Ananasfreak

Looking for a great spot for that next dive trip? Or maybe just a Caribbean destination somewhere to get away from crowds and relax? Then take a closer look at St. Croix in the U.S. Virgin Islands. And it’s right in America’s own backyard – U.S. citizens don’t even need a passport.

When comparing islands, I found the costs for a week in Saint Croix to be just slightly more than half of what I would spend at a couple of my other choices. Not certain why, perhaps because it’s more out of the way, but no complaints. The Diving in St. Croix is superb with the famous “Wall”, some fun wrecks, and lots of marine life & critters. The comparatively modest prices for the diving, hotel, great food, and a rent car just made it that much better.

For about 7 miles, the “Wall” runs along the north shore, starting at about 50’ and dropping off to 3200’. It’s only a couple hundred yards offshore making it an easy shore dive, but you’ll also want to do some diving off a boat to explore as much of it as possible. Many locations have mooring buoys to protect the reef from anchoring.

Two of the most popular sites are Northstar and Pavilion, where you’ll see gorgeous sponges – purple tubes, lavender vases, red ropes; several stands of black coral, as well as prolific schools of fishes, including a few bait ball swarms. Don’t forget to peek under the ledges where lobster and large crab can be found hiding.

Over near Salt River, the location where Columbus landed in 1493, are several sites to the east and west of the reef where it protects the harbor. You’ll find huge coral heads with some small caves and giant swim-throughs. These are just plain fun, and dives there are always going to end way before you can tire of this part of the wall.

There are tons of crevices that provide ample hiding places for large lobster and crab, and by taking your time and looking in and under the ledges, you’ll see them lurking. This area also attracts hawksbill turtles. An especially large one was nonplussed enough with divers to allow us to swim alongside for a good while.

Not to be missed is a dive under the Frederiksted Pier on the west end of the island. Once busy with cruise ships, it remains quiet these days, and has become a very fishy mecca for all sorts of marine critters. For St. Croix diving, it offers about the best macro opportunities which abound around the pilings and debris along the bottom, all now covered with growth that has attracted swarms of residents.

Look for the ever-present octopus to sea cucumbers, spiny urchins, flying gunards, and tons of spider crabs and banded coral shrimp. As great a dive the pier is during the day, it’s one night dive you’ll definitely want to include on your itinerary. The shallow 35’ depth means long bottom times, but you’ll still want more.

Divers who don’t feel the trip is complete without a few wreck dives will find several sites to choose from. Mostly sandy bottoms surrounding them are full of garden eels, with the occasional southern stingray nosing about. On the west side there is one group of 3 vessels lying together around 60’, and another deeper site with a vehicle ferry lying 110’ down with a tug nearby somewhat shallower.

The bridge and wheelhouse on each make excellent photo shots with the structures still quite visible within the growth covering the surfaces. In fact the vessels are all mostly intact providing lots of angles for photographers to catch these ships highlighted perfectly against the blue background.

In short, this island seems to have been overlooked by many dive travelers and is a Caribbean vacation still waiting to be discovered by the masses. For those wanting a great dive destination, take time to explore what St. Croix Virgin Islands has to offer. It’s hard to beat either the first-rate diving, or the great prices.

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