PORT BOUGENVILLE - Salt Island & Cooper Island

Port Bougenville is a deep, dramatic dive, perfect for those with advanced certs and a thirst for history. We're talking 55 metres here, so plan your gas and deco carefully. This sailing vessel caught fire back in '83, and after a valiant but ultimately fruitless rescue attempt by the Coast Guard, she was towed out to sea and allowed to sink. Now, she rests upright, a ghost ship on the seabed, her mast reaching skyward. The sheer scale of it is humbling as you descend, the hull looming larger with every metre. What we love about this wreck is the way the ocean has completely reclaimed it. The deck is carpeted in colourful sponge growth, and schools of snapper hang in the shadows, darting in and out of the broken cabins. Look closely, and you'll spot moray eels peering from crevices, their heads swaying gently. Penetration is possible for the experienced, but we'd suggest just circling the outside first, really taking in the structure. It’s a profound experience, connecting with a piece of the past that’s become a thriving reef. The deeper you go, the more the ambient light fades, making the wreck feel even more isolated and mysterious. This isn't a dive for quick snapshots; it’s one to savour, a true deep exploration.

Location: Salt Island & Cooper Island, British Virgin Islands, Caribbean
Coordinates: 18.550000, -64.750000
Type: wreck
Maximum Depth: 55m

Marine Protected Area: Little Jost Van Dyke

Best Time to Dive in Salt Island & Cooper Island

The warmest water temperatures in Salt Island & Cooper Island occur in January, averaging 27.1°C. The coolest conditions are in December at 27.1°C.

Monthly Water Temperatures

January: 27.1°C (air: 25.5°C)
February: 27.1°C (air: 25.1°C)
March: 27.1°C (air: 25.2°C)
April: 27.1°C (air: 25.7°C)
May: 27.1°C (air: 26.8°C)
June: 27.1°C (air: 27.6°C)
July: 27.1°C (air: 27.8°C)
August: 27.1°C (air: 28.1°C)
September: 27.1°C (air: 28.3°C)
October: 27.1°C (air: 28.0°C)
November: 27.1°C (air: 27.1°C)
December: 27.1°C (air: 26.3°C)

Nearby Dive Sites in Salt Island & Cooper Island

Nearest Dive Centres to PORT BOUGENVILLE

Marine Life in Salt Island & Cooper Island

Home to 504 recorded species including 410 reef fish, 39 hard corals, 13 sharks & rays, 9 other, 7 whales & dolphins, 6 seagrass & algae.

Notable Species

Mustard hill coral (Porites astreoides) - Hard Corals
Massive Starlet Coral (Siderastrea siderea) - Hard Corals
Gutong (Sparisoma aurofrenatum) - Reef Fish
Great star coral (Montastraea cavernosa) - Hard Corals
Parrotfish (Thalassoma bifasciatum) - Reef Fish
Finger Coral (Porites porites) - Hard Corals
Blue Doctor (Acanthurus coeruleus) - Reef Fish
Yellowhead Wrasse (Halichoeres garnoti) - Reef Fish
Lettuce Coral (Agaricia agaricites) - Hard Corals
Barber (Acanthurus bahianus) - Reef Fish
Dark Green Parrotfish (Sparisoma viride) - Reef Fish
Bicolor Damselfish (Stegastes partitus) - Reef Fish
Gutong (Scarus iseri) - Reef Fish
Sammy Johnson (Scarus taeniopterus) - Reef Fish
French grunt (Haemulon flavolineatum) - Reef Fish
Longspine Squirrelfish (Holocentrus rufus) - Reef Fish
Butterfly (Chaetodon capistratus) - Reef Fish
Sharpnose Pufferfish (Canthigaster rostrata) - Reef Fish
Blushing Star Coral (Stephanocoenia intersepta) - Hard Corals
Barred Hamlet (Hypoplectrus puella) - Reef Fish

Recommended Packing List for PORT BOUGENVILLE

Based on average water temperature of 27.1°C.

Shorty or Rashguard - warm 27°C water needs minimal exposure protection
Mask - essential for every dive
Fins
BCD - buoyancy compensator
Regulator - your most safety-critical piece of gear
Dive Computer - tracks depth, time, and NDL
Surface Marker Buoy (SMB) - essential for boat pickups
Dive Torch - useful for crevices and colour at depth
Underwater Camera - capture your diving memories