TRAVELSPECIAL
Caribbean reef shark
Pink Bougainvillea scene two main sections , with the stern coming up onto the rocks at about 8m and the bow lying heeled over at a right angle on the sand .
The visibility is outstanding and as Jeff puts it , if you were going to design a shipwreck for people to visit , it would look something like this . There ’ s too much to see on a single dive , so start visiting the bow with schooling fish beneath the foremast before heading amidships . Decking has long since rotted away , revealing the guts of the Rhone , with the propeller shaft running along most of the
stern section to the bronze prop . Caribbean reef sharks are regular visitors and the gentle current can be mitigated by tucking in to the lee of the superstructure – itself now home to huge rays , spiny lobsters , schools of rabbitfishes and much more . Glass can even still be seen in one of the portholes , and I passed another whiteboard highlighting a spoon embedded in the coral – ‘ THE CAPTAIN ’ S SPOON ’ it reads . I can almost see Jeff winking behind his mask . �
Silversides massing on a swim-through
Rhone porthole with intact glass
Essentials
GETTING THERE : Fly to Antigua direct from London Gatwick , or go from Heathrow via Miami . For economy flights on BA expect to pay around £ 1,000 . Connecting flights to Tortola take less than an hour using InterCaribbean or Winair and your kit will be checked through , although prepare for a wait in Antigua … ( welcome to the Caribbean ). A $ 10 tourist visa is charged to all visitors on arrival in the BVI .
WHEN TO GO : Year-round . Temperatures don ’ t fluctuate much , but there is a better chance of seeing whale sharks and larger pelagics at the offshore sites during the summer months . The BVI resorts have a ‘ shutdown ’ period during September , before reopening ready for the Christmas season ( when prices go up ).
DIVE CENTRE : Dive BVI offers a daily two-dive package for qualified divers costing $ 140 ( about £ 105 ). Tanks and weights are included , with an extra hire charge for a regulator , computer or Nitrox . Pick-ups are available from either Virgin Gorda yacht harbour or Scrub Island . Web : divebvi . com email : info @ divebvi . com Phone : 1-284-541-9818
WHERE TO STAY : The British Virgin Islands are not a cheap place to visit , and most accommodation caters for wealthy US and European visitors . A one-bedroom apartment at the Guavaberry Spring Bay resort is priced from $ 210 per night in the summer months for two people , rising to $ 370 between December and April . Book through Dive BVI for a 5-night accommodation package priced from $ 1,033 per person in the summer months . divebvi . com
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