Dive Shop In St. Thomas

[Newdiv]

i will be in St.Thomas at the beginning of July for a family vacation. I want to try and get a few morning dives in and would like any and all recommendations for a dive op. Thanks in advance.

 

[Malpaso]

Admiralty - one of the best I've dove with.
SCUBA DIVING ST. THOMAS | Admiralty Dive Center

 

[Newdiv]

Thanks for your input Malpaso.

 

[diversteve]

Where are you staying? Admiralty - which I often recommend also - is downtown.

It's not a big island but that could be a 1/2 hr. drive or more with traffic from the East End.

Out there consider Red Hook Dive Center. I believe all the staff - including the DM's - are actually instructors.

 

[Newdiv]

I'm at the Marriott's Frenchman's Reef.

 

[diversteve]

That's kind of in the middle...

Marriott has an affiliated shop also - same people do the cruise dives. I personally wouldn't use them - there's a thread about problems/worn out gear here somewhere. Can't remember the name or I'd point you to it.

found the shop - Home Page - Underwater Safaris

and the thread - although it's a little older than I remembered.
Underwater Safari ---AVOID this dive shop in St.Thomas ---

 

[Newdiv]

I have a rental jeep and don't mind a little traffic. I want to stay away from shops that cater to the cruise ships. Ideally a boat that my wife and I (aow) and son could snorkel at the same time. Maybe 3/2 tank dives.

 

[diversteve]

If you want to shore dive, you're not far from Coki Beach - both are done there - they even offer snuba since it's a cruise excursion stop also. Better diving there IMO is to the east past Coral World but there's some current at times in the afternoon - enough that we had to get out and catch a cab back to the shop once. Coki Dive Center

The snorkeling at Coki Beach is considered the best on ST Thomas.

There's gonna be a little ganja on the beach there also...

Otherwise ask whoever about Congo Cay - IIRC the mooring we used was close enough to the island for snorkelers - it wasn't much over 20' to the bottom there. Grass Cay would also be about that shallow but it's just a meh dive.

Cow/Calf Rocks might be another option - the swim-thru is only about 40' I have not dove there so don't know about snorkeling nearby.

 

[Newdiv]

Thanks for your responses diversteve. Maybe I will do boat 2 days and 1 shore dive.

 

[Malpaso]

Personally, I would avoid the entire Coki area. Read up on current crime from various sources and decide for yourself. Things may have improved, or not.