Anegada BVI

[H20Flyer]

Has anyone dove here before either with an operator or from the shore? Are there any dive facilities there (air fills, equipment, dive boats)? I am planning to visit this summer and while I have searched extensively there doesn't seem to be a lot of information on scuba diving Anegada. Lot's of snorkling info though.

Any help or information would be appreciated.

Thanks

 

[Mike]

I've been there as a sailing visitor, I"ve gone bone fishing on the flats their too. Seems like a great scuba place since there are something like 400 wrecks around the island. Can't help you with scuba, but it wouldn't surprise me that there wouldn't be any dive shop. Around the BVI there are limited diving shops even on the bigger islands and Anegada is tiny, remote, doesn't receive anywhere near the amount of visitors due to its' dangerous waters and navigation around it, I was really surprised they even had cars on the island.

 

[diversteve]

Are you staying there or just trying to dive there from one of the other islands?

The shop at Big Bamboo closed around 2010 from what I'd read and We Be Divin seems to have moved back to Tortola only. So there probably isn't anything on-island anymore. I'm fairly sure these are all your current options: British Virgin Islands Scuba Organization - Dive Shops

http://sunchaserscuba.com/does "Private" charters to Anegada. I have no idea what that means but since they're based at Bitter End, it sounds expensive. There's an outside chance that DiveBVI goes there from their Leverick Bay shop on Virgin Gorda also - it's maybe the closest.

 

[1erCRU]

Dive operations there have been hit or miss for decades, just not enough volume to make it work and too far from Tortola or VG for their ops to make it economic. You would almost have to check the week before you go, to verify an operation is still open. Bert Kilbride used to regularly take divers there from Saba Rock; (he did locate many of the identified wrecks, many some treasure too) but that was a long time ago. You might post the question on TTOL they have rabid Anegada fans with lots of current local knowledge.

The diving is quite good by BVI standards, since it is not heavily dived or even fished. Inside the reef it's generally shallow with excellent snorkeling and free diving just about everywhere. Lots of wrecks on the outside, but the coral has engulfed most of them so they are detectable only with a magnetometer.:hehheh:

 

[diversteve]

Forgot to mention this: Anegada Day Trip | Dive BVI - might not take much for them to throw a couple tanks on board.
Especially if you offered to pay for a Rendezvous Dive. They don't have to meet a sailboat...lol

 

[Freewillow]

I have been sailing to Anagada a few years ago. Never seen a dive operation. The reef is very very shallow so I doubd that the area is interesting. On the other hand, there are quite a few very nice dive spots in the BVI. The one that jumps to mind is the wreck of the Rhone close to salt Island.

 

[H20Flyer]

Thanks everyone. I will be bareboating there on a chartered 32' sailboat. I emailed a few dive shops in the BVIs and got mixed replies with some saying it isn't worth it and other saying its great. So I guess I will take some tanks with me and find out. Seems the only easily accessible diving is from the north shore beaches. Sounds like the reef is very pristine with lots of channels and swim-thrus. Once you get out past the reef which is very close, the bottom drops to about 30-40 feet and you can go along the outer reef. Just have to keep an eye on the north swell there but if the conditions are right it might be well worth it. I will report back if I get to dive there.

 

[1erCRU]

During summer, lots of open, windward sites become diveable. You may get lucky and have a week or more of calm, bad for sailing but great for diving. I plan to dive certain sites by the weather and sea-state predictions. BVI has both wide open ocean sites and very protected sites, the weather is a large factor in what may be accessible or where you will be forced to dive, if you want to dive everyday. If it's calm try the wrecks of the Chikuzen (very isolated on the way to Anegada), and the Parmatta, sail in this area with caution, there are lots of isolated coral heads.