St Croix Trip Specifics, Aug. 2017

[TN Traveler]

If you like to hike there is always Mt Eagle - highest point on St Croix on the NW end - or my favorite, hike down from Pt Udall to the beach and snorkel once you get there - this is a pristine area that probably gets 6 people per week (max). This is prime turtle nesting area, so it is closed at certain times of the year (but you can really get into swimming with turtles if you time it right )

Buck Island is also a great trip - great sightseeing going there, great snorkeling (with a guided snorkel route) and you can hike to the top, if you are so inclined or just enjoy the beach. They do a couple of dive trips out there each week to the back side (I have not done this) that is supposedly excellent (Dr Sylvia Earle did it last spring and raved about it during the dedication as a National Marine Preserve).

Maybe I need to shut up before my quiet little island becomes a major tourist destination.

We have been on island 15 weeks in the past year and have yet to get through 40% of our To-Do activities list. Something about "sand gravity" setting in and just wanting to lay back and enjoy the views and the weather. 5 weeks until we return.

 

[TN Traveler]

This is a lousy picture but it sort of shows the schooling fish under the pier. There were probably 6-8 different schools we saw during the dive - but they were mostly near the surface and the flash did a poor job of illuminating them. Missed the shot of the Tarpon cutting through one of them.

 

[choiahoy]

Great report drrich! How many dives did you do at the pier? How did they compare to your other dives on the island?

 

[drrich2]

Only one at the pier, which is a worthy site for several dives. I'm told night dives there can be especially sweet, and I didn't do any night dives on St. Croix. It's huge, and nothing like anywhere else I've been. I've dove Salt Pier in Bonaire a couple times or so, and Blue Heron Bridge once, but the Frederiksted Pier is just sort of a different experience (what I did of it).

I'm curious as to what a week spent staying based in Frederiksted would be like, now that I've done one in Christiansted.

I thought about Cottages by the Sea near Frederiksted, but especially bringing non-diving family, I thought Christiansted would offer more entertainment, and since our 4-year old loves the beach but can't be left there unattended, the idea of staying somewhere with beach right outside sounded like a recipe for adult misery.

On the other hand, I think they're affiliated with The Inn on Strand Street, which isn't that far from the pier, and you could catch a dive boat from the pier for west coast diving, and use a local dive shop (like N2TheBlue) for tank & weight rental to dive the pier off & on for a few days. Head over to the Cottages by the Sea property for beach time.

Richard.

 

[choiahoy]

Thanks for the info. We're considering St Croix and I'm debating on whether I'd prefer the pier or Cane Bay as our "house reef"...leaning towards staying in Frederiksted.

Which would you pick for your next trip?

 

[TN Traveler]

Where you stay depends on what your goals and expectations are for the trip.

If you stay in Fredriksted you will be close to the Pier and there is a fair amount of boat diving on the West End. However, there is NO night life and only a few restaurants. If you go during "cruise ship" season - there will be a day or two where the area is crowded and the Pier is not available for diving. However, diving the Pier is easy for shore dives. One nice thing is if you do a morning, 2-tank dive with N2theBlue, you can dive the rest of the afternoon for free at the Pier.

Cane Bay offers a few more restaurants in the area. The shore diving requires a long(er) swim out and if the wind is up, it can be challenging on entry and exits. You will have to drive to Salt River (or Fredriksted or Christiansted) for boat dives. If you stay at Davis Bay (Carambola), the swim out is shorter and there are nicer accommodations.

If you want a choice of good restaurants (and St Croix has some excellent restaurants), you will need to drive to Christiansted from either location. But it is only a 25 min drive from either (although the drive is easier from Fredriksted). Although it is a challenge at first to drive on the left, once you get the hang of it, nothing on the island is far away - you can get from one end to the other in 45 minutes.

Our place is on the East End and it never seems to be a problem getting from there to anywhere on the island.

Hope that helps.

 

[drrich2]

Cane Bay Wall is a nice reef, but that swim out is very long, and that little white mooring buoy pretty small considering the distance (not that I imagine it's critical to hit it exactly). I don't foresee many people shore diving Cane Bay Wall every day (unless you're lean, fit and swimming is part of your exercise regimen), so while I recommend hitting it at least once, I don't think it's a great main reason to stay there.

Frederiksted Pier could make for multiple dives, day and night, and that makes more sense to me. Put aside a day to head up and do a shore dive or two at Davis Bay, and one at Cane Bay (it's a short drive between the two). I think for most people that would be a better choice, if shore diving is the main driver.

One question to answer is whether you think you'll likely only hit St. Croix once. If so, you may be out to sample all the island has to offer (not practical, but you can get a representative sampling). If not, then you may feel freer to concentrate on maximizing the benefits of one region this trip, another the next...

Richard.

 

[jonhall]

If you stay in Fredriksted you will be close to the Pier and there is a fair amount of boat diving on the West End. However, there is NO night life and only a few restaurants.

Have been 6 times and stayed in Frederiksted each time.

Night life in Christiansted is walking along the boardwalk, going into the shops, eating at one of the restaurants, socializing/drinking at one of the bars in a restaurant, and/or listening to a local band playing that may be playing along the boardwalk. Unless there is some event happening (like Carnival to name only one), that's about it. IT'S ALL ABOUT THE BOARDWALK. Several of the restaurants do have good food and there is a nice Caribbean vibe.

Night life in Frederiksted has to be found. People don't walk around the pier at night like they walk around the boardwalk in Christiansted (but there will be people walking to night dive the pier!) It doesn't have the atmosphere of the boardwalk because any restaurants that are open are spread out along the west coast of Frederksted and there aren't any shops to spend money in. Finding "trivia night" or a live band at one of the beach bars is the nightlife. As I stated before, the restaurants are spread out but are very good.

To name a few in no particular order: Pier 69 in the courtyard behind N2theBlue has homemade meals and reasonable prices and a bar. Used to be run by a DM from N2theBlue. Recommend it; Turtles Deli during the day and Turtles After Dark at night. Deli has a nice menu of sandwiches which are good size. Recommend it; Sandcastle (think it may have a different name now) had good food but was expensive; Napolean's Pizza really good. Recommend it; Polly's at the Pier (only open during day); Lost Dog Pub has really good pizza (red or white) and is a fun watering hole. Made our own party here with locals and other divers. First went here after reading about it in scuba mag. Recommend it; Rhythms at Rainbow Beach (beach bar) has a pretty good burger and entertainment. Recommend it; Coconuts on the Beach (beach bar) is a divers hangout. They used to have specials (like steak) which was reasonably priced and also sometimes has entertainment. Recommend it. The beach bars are were you're more likely to find the night life.

In St. Croix, I think the "night life" consists of a place where people can hang out to socialize and/or drink in a fun atmosphere, so if they ever open a disco....I'm all about that! lol

I just don't think, on either side of the island, that hundreds of tourists spread out across the island, along with locals, are going to be able to create some magic night life atmosphere. I often look at the Christiansted Harbor webcam that looks out toward the boardwalk and Hotel on the Cay and there aren't a lot of people milling around at all.