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A white dive ship flying a red-and-white dive flag lies at anchor in turquoise water, with a granite boulder in the foreground and a green island behind — Virgin Gorda & the Dog Islands.

Virgin Gorda & the Dog Islands · British Virgin Islands · Reef

The Aquarium

Some of the largest schools of reef fish anywhere in the BVI

Area photo: O'Dea · CC BY-SA 4.0

The Aquarium is a popular novice reef dive on the southwest side of Virgin Gorda itself, at about 11 m (35 ft). The reef draws some of the largest schools and the widest variety of reef fish anywhere in the British Virgin Islands.

Also known as Aquarium.

Where it is and how deep

Depth profile of The Aquarium: typical dive to 11 m (to 36 ft) 18 m · Open Water30 m · Advanced40 m · Recreational limit11 mtypical dive
Depths on a shared scale to 40 m (130 ft); dashed lines mark common certification limits.

No published position for this site — the map shows Virgin Gorda & the Dog Islands and its other sites; operators know the mooring.

The dive

A shallow reef off the southwest coast of Virgin Gorda, the Aquarium is dived at around 11 m (35 ft). It is an oasis in the middle of the ocean floor, and large schools and many species of reef fish crowd the reef.

Marine life and season

  • Reef fish swarms
Month-by-month season rating for The Aquarium
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
PrimePrimePrimePrimeGoodGoodGoodFairFairGoodGoodPrime

Season follows Virgin Gorda & the Dog Islands: High season runs from mid-December through April, when winter seas are rougher but clearer; hurricane risk peaks from late August through September.

Sources

  1. BVI Dive Sites — Dive BVI
  2. Diving in the British Virgin Islands — Wikivoyage

More dive sites in Virgin Gorda & the Dog Islands

Cave & cavern

Big Grotto

Under an arch into a cathedral-like room open to the surface

5–20 mintermediate

Reef

Bronco Billy

An archway into a reef canyon that opens on an amphitheatre of pillar coral

6–14 m · max 15 mbeginner

Reef

Joe's Cave

A shallow cavern under West Dog, often full of glassy sweepers

6–14 mbeginner

Reef

The Chimney

High-walled canyons lead to a massive arch lined with yellow coral

9–14 mbeginner

Reef

The Flintstones

Boulder city off West Dog, with eagle rays passing in the deep

9–21 mintermediate

Reef

Wall to Wall

No walls, but ledges and boulders sheltering nurse sharks and grunts

9–23 m · max 24 madvanced

Similar dives elsewhere

Reef

Buck Island

St. Croix · U.S. Virgin Islands

One of only three marked underwater trails in the United States

9–12 mbeginner

Reef

Coco Reef

Bayahibe · Dominican Republic

A FUNDEMAR coral nursery and sunken statues at 12 m

to 12 mbeginner

Reef

El Acuario

Mahahual (Costa Maya) · Mexico

Reef fish crowd a shallow reef to 13 m, and manatees pass a few times a year

to 13 mbeginner

Reef

El Acuario

María la Gorda · Cuba

Shoaling reef fish in 3 to 5 m of water

3–8 mbeginner