BVI Aggressor takes divers to the perfect of the British Virgin Islands’ clear blue waters, coral reefs and wrecks
Scuba diving within the British Virgin Islands is among the many finest within the Caribbean. A British Abroad Territory comprised of the 4 predominant islands of Tortola, Virgin Gorda, Jost Van Dyke, Anegada and 50 smaller islands and cays, the BVIs are well-known for his or her lush inexperienced mountains, white-sand seashores and exquisite, clear blue waters.
The islands are residence to a number of the Caribbean’s most well-known wrecks together with the RMS Rhone and Kodiak Queen, plus a couple of entertaining synthetic reefs such because the ‘Sharkplaneo’ (you’ll comprehend it whenever you see it!) and the Willy T – as soon as a well-liked floating bar and restaurant, and now a well-liked dive web site with a distinctively uncommon clientele.
Aggressor Adventures runs liveaboard journeys to the islands on board its BVI Aggressor, its 7-nigh itineraries making the most of the BVI’s year-round warm-water diving – right here’s a have a look at a number of the highlights.
The BVI Aggressor is a 110ft (33.5m) yacht with a large 25ft (7.6m) beam. She carries a most of 20 passengers in ten climate-controlled suites – two balcony suites, 5 deluxe staterooms, every having two single beds or a king, and three twin staterooms with two single beds. All cabins have flatscreen TVs and personal loos.
On the higher decks is a roomy, air-conditioned salon and eating space; solar deck full with a scorching tub, lounge and deck chairs; an out of doors sound system; shaded cocktail deck and grill; and a photograph enhancing laptop for friends to make use of.
Diving facilities embody a digicam desk with low-pressure air hoses, and two scorching, freshwater showers.
Diving data:
- Diving begins Sunday morning and ends Friday round midday when the BVI Aggressor returns to port
- Visitors are supplied as much as 24 dives on 7- evening charters (a number of day dives and as much as 4 evening dives)
- Depth Vary: 8 – 40m (25 – 130ft)
- 1 – 3 mm wetsuit really useful in Summer season; 3 – 5mm wetsuit for Winter
- Water temperatures vary from 25 – 28°C (76 – 84°F)
- All meals, snacks and drinks are offered.
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BVI Aggressor itinerary highlights
BVI Aggressor itinerary highlights:
Angelfish Reef, Norman Island
Angelfish Reef is finest recognized for its maze of canyons and ridges, the place snake eels, moray eels, turtles, eagle rays, southern stingrays, lobsters and nurse sharks could be discovered amongst a rainbow of vibrant gorgonians. Noticed drums, triplefin blennies, angelfish, sea horses, shrimps, yellowhead jawfish, crustaceans, and anemones make Angelfish Reef a photographer’s dream web site.
Painted Partitions, Peter Island
Painted Partitions is awash with a palette of yellow, crimson, orange, and purple corals. The positioning’s southern ridge has an enormous coral reef bustling with macro critters. Hawksbill turtles, lobster, nurse sharks, barracuda, silversides, tarpons, and inexperienced moray eels cruise by means of canyons, a slim cave and 4 gullies – a stunning web site that may entertain divers for hours.
RMS Rhone shipwreck, Salt Island
In October 1867, a hurricane slammed the 310-foot (94.5m) lengthy, iron-hulled steamship towards Black Rock and broke her into two sections. The strict part now rests at a depth of 35ft (11m), round 100ft (30m) from the bow part at a depth of 80ft (24m). Rhone is taken into account one of many world’s biggest wrecks and served as a location for the 1977 Hollywood thriller, The Deep.
The wreck’s {hardware} contains its large bronze propeller, drive shaft and 100lb (45kg) wrenches. Quite a few artifacts are nonetheless intact together with black-and-white tiles, a silver teaspoon, glass and metalworks. Practically each floor of the Rhone is roofed in a kaleidoscope of corals, and the inside is full of coral gardens, cleansing stations and nurseries.
Colleges of yellowtail snapper, jacks, grunts, and tarpon accompany divers all through the dives. Macro life contains arrow crabs, shrimp and damselfish. Turtles, inexperienced moray eels, octopus and barracuda are additionally generally seen within the marine park.
A whole day could be spent analyzing this unbelievable wreck and, situations allowing, the Rhone makes a unbelievable evening dive.
Thumb Rock, Cooper Island
An enormous pinnacle that resembles a big thumb gave one of many central BVI’s finest websites its identify. Clear, shallow waters and superior marine life make this a favorite web site for photographers. Noticed drums, seahorses, creole wrasses and lobsters could be discovered among the many coral with tarpon, French angelfish, queen angelfish, filefish and barracuda among the many bigger guests to the reef.
Ginger Steps, Ginger Island
Steps, or Ginger Steps, is a plunging three-step wall that descends 90ft (27m). Good visibility and brilliant white sand between the rocky drop-offs make this an important web site for underwater pictures. Pompano, octopuses, lobster, anthias, barracuda, dolphins, eagle rays and turtles add to the fantastic thing about this superb web site.
Kodiak Queen Wreck, Virgin Gorda
The Kodiak Queen was a US Navy Second World Battle gasoline barge, believed to be one of many few ships that survived the Japanese shock assault on Pearl Harbor in 1941. It was set to be scuttled as a man-made reef in 2017, however photographer Owen Buggy and Sir Richard Branson determined so as to add a singular sculpture to the previous barge – an 80-foot (24m) Kraken sea monster crafted of steel seems to be attacking the previous ship, its tentacles twisting and turning across the Kodiak Queen’s stern and wheelhouse.
