which consists of narrow channels, sandy
canyons and rocky ridges, make this reef truly a Wonderland! This site
boasts healthy hard and soft corals, great visibility and a cornucopia of marine
life. African pompano, angelfish, parrot fish, moray eels, shrimp, gobies, file
fish, scuttling crabs, cleaner shrimp, wrasses dance among colorful gorgonians
and elkhorn corals. Turtles and sharks are often seen on this gorgeous reef.
Virgin Gorda:
Christopher Columbus is
said to have named the island "the Fat Virgin", because the island's profile on
the horizon looks like a fat woman lying on her side. Historically renowned, the
anchorage off Bitter End was the site of Sir
Francis Drake and Sir
John Hawkins'
1595 fleet rendezvous, two Elizabethan British admirals who led Britain's
ascendance into naval supremacy.
The Baths, Virgin Gorda
The Baths is a collection of massive granite boulders as large as 40 feet in
diameter, with white sand beaches and secret rock pools. This awe-inspiring
geological wonder creates one of the most iconic images in the Caribbean, a
tunnel with towering, angled boulders above shallow, turquoise waters.
Snorkeling is available on the beach and surrounding rocks.
Mountain Point, Virgin Gorda
Grunts, parrot fish, angelfish, squirrelfish, butterflyfish, lizardfish,
tarpons, jacks, barracuda, permits, garden eels, lobsters and stingrays populate
this site that is rarely visited by day boat operators. Resting nurse sharks can
be photographed in the smaller caves.
Kraken / Kodiak Queen Wreck,
Virgin Gorda
The Kodiak Queen is a US Navy World War II fuel barge. It is believed to
be one of the few ships that survived the Japanese surprise attack on Pearl
Harbor in 1941. It was set to be scuttled as an artificial reef in 2017, but
photographer Owen Buggy and Sir Richard Branson decided to add a unique
sculpture to the old barge. An 80-foot Kraken sea monster crafted of metal
appears to be attacking the old ship. The Kraken’s tentacles twist and turn
around the Kodiak Queen’s stern and wheelhouse.
Seal Dog Rock, Virgin Gorda
Also called, Seal Dogs and Rock, this site has fantastic rock formations with
tiny caves, ledges and canyons. Nurse sharks, mackerel, eagle rays, schooling
jacks are just a few of the pelagics that cruise these nutrient rich waters.
Shark Point, Scrub Island
Located off the East end of Scrub, Shark Point is an exciting dive with lots of
fish including feeding tarpon. Swift currents attract sharks and rays.
The Chimney, Dog Island
Two large rock formations create a gap that resembles a chimney. Bring a
flashlight to examine the ledges and overhangs. The Chimney has a large,
beautiful archway encrusted with cup corals and brightly colored sponges. The
Chimney is a terrific night dive with brittle stars, lobster, flame scallops and
scorpionfish.
The Invisibles, Necker Island
The Invisible lie east of Necker Island. (The island is entirely owned by Sir
Richard Branson._ The dive site is named for the pinnacles which are invisible
from the surface. Swift currents attract an abundance of marine life. Schools of
permit gather near the pinnacles’ point. Prolific gold, orange and violet
sponges and soft corals give the reef tremendous color.
Jost Van Dyke
Island
often referred to as JVD or Jost, lies about 8 km (5
mi) to the northwest of Tortola.
17th-century Dutch privateer, Joost
van Dyk,
an early Dutch settler and former pirate who used Jost van Dyke's harbors as a
hideout, may be the name sake of the island. The country music video for Kenny
Chesney's
2002 recording "No
Shoes, No Shirt, No Problems"
was filmed on and around Jost Van Dyke.
Twin Towers / Little Jost Van Dyke
The "Twin Towers" are two large monolithic rock formations rising from 90
feet (27 m). Small canyons and mini caves are filled with fish and schooling
squid. Healthy corals are surrounded by French angelfish, grey angelfish,
grouper and eagle rays.
Sample itineraries and maps are for illustrative purposes only. The exact
route and sites visited are subject to change based on local regulations, guest
experience, weather and logistics, and is at the Captain’s discretion.