Bronco Billy - Virgin Gorda & Anegada
Elijah’s Reef is one of those places we keep coming back to when we need a proper chill-out dive. It’s perfect if you’ve had a few days of ripping currents elsewhere in the Somosomo Strait and just want to float along and enjoy the scenery. The reef here maxes out at about 14 metres, with a relaxed current, making it ideal for newer divers or anyone wanting a longer bottom time. We love the sheer density of the fusilier schools, so thick they can briefly blot out the sun as you swim through them. Keep an eye out for blue-spotted stingrays tucked into the sandy patches and the occasional white or blacktip reef shark cruising by. Our favourite part is exploring the smaller caverns and swim-throughs; they’re nothing dramatic, but offer some fun navigation and often reveal some interesting macro life like flasher scorpionfish. Visibility generally hovers around 15-20 metres, giving you a clear view of the vibrant hard corals.
- Location
- Virgin Gorda & Anegada, British Virgin Islands, Caribbean
- Coordinates
- 18.493100, -64.460000
- Type
- reef
Marine Protected Area: Cockroach Island
Best Time to Dive in Virgin Gorda & Anegada
The warmest water temperatures in Virgin Gorda & Anegada occur in January, averaging 26.8°C. The coolest conditions are in December at 26.8°C.
Monthly Water Temperatures
- January: 26.8°C (air: 25.6°C)
- February: 26.8°C (air: 25.3°C)
- March: 26.8°C (air: 25.3°C)
- April: 26.8°C (air: 25.8°C)
- May: 26.8°C (air: 26.9°C)
- June: 26.8°C (air: 27.6°C)
- July: 26.8°C (air: 27.9°C)
- August: 26.8°C (air: 28.2°C)
- September: 26.8°C (air: 28.4°C)
- October: 26.8°C (air: 28.1°C)
- November: 26.8°C (air: 27.3°C)
- December: 26.8°C (air: 26.4°C)
Nearby Dive Sites in Virgin Gorda & Anegada
- Anegada
- ANNE E. ANDERSON - 5m (wreck)
- Bronco Billy
- CAPTAIN ROKOS (ROCUS) - 5m (wreck)
- CHIKUZEN - 23m (wreck)
- Chimney (wall)
- Coral Gardens, Great Dog, BVI (reef)
- Corridors (drift)
- Flintstones (reef)
- Invisibles (reef)
- Kodiak Queen - 15m (wreck)
- Kodiak Queen (Wreck) (reef)
- P.O.S. (Cockroach Island) (reef)
- RIO NEGRO - 2m (wreck)
- Shark Planes - 13m (wreck)
Nearest Dive Centres to Bronco Billy
Marine Life in Virgin Gorda & Anegada
Home to 462 recorded species including 371 reef fish, 39 hard corals, 11 sharks & rays, 9 other, 6 seagrass & algae, 6 whales & dolphins.
Notable Species
- Mustard hill coral (Porites astreoides) - Hard Corals
- Massive Starlet Coral (Siderastrea siderea) - Hard Corals
- Finger Coral (Porites porites) - Hard Corals
- Great star coral (Montastraea cavernosa) - Hard Corals
- Gutong (Sparisoma aurofrenatum) - Reef Fish
- Parrotfish (Thalassoma bifasciatum) - Reef Fish
- Blue Doctor (Acanthurus coeruleus) - Reef Fish
- Yellowhead Wrasse (Halichoeres garnoti) - Reef Fish
- Lettuce Coral (Agaricia agaricites) - Hard Corals
- Gutong (Scarus iseri) - Reef Fish
- Dark Green Parrotfish (Sparisoma viride) - Reef Fish
- Bicolor Damselfish (Stegastes partitus) - Reef Fish
- Barber (Acanthurus bahianus) - Reef Fish
- Sammy Johnson (Scarus taeniopterus) - Reef Fish
- French grunt (Haemulon flavolineatum) - Reef Fish
- Sharpnose Pufferfish (Canthigaster rostrata) - Reef Fish
- Butterfly (Chaetodon capistratus) - Reef Fish
- Barred Hamlet (Hypoplectrus puella) - Reef Fish
- Longspine Squirrelfish (Holocentrus rufus) - Reef Fish
- Blushing Star Coral (Stephanocoenia intersepta) - Hard Corals
Recommended Packing List for Bronco Billy
Based on average water temperature of 26.8°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