KidK9
Contributor
I'll be in St. Thomas in 2 weeks and will be doing 2 days of diving with my girlfriend. Are there any "must do" dives in St. Thomas?
Must do dives in St. Thomas?
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Tim Ingersoll
Contributor
KidK9:
The diving in St. Thomas is pretty average for the Caribbean. The only "must do" dive that I am aware of is the wreck of the Rhone which is past St. John and is an all day trip from Charlotte Amalie. I dove with Chris Sawyer Dive whose shop is near Red Hook and can highly recommend them. They do the wreck once per week but I am not sure which day. I believe you will need your passport to do it as it sits in the Brittish Virgin Islands.
mike_s
Contributor
Yep. You are required to clear customs coming and going to dive the Rhone from the USVI and it's an alld ay trip.
I've dove some off Red Hook and liked it. One of the "named sites" that people like is the "Cow and Calf". I liked it because of the deep coral caverns it had.
I've heard good things about Chris Sawyer also. We used "Dive Inn" located at the Saphire beach resort, which we were happy with also.
One dive that we did that wasn't a "must do" is Coki Beach. While it wasn't bad, it just definately wasn't worth diving a 2nd time or going to any effort to dive when there are better places. This place was packed with cruise boat tourists brought in for their "Beach BreaK" excusrion. We did this as a shore dive and it just wasn't all that exciting.
hope that helps.
mike
I've dove some off Red Hook and liked it. One of the "named sites" that people like is the "Cow and Calf". I liked it because of the deep coral caverns it had.
I've heard good things about Chris Sawyer also. We used "Dive Inn" located at the Saphire beach resort, which we were happy with also.
One dive that we did that wasn't a "must do" is Coki Beach. While it wasn't bad, it just definately wasn't worth diving a 2nd time or going to any effort to dive when there are better places. This place was packed with cruise boat tourists brought in for their "Beach BreaK" excusrion. We did this as a shore dive and it just wasn't all that exciting.
hope that helps.
mike
RICHinNC
Contributor
Yep Chris Sawyer is a class act....and....ask to go to the dive where all the deep gulley and cavern swim throughs are located.
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I was in St. Thomas last September. If you are really into wreck diving, the Rhone may be a disappointment. I love the Miss Opportunity, Kennedy, and the WIT Shoal. I chose to dive with Blue Island Divers. I've heard good things about Chris Sawyers, but when I got onto the island. I heard they were mostly doing hand holding dives. The first day of diving with Blue Island Divers, I was the only paying customer on the boat and they tooke me where they like to go. Not where all the tourists go. I always say, the locals know where the best spots are.
The reefs in St. Thomas aren't the greatest in the world, but the are decent. I love wreck diving, that's why I chose Blue Island Divers. They have found most of the new wrecks around St. Thomas.
The reefs in St. Thomas aren't the greatest in the world, but the are decent. I love wreck diving, that's why I chose Blue Island Divers. They have found most of the new wrecks around St. Thomas.
MaresMan1
Contributor
KidK9
I second Blue Island Divers if you are looking to do something different. Their dive groups are always small (usually no more than 10 divers) and they always go to very interesting dive sites that other shops never visit. Chris' is a good op but can turn into a cattle boat at times (when cruise ships are in). My son used to DI for Chris Sawyers and BID. Contact Aitch at BID and let him give you the heads up (say hi from Dante).
www.blueislanddivers.com
Dive Smart; Dive Safe
Enjoy the ride
:14:
I second Blue Island Divers if you are looking to do something different. Their dive groups are always small (usually no more than 10 divers) and they always go to very interesting dive sites that other shops never visit. Chris' is a good op but can turn into a cattle boat at times (when cruise ships are in). My son used to DI for Chris Sawyers and BID. Contact Aitch at BID and let him give you the heads up (say hi from Dante).
www.blueislanddivers.com
Dive Smart; Dive Safe
Enjoy the ride
:14:
caymaniac
Contributor
MaresMan1:
I'll let you know how it goes, I'm scheduled to dive with Blue Island Divers the first week in April.
OP
KidK9
Contributor
Actually I have 2 days of diving booked with Blue Island Divers. March 21 and 23. I was just wondering if I should request any certain sites. So.....I'll let YOU know Caymaniac!
Also, out of curiosity - does anyone know how much it would be (ballpark) to privately book out the boat for a night dive with my girlfriend. It should be a special night.
Also, out of curiosity - does anyone know how much it would be (ballpark) to privately book out the boat for a night dive with my girlfriend. It should be a special night.
wjbrandt
Registered
I work for Chris Sawyer Diving and would love to have you check us out. After reading some of the comments, (which were mostly accurate) I would offer some suggestions. If you would like to do a private night dive we can do it and you should contact Ann at sawyerdive@islands.vi.
We dive in small groups and do not cater to the large cruise ship groups. We do have divers from the ships that want to dive in a non cattle car environment. We have two boats one takes twelve max and the other 18 max. Blue Island divers is also a good operation and since they are on the opposite side of the island, they generally dive sites we do not and visa versa. Most of our dives are reef dives and we do the Rhone every Friday. BVI trip you need passport or BC.
We dive in small groups and do not cater to the large cruise ship groups. We do have divers from the ships that want to dive in a non cattle car environment. We have two boats one takes twelve max and the other 18 max. Blue Island divers is also a good operation and since they are on the opposite side of the island, they generally dive sites we do not and visa versa. Most of our dives are reef dives and we do the Rhone every Friday. BVI trip you need passport or BC.
OP
KidK9
Contributor
Just sent email wjbrandt.
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