CHIKUZEN

Best months: Jan–Dec

Protected Area

Guana Island PA

Why dive here

With 449+ marine species recorded in the area - including barracuda, blacktip reef sharks, dolphins, dwarf minke whales and eagle rays - CHIKUZEN offers some of Virgin Gorda & Anegada's richest wreck diving. Water sits around 27°C.

Marine lifeBarracuda, Blacktip Reef Sharks, Dolphins, Dwarf Minke Whales and Eagle Rays · 449+ species recorded

Water27°C · warmest January, February, March

CharacterWreck dive · max 23m

StandoutExceptional marine biodiversity

The Chikuzen is a classic for a reason. This 74-meter steel trawler, sunk after a fire back in '81, lies flat on a sandy bottom at 23 meters. It's not a complicated wreck penetration, but that’s part of its charm. You can swim the whole length, admiring the sheer scale of it, the bow and stern still largely intact. What we love about the Chikuzen is the sheer volume of fish. We're talking tarpon that shadow you, nurse sharks lounging under ledges, and schools of horse-eye jacks so thick they dim the light. On a good day, the visibility can be 20 meters, letting you see the whole ship from above. It’s a photographer’s dream, particularly with the sun glinting off the metal and the fish swirling. Our tip: go slow, particularly around the mast and the bridge section. That’s where the bigger critters often hang out. This site is a proper Caribbean wreck dive, raw and unadorned, perfect for divers who appreciate history and an abundance of marine life.