Dive Sites & Schedules

Our two-tank morning dive schedule is as follows (one-tank afternoon dive trips almost always go to the Dog Islands);
(Please click on a link to take you to the dive site description)

Monday ..........The Dog Islands - A group of 4 separate islands with over 15 dive sites!

Tuesday .........Ginger Island

Wednesday ....The famous Wreck of the RMS Rhone (Salt Island)

Thursday ........Wreck dive / Captains choice (normally Wreck Alley off Cooper Island or the Wreck of the Chikuzen)

Friday ............The Dog Islands

Saturday ....... The famous Wreck of the RMS Rhone (Salt Island)

Sunday ..........The Dog Islands

(Please scroll down for a description of the more common dive sites that we visit or to view the dive site map)

Map courtesy of the BVI Scuba Organization

THE DOG ISLANDS' Sites scheduled for Sundays, Mondays and Fridays. (Back to Top)

We have over 15 possible dive sites to choose from all within a 1/2 hour boat ride from the North Sound - all different and all beautiful.

Seal Dog Island

DEPTH: 20-80 feet
LEVEL: BEGINNER to INTERMEDIATE

"The bottom beneath the mooring is around 25 feet, and slopes down to about 70 feet. Pause here to look around for large pelagic fish passing through from the open Atlantic. Jacks, mackerel, kingfish and perhaps an eagle ray or two might promenade by. Along the bottom of the cliff off the northwest side of the island are fantastic rock formations made up of monster boulders and the convoluted bedrock of the island itself. Take the time to explore the myriad of canyons, swim-throughs, ledges and tiny caves".

Text extracted from Diving British Virgin Islands

Seal Dog Rock

DEPTH: 20-70 feet
LEVEL: BEGINNER to INTERMEDIATE

"There is a breaking rock just to the northeast of the Seal Dog Island, called Seal Dog Rock. The dive is a circumnavigation of the rock exploring the steep walls and looking out into the blue for passing pelagics. It is an exciting place to be, perched on a pinnacle situated on the edge of the Virgin Islands".

Text extracted from Diving British Virgin Islands

GREAT DOG ISLAND

The Chimney

DEPTH: 15-50 feet
EXPERIENCE REQUIRED: INTERMEDIATE

"Directly below the moorings in 30 to 40 feet of calm protected water, are several massive coral heads rising up from a sand and rubble bottom. This is the Fish Bowl, so named because of the many friendly fishes abiding here, there are yellowtails, sergeant majors, parrotfishes, an occasional spotted drum fish and many more.

To find the Chimney pass through the Fish Bowl heading towards the northern shore of the bay, take time to explore the several canyons and ridges that run parallel to shore. Work your way around the point. At a depth of around 45 feet or so, cut back and follow a canyon back towards shore. This should lead you under a large beautifully encrusted archway encrusted with cup corals and brightly colored sponges. Once through the arch you'll enter a steep-walled narrow corridor which ends with two huge rocks almost touching. The narrow slot between these two boulders is the Chimney, so named because of its resemblance to a rock-climbing formation of the same name. Before exiting through the slot take the time to look around at all the marine life on the walls. A dive light will reveal all the brilliant hues and hidden creatures-little shrimp, spotted rock lobster, anemones and a rainbow of sponges. The unusual white sponges adorning the walls resemble wads of chewing gum. If the Chimney slot looks too narrow for you, it is possible to swim out over the top of it. Once through the Chimney there are a couple of canyons along the cliff face worth exploring as you work your way back through the Fish Bowl to your mooring.

There are lots of less visited canyons and rock formations hidden here. You can also explore the base of the cliff further back into the bay. The bottom is covered with stones rubbed round and smooth from years of rolling in the winter surge. Among these stones is a wealth of tiny marine creatures such as brittle stars, baby flame scallops and an occasional scorpionfish. This is also an excellent place to snorkel"

Original text extracted from Diving British Virgin Islands

Coral Gardens (Airplane Wreck)

DEPTH: 20-50 feet
EXPERIENCE REQUIRED: BEGINNER

"Coral Gardens is a nice quiet dive site tucked into the eastern tip of the south side of Great Dog. As the name suggests, Coral Gardens boasts large beautiful coral formations. These consist primarily of mounds of boulder star coral and great star coral, well embellished with brain corals, tube sponges, sea fans and gorgonians. Under the overhangs look for lobsters, spotted drums and assorted grunts and snappers. Out on the sand stingrays, schools of sennet, occasional turtles and blacktip sharks, as well as the very unusual flying gurnard have been seen. Otherwise, count on goatfish, lizardfishes and sand filefish.

An addition to the dive site is the remains of Atlantic Air BVI's Shorts 360 airplane. In 1993, after making an abortive take off, their one and only aircraft landed in the water about 200 feet off the end of the runway. No one was hurt, but after the airplane was refloated from 30 feet of water it languished hidden in a hangar for many months before being used as a movie prop in a BBC film. It eventually found its way out to Great Dog where it was sunk as part of the BVI's continual artificial reef program. The plane, without wings or tail, sits in the sand patch in about 40 feet of water".

Original text extracted from Diving British Virgin Islands

Two Ray Bay

DEPTH: 20-50 feet
EXPERIENCE REQUIRED: BEGINNER

GEORGE DOG ISLAND

Bronco Billy's

DEPTH: 15-50 feet
EXPERIENCE REQUIRED: BEGINNER to INTERMEDIATE

"Situated at the northwestern tip of George Dog, Bronco Billy offers a meandering course of coral ridges and corresponding canyons. Two coral archways lead into the canyons. Follow the canyons and the bottom topography around the tip of George Dog into a large steep-walled box canyon and boulder field. Swing a little wider around the tip of the island on your return trip, and you should find the other coral canyon that will lead you back to the second archway. Large pillar coral formations grace the site, but the highlight is the arches. When lit with a diver's flashlight or a photographer's strobe the colors just explode. The brilliant reds of the encrusting sponges and the oranges of the cup corals, combining with the lavender of other sponges and the lacy frill of hydroids, makes for a Technicolor extravaganza. However, without a light or strobe there is nothing there but shadow and muted colors".

Text extracted from Diving British Virgin Islands

The Visibles

DEPTH: 10-80 feet
LEVEL: INTERMEDIATE to ADVANCED

"Off the southwestern tip of Cockroach Island a pinnacle comes within a dozen feet of the surface. A large barracuda has staked out the top of the pinnacle. This slope down is thick with huge deep-water gorgonians, luxuriant -sea fans and lots of fish life. Look out into open water for eagle rays, turtles, sharks and large pelagic fishes. At about 80 feet, there is a series of ledges and then large overhangs and little caves as you come around the corner and head shallower. This area is just overflowing with fish life. There is a huge school of ghostlike bigeyes that drifts out among the boulders (similar to the glasseye snappers that hide under ledges). Highhats, angelfishes and large snappers loiter in this area. Up in the shallows next to the island, there is a fantastic maze of alleyways, tunnels, arches and monster boulders all covered with encrusting sponges, corals, hydroids and lots of fire coral".

Text extracted from Diving British Virgin Islands

The Ledges

DEPTH: 15-60 feet
EXPERIENCE REQUIRED: BEGINNER to INTERMEDIATE

WEST DOG ISLAND

Wall to Wall

DEPTH: 15-65 feet
LEVEL: INTERMEDIATE to ADVANCED

"Wall to Wall, on the southwest corner of West Dog, was so named because the marine life there can be so abundant that sometimes it's just "wall to wall" with fish. Underneath the mooring is a sand patch surrounded by ledges and overhangs. Take the time at the beginning or end of the dive to thoroughly examine this area. Stretch out on the sand and peer deeply back into the coral and rock recesses looking for spotted rock lobster, juvenile angelfishes and lacy crinoids. There may even be a sleeping nurse shark tucked in, with just its tail sticking out or perhaps an octopus changing colors as it scurries along the reef. The corals here are healthy because they are spared the onslaught of the wintertime north swell. To find the schools of fish, head out southwest, descending down the slope. There's a canyon that cuts through the slope, and a I little deeper at 45 feet or so, there are some boulders and more undercut ledges. This is where the "tons o' fish" are, Porkfish, blue striped grunts, squirrelfishes, bigeyes and even sergeant majors mill about this area. At times though, the schools aren't so plentiful and it's not quite 'wall to wall', but only "wall ......"

Text extracted from Diving British Virgin Islands

Joe's Cave

DEPTH: 15-55 feet
LEVEL: INTERMEDIATE to ADVANCED

Flintstones

DEPTH: 20-65 feet
LEVEL: INTERMEDIATE to ADVANCED

OFF VIRGIN GORDA

Mountain Point

DEPTH: 20-70 feet
LEVEL: BEGINNER to INTERMEDIATE

"Large coral heads, overhangs and sand patches are the basic reef structure here. Grunts, parrotfishes and butterflyfishes are common. Look for lizardfishes in and around the sand patches. In the summertime large tarpon can be seen sweeping through the huge schools of tiny fry. There are some caves and large bowls or grottos in the bedrock. Be careful of surge in the shallows. Experienced divers can venture through the "cow's mouth," exploring the narrow cut between the rock formations. Once on the other side head down the steep slope. There is generally more action here. Large jacks, barracudas and maybe a ray are possible passersby. There is a colony of garden eels in the sand here".

Text extracted from Diving British Virgin Islands

Big Grotto

DEPTH: 25-50 feet
EXPERIENCE REQUIRED: BEGINNER

Little Grotto

DEPTH: 15-30 feet
EXPERIENCE REQUIRED: BEGINNER

The Aquarium

DEPTH: 15-30 feet
EXPERIENCE REQUIRED: BEGINNER

"Just between Spanish Town and the Baths is a shallow shoal of a reef with pillar coral formations, shy schools of French grunts and moray eels tucked under ledges. It's not a large site, but a slow circumnavigation and thorough exploration of the reef should use up a tank. The Aquarium is rather densely textured with lots of rocks and boulders piled up on one another creating a network of small grottos and dens filled with fishes. Sergeant majors, blue tang and chromis fill the mid-water region. Sponges, fire coral and various crawling invertebrates cover the rocks. Nurse sharks can be found napping under the larger ledges".

Text extracted from Diving British Virgin Islands

GINGER ISLAND Sites scheduled for Tuesday (Back to Top)

Alice's Wonderland

DEPTH: 30-85 feet
LEVEL: INTERMEDIATE to ADVANCED

"Just off the dramatic rocky ledges of Ginger Island is a lush garden of Star Corals and Brain Corals. Huge mushroom-shaped coral heads adorn the long fingers of reef that protrude out from the shoreline. The coral hear his healthy and happy and offers shelter to many unusual inhabitants. Extremely large pufferfish have been spotted here as well as Barracuda, colorful Parrotfish, Squirrelfish, Angel Fish, Rock Beauties and schools of snappers that hover in formation.

Known for its clear, blue water, visibility here often exceeds 100 feet. Spotted Eagle Rays, Southern Stingrays, Hawksbill Turtles and Crevalle Jacks are not uncommon.

The sandy bottom starts at about 80 feet and divers can swim up into the many rocky ridges and sandy canyons that will surprise with every turn. The reef is beautiful at all depths...you'll want to wind your way up the canyons so you don't miss a thing. Check under the ridges for huge lobster and sleeping Nurse Sharks".

Text extracted from Diving British Virgin Islands

Ginger Steps

DEPTH: 35-90 feet
LEVEL: INTERMEDIATE

"Ginger Steps is composed of a series of huge ledges cascading down from the shallows to 100 feet. The visibility here is normally very good. Beautiful tube sponges and sea fans grace the leading edges of the tops of the ledges. Below, look for squirrelfishes, small grunts and damselfishes. The sand between the drop-offs is so brilliantly white that the whole site seems to glow. Down deeper, schools of pale snapper and grunts congregate in the hollows between the corals. Barracudas and juvenile angelfishes loiter around the tiny coral heads scattered in the sand beneath the mooring".

Text extracted from Diving British Virgin Islands

Carvel Rock

DEPTH: 15-90 feet
EXPERIENCE REQUIRED: ADVANCED

"Sitting outside the gap between Cooper and Ginger Islands, Carval Rock looks a little like a Caravel sailing ship of days past. Look for green morays and lobsters along the ledges that fall away from the rock. Closer to Carval is a jumble of huge boulders. Schools of fishes loiter in the shadows. Large whitespotted filefish, groupers, queen triggerfish and durgon move about the openings to the recesses between the boulders. Lots of fire coral and attendant jewelfish, redlip gobies and damselfishes cover the tops of the boulders. Barracudas and occasional mackerels and kingfish are in mid-water. Sponge-covered boulders, schools of French grunts and blue tang, as well as large trumpetfish hiding in the waving gorgonians, are to be found. Spotted drums and highhats lurk in the shadows beneath the boulders".

Text extracted from Diving British Virgin Islands

COOPER ISLAND *Site scheduled for Thursday (alternate wreck dive at the Chikuzen) (Back to Top)

Wreck Alley (Marie L, Pat & Beata)

DEPTH: 40-85 feet
EXPERIENCE REQUIRED: INTERMEDIATE to ADVANCED

A triple wreck site that consists of the Marie L, a cargo boat sunk in the early 1990s. The Pat, a tugboat sunk a few years later, and the Beata, sunk in 2001. Apart from the wrecks themselves, there can be large stingrays and an abundance of garden eels.

The Wreck of the Chikuzen

DEPTH: 80 feet
EXPERIENCE REQUIRED: ADVANCED

"The Chikuzen was a 246 foot Korean refrigerator vessel based in St. Maarten to service big Japanese fishing fleets. It was early in 1981 when a hurricane was approaching St. Maarten. The government told the owners to move the decrepit ship so it wouldn't sink in the harbor or damage the docks. The owners thought this would be a good chance to get rid of the ship once and for all. So they set it on fire and sent it adrift, hoping it would sink just offshore. The plan went wrong and Chikuzen kept floating towards the Marina Cay area. Yacht and diving companies feared for Marina Cay's anchorage so local operators tried to fend off the ship with dive boats. This was unsuccessful. Finally, ocean going tugs were called from St. Croix and Antigua. When they arrived they were able to attach a line to pull the ship away from the islands. The line broke, badly injuring a crew member who had to be airlifted to the nearest hospital. They decided to call it a day and let nature take its course.

The smoldering Chikuzen sunk about 7 1/2 miles northwest off Tortola. The wreck is too far out for most local shore based operators to get to. Cuan Law is the only dive boat who regularly visits this site. Diving the Chikuzen is not always possible because of its exposed location but this is a wonderful dive if the conditions are right.

She now serves her new purpose attracting an assortment of both pelagic and reef fish and is an excellent wreck for almost any level diver. The wreck of the Chikuzen rests in 75 feet of water far from any reef, attracting marine life like an oasis in the desert. The ship is on its port side with the starboard rail reaching up to about 50 feet. Except for the pilothouse, most of the ship is intact, with three large cargo holds that can be entered through open hatches.

The hull is well covered with coral and sponge growth. The possibility of encountering big pelagics such as sharks and rays is always high".

Text extracted from Diving British Virgin Islands

SALT ISLAND Site scheduled for Wednesday & Saturday (Back to Top)

The Wreck of the RMS Rhone

DEPTH: 30-85 feet
LEVEL: ADVANCED

"The Royal Mail Steam ship was commissioned for the Royal Mail Packet Company in 1865 to carry mail and passengers from England to the Caribbean. More than 300 passenger cabins were included within her 310 foot length. Its design was unique, for it had both sail and steam power with one of the first steam-driven cast propellers. Captain Woolley, the Captain on the day, decided to anchor in Peter Island's Great Harbor due to an outbreak of yellow fever in St. Thomas.

On the morning of October 29th, 1867 he awoke to barometers falling fast and dark black clouds over Tortola. As it was October and hurricane season was thought to be over, he assumed it was just an early winter storm. Captain Woolley told the crew to fire up the boilers just in case and when the storm hit he needed full ahead even at anchor to hold position. The fearful roar of the hurricane blew howling winds from the North Northwest. A lull came - or as we know it today "the eye of the hurricane". Captain Woolley tried to make a break for open water away from the rocks and land. He headed out between Peter and Salt Island. Most people onboard couldn't swim so crew were ordered to tie in all the passengers (sealing their fate). The second part of the hurricane hit with black skies and huge seas. Captain Woolley like all good English Captains had a cup of tea with a dash of rum, stirring it with his silver spoon as he navigated his ship through the channel past Salt Island. The rain was blinding so he tried to get a better look outside when a big wave washed him overboard off the bridge. He was never to be seen again.

The Rhone was slowly pushed toward the rocks and finally hit Black Rock Point. The cold water hit the hot boiler causing a big explosion splitting the Rhone in half. The stern sank in 35' while the bow drifted slightly deeper into 80'. The vessel now rests in two main sections off Salt Island, near Black Rock.

Today the Rhone is considered to be one of the world's best wreck dives.

At least two dives are needed to cover both the bow and the stern sections of the Rhone, but you'll want to do more. The entire bow section, including the sharp prow, mast and lifeboat davits, can be seen from the surface. At 80' the deeper bow section is dived first. As you descend down toward the ghostly image you'll be greeted by huge schools of Sennets and a large barracuda. Still mostly intact the cavernous interior can be entered from several points near the forward mast. Inside, the hull is coated with Orange Cup Corals and school of grunts, accompanied at times by a variety of jacks and the resident Barracuda fondly known as "Fang". Scenes from the 1977 movie "The Deep" were filmed here.

The second dive of the day is on the shallower middle and stern sections. The stern section is more broken up, but the structure of the ship can be easily traced by following the drive train from the massive shallow propeller. Scattered across the bottom are boilers, deck supports and other pieces, many holding fascinating relics of the ship such as tools or silverware, including the silver spoon Captain Wolley used to stir his tea. The holds are lined with Orange Cup Corals and filled with schools of snappers and jacks. Nearly every solid surface of the wreck is covered with a kaleidoscope of corals and sponges.

At night the cup corals and sponges turn the main compartment into a kaleidoscope of orange and yellow".

Text extracted from Diving British Virgin Islands

DIVING BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS

With over 50 islands and islets, the British Virgin Islands in the eastern Caribbean offers extraordinary vacation opportunities. Uninhabited islands, sunken shipwrecks, bountiful marine life, secluded coves, treasure caves, exquisite beaches, and thickly wooded slopes await the laid-back and adventurous alike. Pristine and undeveloped, with not a single traffic light or fast food restaurant, the BVI has long been a haven for discerning divers and yachtsmen.

There is always a new and exciting dive site to explore, from the sunken island of Anegada, with over 300 shipwrecks, to the Dogs off Virgin Gorda; from the popular dive at The Indians to the remote sites off Jost Van Dyke. This book includes a separate chapter on the wreck of the RMS Rhone, the most famous dive in the BVI. The terrain and marine life of over 50 of the best dive sites are described in detail, and nine maps pinpoint the dive sites or the best routes for divers to follow.

In addition to the superb diving, an island-by-island description of the topside attractions, including beaches, parks, restaurants and hotels is given. There are also listings of dive centers, live-aboards and useful travel information.

Whether you are a serious diver, holiday snorkeler or an admirer of the undersea world, Diving British Virgin Islands will prove a valuable reference.

ABOUT THE AUTHORS

Jim and Odile Scheiner have lived in the British Virgin Islands since 1979. Jim, a well-known photojournalist, has been a scuba instructor for over 20 years. Odile, originally from Ireland, made her first trip to the Caribbean by crossing the Atlantic in a 40-foot sailboat. Together they own and operate the Rainbow Visions Photo Center & Gallery on Tortola. They teach photo/video seminars in the BVI and on their worldwide dive expeditions. Their work appears regularly in books and magazines. Jointly, they have over 10,000 dives in these waters.

If you would like to book, please click HERE for booking procedures