Land-Based Diving in the BVIs

A live-aboard isn’t the only way to relax in the BVIs. There are several land-based operations that also provide just-goodenough diving for the experienced diver in relaxed vacation mode, although the BVIs tend toward the pricey side. Baskin’ in the Sun (800-650-2084, e-mail baskindive@aol.com, website www.dive-baskin.com) on Tortola dives many of the same sites our correspondent did and earns good reports from readers on its dive operation — well-built, prompt, and usually uncrowded boat, good divemasters and staff, few restrictions, and a good emphasis on both safety and ecology. Prospect Reef Resort has undergone some renovation and is comfortable but not luxurious. Killbride’s/Biras Creek on Virgin Gorda (800- 932-4286) provides hiking and biking options on its 100+ acre site, an upscale setting with multi-course, dress-fordinner dining as well as a well-received dive operation and boat with head and shade. The award-winning Little Dix Bay on Virgin Gorda (284-495-5555, fax 284-495-5661, e-mail ldbhotel@caribsurf.com, website www.littledixbay.com) recently reopened after a full-scale renovation (including refurbishing all water craft and restoring the beach) to repair damage from Hurricane Lenny. The resort, situated on the 500-acre former estate of Laurance Rockefeller, is both extremely elegant and extremely expensive. Its on-site dive operation, Dive BVI (800-848-7078 or 284-495-5513, fax 284-495-5513, e-mail info@divebvi.com, website www.divebvi.com) dives sites within a 2-hour radius of the resort out of two boats (one fast, one slow, neither with head). Reader Jeremy Butler (Friday Harbor WA), who returned last month from the revamped Little Dix, said “divemasters are well qualified, have pleasant personalities, give good briefings, do an excellent job of pointing out and naming critters and sights. They use erasable magnetic slates to name things and to communicate with divers. Corals and sponges are in good shape. Lots of small and medium reef fish.”