Scuba Diving in the Virgin Islands
Divers have plenty of options if they are looking to add some diving to their yacht charter vacation! We have several yachts that offer onboard diving. Even better, you do not have to lug your dive gear around with you. Several yachts will have a professional divemaster, if not an instructor, for your yacht charter. These SCUBA professionals can take you “resort diving” or even get you PADI certified.
A wetsuit is not needed in the Virgin Islands while in your diving experience. The water is around 85 degrees during the summer and 70s during the winter months. A rash guard will do you just fine.
Wreck of the Rhone
Can I get my SCUBA certification during my yacht charter?
The short answer is yes. There are things to keep in mind. I myself did this several years ago. It’s ideal if you can complete the pool and online classroom part of the process BEFORE you come down to dive to the islands. This allows the instructor to focus on the “open water” dives to finish off the certification process. Then you won’t have to spend the entire yacht charter cramming to study for the online test.
This is best done with a yacht that has an instructor on your yacht.
What kind of SCUBA certification can I get while onboard my yacht charter vacations?
Open water Scuba certification. Open water diving certification is 4 dives and one that is more like a snorkel. You will do the skills you learned in the pool class at home but do it in the islands!! Here you don’t need a diving suit like if you did it in the states.
INQUIRE HER
Can I go diving while on my yacht charter vacation if I do not have my SCUBA certification?
There are yacht charters that have instructors for SCUBAor even Dive Masters aboard. They teach you the basics of SCUBA. After that, you are able to do shallow dives along with the instructor.
eagle ray
What About RendezVous Diving on my yacht charter vacation?
Rendezvous diving is a great alternative when your charter yacht doesn’t have a certified professional onboard, or your other members want to hang at the beach or do other activities, then anchor at each dive spot. However, they can usually snorkel each location while you are diving. Local dive shops such as Red Hook Dive Center or Blue Water Divers can arrange to meet your yacht. Options to meet around Norman Island, Peter Island, or Cooper Island, and they will take you off to the dive site in the BVI. The rest of the family or group of friends can be happily drinking cocktails or snorkeling in calm anchorages while you are getting a rush of adrenaline underwater! The Captain can assist with arranging these options for your yacht charter vacation when they know the weather for the week as well as where you will be each night.
Gearing Up for your SCUBA experience.
Getting all your gear together for diving on your yacht is easy. Everyone will line up on the back deck near the sugar scoops and take a large stride step into the Caribbean waters.
Gearing up to dive.
Can I bring my own DIVING equipment?
Of course! If you want it and are more comfortable with it, bring it!
This is more important if you have a mask with a prescription and well-fitting fins. One year I tried the yachts facemask, and when I jumped in thought, I would choke. I have a rounder face, and the mask didn’t agree with me. This will not be the case for everyone, of course.
How many dive sites are there?
Literally hundreds in the British Virgin Islands. Jim Scheiner is practically the Bible of the dive sites here. This is an older book, but you can still find it on Amazon.
SCUBA Attractions in the BVI
There is shallow calm sea grass, like at Norman Island, that is great for doing your open water skills to wreck dives. Hundreds of wrecks have been lost over the centuries. There are artificial reefs, colorful reef fish, eagle rays, moray eels, sea turtles amongst the sea grass, and so much more. Do not jump in the water without your camera! With a good eye, you can hunt buried treasures, old glass bottles, canons, reef fish, and hunt lionfish.
Reef Art
What about BVI reef art? These are beautiful art pieces that are created by Beyond the Reef.
Willy-T’s-Wreck-Beyond- the- Reef
What about BVI reef art? These are beautiful art pieces that are created by Beyond the Reef.
They have several dive spots now, The Kodiak Queen, Willy T’s Wreck, and SharkPlaneo’s. These reef art pieces have multiple reasons for being created. They take old planes, ships, and vehicles, welding creatures in addition to the structures or out of vessels, then sink the creation at specified locations.
This aids in ridding areas of old trash and repurposing old items into new ones. These creations become fish homes, helping life grow and flourish. Whether they are placed in a spot for divers or for fishermen when they are placed in a barren area, they grow coral and attract fish to hide in their superstructure.
These creative structures increase tourism and give us more places to dive and experience the underwater world of colorful reef fish, eagle rays, moray eels, parrotfish, and reef sharks. The British Virgin Islands offers the Kraken, also known as the Kodiak Queen. A joint effort between Commercial Dive Services and Sir Richard Branson, owner of Necker Island. Though it received some damage from the hurricane in 2018, it was sunk off Virgin Gorda and is still a fantastic dive.
Is there a limit to how many DIVES I can do on my luxury yacht charter?
Yachts usually offer 3 dives per week that are included in your charter fee. You can usually pay per dive, per person, for additional dives.
Check out Cuan Law for large groups of divers in the BVI.
CUAN LAW 105 Ft. (Cat)
Sleeps 20 Guests in 10 Queen/ 10 Twin
There are ten double staterooms. These cabins can be set up to accommodate the group. Cuan Law is spacious and comfortable.
3 dives per day if already qualified
Diving Costs
Included with your package:
tanks (aluminum 63s, the 80s, and 100s),
weights,
belts, masks,
fins,
snorkels
air
High-quality rental dive equipment onboard, including regulators and BCs.
$50/week – Regulator with octopus, pressure and depth gauge
$40 per week- Jacket BC with power inflator
$15 per week – “Daily” rate for rental of both
$120 per week or $10 per tank – Nitrox
$145 – Resort Course (“Discover Scuba Diving”) up to 4 dives- gear rental, instruction, and PADI book.
The program with PADI Discover Scuba Diving allows you to try diving safely. You will experience the same excitement and sense of wonder while under the careful supervision of a PADI Instructor; participants actually go on up to four scuba dives in shallow, calm water.
