About Thumb Rock
Thumb Rock is a small pinnacle between Cooper and Ginger Islands that breaks the surface like a thumb. Below the waterline the rock is covered in colorful sponges and corals and surrounded by schools of creole wrasse and chromis. Turtles and rays are common visitors, and the compact size makes it easy to explore the whole rock on one dive. It is a charming, photogenic site in the heart of the BVI.
Highlights
Compact pinnacle covered in spongesschools of creole wrasse and chromisturtles and rayseasy to explore on one dive
Season calendar
Best months to dive here
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Excellent
Good
Off-Season
Dive site facts: Thumb Rock
- Depth
- 5–20 m
- Current
- Mild
- Entry
- Liveaboard only
- Level
- Beginner
- Dive type
- Pinnacle, Reef
- Region / port
- British Virgin Islands
- Coordinates
- 18.3700° N, 64.4900° W
Conditions & Currents
Guides normally rate the water movement here as mild current. Dive profiles here run between roughly 5 and 20 metres, so plan your gas and no-decompression limits around the deeper part of the site. It is usually briefed as a dive for beginner divers. The site is reached by liveaboard, so entries are run from the tender or straight off the back deck. Tide, wind and season all shift the picture from day to day, so the crew's briefing on the boat always overrides any general description.
Why dive Thumb Rock from a liveaboard?
Thumb Rock is one of British Virgin Islands's signature dive sites. A liveaboard sleeps you on the water and puts you in the water for three to four guided dives per day, including dawn and night dives that day-boat operators rarely offer. You skip the daily commute back to port and reach quieter, less-crowded sites in the same region on a single trip.
Below are the liveaboards that include Thumb Rock on their British Virgin Islands itineraries.
Liveaboards diving Thumb Rock
These liveaboards may visit Thumb Rock on selected itineraries — the exact dive sites depend on departure, weather and conditions.
All Star Cuan Law
Virgin Islands
20 guests31.8 m
$564/day
Dive sites similar to Thumb Rock
Same character, same waters — six more sites divers love for the exact same reasons.Compare seasons, access and liveaboard routes — then pick the site that fits your trip best.
© Esri — Maxar, Earthstar, GIS
Wreck Alley
British Virgin Islands
Wreck Alley off Cooper Island is a purpose-sunk artificial reef made up of several vessels, including the Marie L, the Pat, the Beata and the Island Seal, which were scuttled in the 1990s to create a new dive attraction.
- Suitable for
- Intermediate
- Current
- Mild
- Access
- Liveaboard only
- Depth
- 17–27 m
- Theme
- Wreck