Gorda Anyone?

Mention the name Gorda and most people visualize either those funny little vegetable-like decorations that pop up around Thanksgiving or a big lump of cheese in the deli case. Supply people with the full name - Virgin Gorda - and they visualize . . . Well, I'm not sure what they visualize, but I can almost bet that it's not a beautiful Caribbean island. That's because Virgin Gorda is one of the best kept secrets of the British Virgin Islands. It's no wonder the British have "tut-tutted" when it comes to promoting their islands; they're one of the few places left where commercialization hasn't spread like a noxious weed - choking the life out of the people and the culture. Virgin Gorda, with a population of only 2,500, is a heavenly paradise offering a temperate, trade-wind-cooled climate and unique topography; quiet, white, sandy beaches and excellent coral and shipwreck diving; and a close proximity to several remote islands.

Virgin Gorda's unique topography and temperate climate are a literal breath of fresh air amongst other "made from the mold" islands. Sure, Gorda displays its Caribbean finery with pristine, white, sandy beaches found at such places as Spring Bay, Brewers Bay, and Savannah Bay. However, it also adds a twinge of eerie mystery with its rocky and lunar-like interior.

This rocky topography is also found at one of its largest attractions, The Baths. This beach, located on the southern part of the island, is filled with large granite boulders and hidden pools. However, if you want to steer clear of most tourists, take the left fork in the road, and you'll end up at Devil's Bay, a similar, lunar-like setting minus Neil Armstrong and his camera-toting fan club.

When you're ready to return to Earth, splashdown at the North Sound and dive into a blue lagoon speckled with colorful coral, or try Long Bay or Brewers Bay for clear, quiet water that's perfect for snorkeling.

Next, slap on the flippers and wet suit, and head for the Rhone National Maritime Park. Here you can dive near Dead Chest Island where the coral reef has alternating layers of sand and ledges brimming with sponges. In addition, the Park is the final resting place of the RMS Rhone, a vessel that hit Salt Island in the hurricane of 1867, broke into two pieces, and sunk. Now home to various coral and marine life, this vessel is a unique treat for coral divers.

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