The jewel-like British Virgin Islands are located just a few kilometres from their US neighbours across The Narrows, and can be reached by ferry from St Thomas or St John in as little as twenty minutes. Stretching in a south-west/north-easterly direction, this British dependency comprises some 50 islands and cays clustered around a wide, shallow channel. Largely volcanic in origin, they were once connected to what are now Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands. They include the remains of a huge volcanic mountain which exploded while the Caribbean was still a land-locked sea – the caldera is actually at Road Town on Tortola, with outlying islands forming the remains of the rim.
On the southern side of Tortola runs the Sir Francis Drake Channel, a wide, shallow waterway that serves as the main thoroughfare for sailors navigating these islands in search of deserted coves and interesting dive sites. Across the channel and ranging north-west lie the Little Sisters, including Norman, Pelican, Peter, Salt, Cooper and Ginger Islands, as well as Dead Chest, Round Rock and Fallen Jerusalem. The majority of the diving in the BVI takes place around this string of islands, as, no matter what the weather, there is always a lee shore for safe diving to take place. The RMS Rhone, possibly the most famous wreck in the Caribbean, is found here, to the north-west of Salt Island.
There is comparatively little diving done immediately around Tortola, and dive boats tend mostly to travel north to Jost Van Dyke, Guana Island and Great Camanoe Island, or the short distance across Sir Francis Drake Channel to the Little Sisters. Nonetheless, the north coast of Tortola has some fabulous bays, such as Cane Garden Bay or Brewers Bay, which are protected by boulder-strewn barrier reefs. Some of the more exposed headlands are cut by huge tunnels and canyons, which become difficult to dive whenever there is a strong northerly gale.
It only takes a few hours by hire car to explore Tortola, but as it’s virtually
impossible to traverse the island without ascending the lofty mountain range, extra time may be needed to take in the breathtaking views. Topped by the incredibly scenic Ridge Road, the dizzying heights make you stop at every turn just to gaze out or to snap another picture.
Accommodation on Tortola and Virgin Gorda is varied, with something to suit all tastes. There are small, quiet guesthouses, large resort hotels, all-inclusive luxury condos and even converted plantation estate houses.
Although diving operators are usually situated within the grounds of a particular hotel, they often have special arrangements with other guesthouses or small hotels and can arrange pick-up and transfer for a day’s diving. All the dive operators offer all-inclusive packages that are regularly advertised in the scuba diving press.
Now known as the ‘party island’ because of the large proportion of bars and eateries along Great Harbour, Jost Van Dyke has become very popular, with great food, lively entertainment and a terrific atmosphere. There are only 140 residents on the island, all of whom are engaged in catering to the various visitors in one form or another. Power is supplied by generators, and the whole island gives you the feeling of having stepped back in time. Much of the diving is in water of under 25m, with the reefs generally being in excellent condition.
Virgin Gorda
The feeling, pace of life and overall ambience on Virgin Gorda is slower than on Tortola. The main attraction is The Baths near the southern tip of the island, where huge boulders have created grottos, caves and pools. In addition there are twenty beaches on the island, all open to the public.
The unhurried way of life is complemented by some of the best diving to be found in the eastern Caribbean. Among the top diving locations is The Invisibles, near Necker Island which is owned by tycoon Richard Branson. Coming close to the surface, these offshore granite rocks offer superb diving, although they are dived only in the best of conditions.
Anegada
Located 19km north of Virgin Gorda, Anegada is one of the largest coral islands in the eastern Caribbean and rises only 8.5m above sea level. The island has just 160 inhabitants, most of whom are clustered around The Settlement. Anegada’s one hotel lies futher west, towards Setting Point; nearby is an extensive salt pond where flamingos can be seen.
Anegada is famous for the huge number of ships that have foundered around its shores. Horseshoe Reef, to the south-east of the island is the main resting place for many of these wrecks – some 250 are recorded as having sunk here. Some of them lie stacked on top of each other, having sunk in exactly the same position centuries apart. Unfortunately, until recently this massive reef system was off-limits to divers due to pressure by local fishermen, who had convinced the government that the divers were chasing away the fish and reducing their catches. However, it has become apparent that the reverse is the case, overfishing being the main culprit for the decline in fish stocks, and some dive sites have been opened up again.
The Little Sisters
The Little Sisters are much smaller and lower in stature than their northern and western neighbours, resulting in a more arid profile with cactus growing. The most southerly island is Norman Island, reputed to be the inspiration for Robert Louis Stevenson’s Treasure Island. Treasure Point Caves on the island are three water-level caves that yielded a treasure trove to some local islanders many years ago, and there are still tales of lost treasure buried on the island. The highest point, known as Spyglass Hill, once gave privateers an almost uninterrupted view of all the water passages around the nearby islands, while the fabulous natural harbour known as The Bight was said to have been capable of concealing an entire armada.
Pelican Island, to the north of Norman Island, is little visited apart from a small group of rocks known as the Indians, which attract scores of boaters, snorkellers and divers whenever the conditions are suitable. These dramatic rocks are peppered with guano and are said to resemble a Native American’s headdress from a distance.
The largest of the Little Sisters is Peter Island, with its picture-perfect bay and superb clear water at Little Harbour, always popular as an anchorage. The island is home to the biggest resort in the Little Sisters, the Peter Island Yacht Club Resort at Spratt Bay Point. The resort is serviced by Dive BVI, who have a full service shop on the island.
Cooper Island has two resorts, one around the superb Manchioneel Bay and the other just north of Carval Bay. The Cooper Island Beach Club is popular with yachting enthusiasts who enjoy the topside scenery as well as safe and easy snorkelling. Underwater Safaris also have a dive operation here and pick up at the resort each day.
Between Cooper Island and Salt Island lie three wrecks, the newest being the Inganess Bay, which was sunk in 1997, just out from Haulover Bay, on to a flat, sandy seabed where the current sweeps over the wreck, bringing nutrients and plankton to colonise the ship.
Uninhabited Ginger Island in the northeast is particularly rocky, with steep, dry scree slopes and very little beach. South Bay is a popular anchorage for dive boats as this shallow, flat sand bay has numerous isolated coral heads, making it ideal for night diving.
Salt Island is known the world over for the remains of the RMS Rhone, which foundered and sank here in 1867. The bodies that were recovered were interred in a small cemetery on the island, near the ancient salt pond (the custodian of which presents a barrel of sea salt to the Queen each year in lieu of rent).
Now the entire area around the wreckage of the Rhone is a Marine National Park, extending west to include the island of Dead Chest, as well as a small area north of Great Harbour where her snagged anchor was located. A dive site to the south of the island, known as Painted Walls, is also very popular.
