Reefwander
Reefwander
Full calendar

Destinations at their peak each month

  1. Jan167
  2. Feb183
  3. Mar192
  4. Apr216
  5. May186
  6. Jun272
  7. Jul307
  8. Aug313
  9. Sep296
  10. Oct180
  11. Nov119
  12. Dec145

Americas

Europe, Africa & Middle East

Indo-Pacific

Coral-encrusted iron frames of the RMS Rhone standing in a line on the seabed off Salt Island.

RMS Rhone & Salt Island · British Virgin Islands · Reef

Ginger's Backside

A reef the length of Ginger Island's calm north side

Area photo: Gareth Richards · CC BY 3.0

A coral reef running the length of Ginger Island's north side, starting at about 5 metres and falling away to sand at 18. This side of the island is almost always flat and calm, which is why boats use it for surface intervals and second dives rather than as the morning's main event. It is a long, easy reef with no navigation problem to solve.

Where it is and how deep

Depth profile of Ginger's Backside: typical dive 5–18 m (15–60 ft) 18 m · Open Water30 m · Advanced40 m · Recreational limit5 m18 mtypical dive
Depths on a shared scale to 40 m (130 ft); dashed lines mark common certification limits.

18.3890° N, 64.4856° WPublished position for this site.

The dive

This is the sheltered side of Ginger Island, and it is almost always flat, so boats park here for surface intervals as much as for the dive. The reef begins in about 5 metres just off the rock and runs the length of the island, falling away gradually to a sandy bottom at around 18 metres, which puts the whole dive inside a comfortable shallow no-decompression profile.

There is no route to learn. Drop in, put the reef on one shoulder and the sand on the other, and swim the contour until it is time to turn; the slope keeps you oriented and the depth barely changes from one end to the other. That makes it an easy second dive after something deeper elsewhere in the Southern Islands, and a sensible place to put a nervous diver in the water.

Marine life and season

The sources we used don't single out particular species here.

Month-by-month season rating for Ginger's Backside
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
PrimePrimePrimePrimeGoodGoodGoodFairFairFairGoodPrime

Season follows RMS Rhone & Salt Island: Nov–Jun is calmest and clearest; Aug–Oct hurricane season brings swell that can close the exposed Rhone site entirely.

Questions divers ask

How deep is Ginger's Backside?+

The reef starts at about 5 metres and falls away to a sandy bottom at around 18 metres, so the dive stays shallow throughout and bottom times are long.

Sources

  1. Gingers Backside — Scubago / SSI MyDiveGuide

More dive sites in RMS Rhone & Salt Island

Wreck

Kodiak Queen

A 1940 Navy fuel barge under a mesh kraken, in 17 m

to 17 m · max 18 mintermediate

Wreck

Chikuzen

A 1988 refrigeration ship at 23 m, a long run offshore

to 23 madvanced

Reef

Alice in Wonderland

Coral ridges in north-south lines with sand lanes between

15–18 mbeginner

Wall

Ginger Steps

A three-step wall with different growth on every ledge

11–27 m · max 29 mintermediate

Reef

Carval Rock

A rocky islet between Ginger and Cooper, sloping to 30 m

to 14 m · max 30 mintermediate

Reef

Dry Rocks East

Pillar and black coral at 21 m with pelagics passing through

to 21 mintermediate

Reef

Blue Chromis Reef

Overhangs and a gentle slope in 6 to 15 m off Cooper Island

6–15 mbeginner

Pinnacle

Thumb Rock

A thumb-shaped rock, mostly inside 15 m, in clear water

5–15 m · max 24 mintermediate

Similar dives elsewhere

Reef

Dos Ojos

Mahahual (Costa Maya) · Mexico

Reef passages to 17 m with parrotfish, angelfish and the Caguama turtle

to 17 mbeginner

Reef

Isla Aguja

Santa Marta & Tayrona · Colombia

Taganga's main training ground, with a deeper wall close by

2–20 mintermediate

Reef

Kathleen's Reef

Grand Cayman · Cayman Islands

Spur and groove ground with a miniwall at 11 m (35 ft)

11–20 mintermediate

Reef

Kariwak Reef

Tobago · Trinidad and Tobago

A sheltered shore reef off Store Bay used for training and night dives

3–15 mbeginner