Virgin Gorda & the Dog Islands · British Virgin Islands · Reef
The Chimney
High-walled canyons lead to a massive arch lined with yellow coral
Area photo: O'Dea · CC BY-SA 4.0
The Chimney is a scenic rocky dive on the north side of Great Dog and one of the best-known sites in the Dog Islands. Very sheltered and relatively shallow at 9–14 m (30–45 ft), it is a canyon-and-arch route around an unusual underwater structure.
Also known as Chimney, The Chimney (Great Dog).
Where it is and how deep
18.4819° N, 64.4556° WApproximate position — the dashed circle shows where the site lies; your operator's briefing has the mooring.
The dive
The dive starts by heading north around the Great Dog headland into high-walled canyons. These guide divers to a massive arch with yellow coral growing on its inside, the centrepiece of the site. The whole route runs between 9 and 14 m (30 and 45 ft) in water that the island keeps very sheltered.
Marine life and season
The sources we used don't single out particular species here.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Good | Good | Good | Fair | Fair | Good | Good | Prime |
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.
Dive videos
Cousteau's Favorite BVI Dive Site! Virgin Gorda Scuba "Chimney" with Dive BVI Caribbean · honeymoon2 on YouTube
Sources
- BVI Dive Sites — Dive BVI
- Diving - Sunchaser Scuba — Sunchaser Scuba
- Diving in the British Virgin Islands — Wikivoyage
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