St. Thomas/St. John
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MAGELLAN
Contributor
I didn't go diving there, but I did do some snorkeling there several years ago, and it was pristine. It was the best snorkeling I think I've ever seen. I would think, looking back now that you could easily do some shore dives. I've been meaning to go back ever since, and especially now that I'm a diver. Have fun 
Tim Ingersoll
Contributor
The diving in St. Thomas and St. John is fairly average. Not a lot of depth. No walls. Mild to no current. Occasional big stuff. Lots of little stuff. Not bad but not great.
HornDiver:
I have been to St John 3 times and dove with Low Key on all 3 trips. Nice group of people. Vis can be good or avg, corals are nice, fish are ok. If you get the chance, take the RMS Rhone trip. That's a nice dive.
Tim Ingersoll:
Currents can get bad at times... Carvel Rock can have ripping currents, trust me on this one.
rblackburn:
I'll second that! Carvel Rock can get some serious currents.
I've been diving a lot of places and actually think highly of the diving around St Thomas. There are some really great dives including Carvel Rock and others near the surrounding Cays.
Steve
Tim Ingersoll
Contributor
DiverDunk:
Sorry guys no offense. I just wasn't all that impressed. I like lots of big stuff and walls. Just my two cents. I have not seen it all or dived it all in St. Thomas but it is not someplace that I would go out of my way to dive again. If I happened to be there I would dive.
Tim Ingersoll:
None taken... we go to the Virgin Islands for the sun/isolation, the diving is just for fun
I like all kinds of diving, from lake to cave, to quarry to ocean. The dives off St Thomas/St John are fun, there are some deeper reefs on the south side of St John (90ish feet) that we did... I had fun, that's what it is all about Since it was so far my only diving experience I have no way to compare, but we did 8 dives (4 two-tank trips) in St. John and we throughly enjoyed ourselves. I can't remember the sites off the top of my head except for Cow Rock. Snorkling was also excellent with Waterlemon Cay being the best (spotted eagle rays, turtles, nurse sharks, etc.). We went with Paradise Watersports which operates out of Caneel Bay. They treated us like royalty and coming at the end of hurricane season made us the only divers 3 out of 4 trips. http://www.paradisevi.com/
Diving aside, the northern beaches are stunning. 3/4 of the island is a national park.
In a couple weeks I will be able to compare it with the diving in Grand Bahahama.
--Wayne
Diving aside, the northern beaches are stunning. 3/4 of the island is a national park.
In a couple weeks I will be able to compare it with the diving in Grand Bahahama.
--Wayne
Having lived and worked as in instructor on St. Thomas I'd say the diving is good but not great if you compare it to "dive destinations." However St. Thomas and St. John (also St. Croix for that matter) offer up lot's of topside fun and activities, could be impt, if you are traveling with non-divers.
Carvel can have current or surge but there are other sites around the corner if this isn't diveable. That's one great thing about st. thomas/st. john in that your staff can ususally find a site in the lee of the current/wind/waves thanks to the geography.
Ledges of Little St. James is a great dive. 20-45 ft in a marine park (so don't touch or take) lot's of macro and large things to see.
Other sites include the Cayes between St. John and St. Thomas: Thatch, Grass, Mongo, Lovongo and Congo. Congo has a nice deep site (about 90 ft max) can see the occassional ray or shark cruise by.
Per and earlier post do the Wreck of the Rhone. It's a day trip but well worth it. It's a real wreck with lots of history.
enjoy,
chris
Carvel can have current or surge but there are other sites around the corner if this isn't diveable. That's one great thing about st. thomas/st. john in that your staff can ususally find a site in the lee of the current/wind/waves thanks to the geography.
Ledges of Little St. James is a great dive. 20-45 ft in a marine park (so don't touch or take) lot's of macro and large things to see.
Other sites include the Cayes between St. John and St. Thomas: Thatch, Grass, Mongo, Lovongo and Congo. Congo has a nice deep site (about 90 ft max) can see the occassional ray or shark cruise by.
Per and earlier post do the Wreck of the Rhone. It's a day trip but well worth it. It's a real wreck with lots of history.
enjoy,
chris
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