Coral Gardens, Great Dog, BVI - Virgin Gorda & Anegada

Harbor Village, just a short boat ride over to Klein Bonaire, is one of those sites we always try to hit when we're in the area. It’s not just the easy boat access or the generally mellow conditions. We love the feeling of drifting along a reef that’s really thriving, especially when the light hits those big Boulder Brain Corals just right. You're looking at a gentle slope down to about 20 meters, and it’s typically a pretty easy dive, suitable for most experience levels. The visibility usually sits around 20 meters, giving you plenty of room to spot things like the little Orangespotted Filefish flitting between the corals, or a Green Turtle munching away. We’ve had some great encounters with schools of Schoolmasters here, too, their silver scales flashing. Keep an eye out for the smaller stuff, the Bicolor Basslets tucking themselves into crevices, and if you’re lucky, a tiny Red Clingfish clinging to a gorgonian. It’s a beautiful, relaxing dive that consistently delivers good sightings without making you work for them. Just remember to give the actual harbor entrance a wide berth, it’s not for divers.

Location: Virgin Gorda & Anegada, British Virgin Islands, Caribbean
Coordinates: 18.480000, -64.455500
Type: reef

Marine Protected Area: The Dogs

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)

Nearest Dive Centres to Coral Gardens, Great Dog, BVI

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 Coral Gardens, Great Dog, BVI

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