VIRGIN ISLANDS CHARTER YACHTS:
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Coral Gardens Aiplane: Virgin Gorda
DEPTH: 20-50 FEET (6-15 M) LEVEL: NOVICE
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 A recent 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.
Text extracted from The Guide to Diving and Snorkeling in the British Virgin Islands by Jeff Williams, Ria O'Hagan.
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Click on Links Below for Island Dive Sites:
St John | St Thomas | Cooper Island | Jost Van Dyke | Norman Island | Peter Island | Tortola | Virgin Gorda
Click Here for More Info on Yachts Which Offer Onboard Diving
ONBOARD diving from a charter yacht is by far the best choice if you are planning a scuba diving trip in the Virgin Islands: Your Captain will help you choose the perfect dive site - you sail up to the site - hook up to a mooring ball - dive in some of the world's best diving waters, and when you're done you climb back aboard your yacht to be met by the chef with a most welcome snack. No need to wait for a commercial dive operator - then getting on a stinky diesel dive boat with strangers and taking time to get to and from the dive site - using up half the day. Nothing beats a USVI or BVI catamaran yacht charter for ease and convenience when Scuba Diving in the Virgin Islands. An awesome liveaboard scuba diving experience you will never forget!