We are staying at Biras Creek at the end of June and would like a snorkel book showing all the plants and animals we can expect to see in that region. Any recommendations? Thanks.

They will probably have a laminated chart with pictures of all the fish and coral available for sale in the gift shop at the resort. The Activities Desk will probably have ones you can borrow. You can also pick one up at the dive shop in Spanish Town. Also, if you go on a snorkel day trip the tour operator will usually have several on the boat.

While staying at Biras, I picked one up at the DiveBVI shop in Spanish Town (half-day excursion to The Baths). I don't recall seeing such a book at the Biras gift shop, although I didn't ask...

I was hoping to get a book to read on the plane before we actually get there. I'll ask the resort when we arrive, though. Anything we could buy ahead of time would be great.

The trouble with most books dealing with sealife, etc. that you'll find in most bookstores (outside of the Caribbean) is they very "generic" and won't be specific to the BVI's so while they contain nice photos and good information you won't actually get to see a lot of what is contained in those books.

You might do a google search using such topics as "USVI/BVI Reef Creatures", "Virgiun Gorda Flora & Fauna" or "Snorkeling the BVI's" to see if you can find specific book titles then perhaps order one or two through Amazon.com.

If you are serious about wanting a guide to ALL the animals (as your post says), the comprehenisive field guide for where you are going is Reef Fish Identification - Florida, Caribbean, Bahamas by Paul Humann and Ned DeLoach (which can be purchased as a set with the companion volumes Reef Creature Identification and Reef Coral Idenitification). The entries list geographic distribution, so you will be able to determined what species are to be found where you will be. The guides can be bought on amazon.com, but the website www.fishid.com has these and a few other, less comprehensive (and less expensive) guides.

The last poster is so correct. Excellent set of guide books. We have debated buying the set, but since we travel with just a carry-on, the space available is limited. Plus, the weight of three volumes didn't make sense. Between the fish identification cards we take along, and the books that the boats usually carry, we have done quite well with figuring out what we have seen.

We were at Biras early this month and loved it. I hope you do as well. Owa

owa; You never really gave us a run-down of the snorkeling in and around VG except for the Baths and Oil Nut Bay which I found were the only adequate snorkeling except when I charered Mitchel cabin cruiser and went to Cooper Island. Compared to St. John, Grand Cayman (near the wall-Cayman Kai Resort), Bonaire.