December Cruise to the Southern Caribbean...Need Dive Suggestions

Good Afternoon,

My wife and I will be traveling to the southern Caribbean early December and are trying to figure out which ports to dive. We are both PADI open water certified. Each port is a full day (8am-5pm), so we shouldn't have problems diving any of them. Here's the list of ports:

St. Croix
St. Kitts
Dominica
Grenada
St. Thomas

My wife and I are both Florida natives and I would like to make these dives special. I was reading an article about sperm whales in Dominca, so I've inquired with a local shop there. I know Grenada has an underwater sculpture park, but we're more into marine life. Any suggestions are greatly appreciated!

The Sculpture park in Grenada is an interesting visit, quite unique as an attraction but not amazing if you're looking to see reef fish. The area it is in is heavily affected by run off from the Beausejour River. If you're in Grenada and want to see a good reef site, which is shallow enough to see stuff on, then I would recommend Purple Rain. However, the best site they have is a shallow wreck called the Veronica L. Its a small cargo ship that has been down there since Moses led the Isrealites, and its covered in marine life. I simply love this site!

Dominica is the only one on that list that we have dove/dived? and it was great, would like to go back and spend a week or two there someday. We dove with "Native Islanders"? it's in the south at Soufriere, Scotts Head etc.

St. Croix is on my list to dive someday, I believe Cane Bay is supposed to be good or the pier when the cruise ships aren't in, oh sorry.

At St. Kitts we spent the day snorkling at two different places.


St. Thomas we made it over to Trunk Bay and snorkled, could have sat on the beach and enjoyed the scenery all day.

Trying to figure out which ports to dive? Consider:

1.) If you strongly intend to come back & spend a week+ dive trip at a location someday, skip it now.

2.) If you don't think you'll ever dive this island, or come here, outside of a cruise, maybe hit it now.

3.) If you figure this island isn't hit on as many cruises as some (e.g.: St. Kitts is on a lot fewer itineraries than St. Thomas), consider hitting it preferentially while you have the chance.

4.) See what non-diving activities are on offer that you might want to do. If you're torn between diving between 2 islands, perhaps the other options appear more strongly at one?

Here's an old quick St. Croix Report by me.

You can probably do some good diving all all those islands.

So, help us help you. How many islands do you want to dive at, vs. doing other things?