St. Croix 4/29/2014 thru 5/8/2014

Please register or login

Welcome to ScubaBoard, the world's largest scuba diving community. Registration is not required to read the forums, but we encourage you to join. Joining has its benefits and enables you to participate in the discussions.

Benefits of registering include

  • Ability to post and comment on topics and discussions.
  • A Free photo gallery to share your dive photos with the world.
  • You can make this box go away

Joining is quick and easy. Log in or Register now!

captboob

Registered
Messages
29
Reaction score
2
Location
Cape Coral, Florida
# of dives
200 - 499
We've planned and booked a trip to St Croix last week of April thru first week of may. Historically speaking; Does anyone have the water temperatures recorded? I have read many posts here but not for this time of year.
We will also be renting a car to do some beach diving as well as the normal boat dives from the shops. Does anyone have any suggestions or comments on that? We have hundreds of dives logged just not in St Croix.
Any and all input is greatly appreciated!
Thanks!!!
 
I did a cruise ship stop there Jan. 18'th, 2014; here's my trip report. Temp.s on both dives per my Oceanic VT3 wrist computer (which I trust on temp. over my 1'rst gen. Cobalt, which has a rep. on the forum for reading high, from what I understand) were 77 degrees. These dives were at the west end; I don't know how much conditions change off the north shore, for example.

Other folks posted on that thread about some shore diving info. that might interest you.

Richard.
 
The Frederikstadt Pier dive is the shiznitz. I did it maybe 7 tanks worth. Don't bother to go beyond 40fsw.

Shore diving looks best accessible off the North Side's Cane Bay. I always did it by liveaboard, but a stream of shore divers was easily observed at that point.

I dove the conglomeration of metallic placed wreck-like objects (Butler Bay) three times and was underwhelmed. It's deep and the current was, on two occasions, reaching the danger level for most abilities.

I would go back for that Cruise Ship Pier dive right now.
 
On the last day of my trip we were out ridding around and came across Carambola resort. It is down the road from Cane Bay. They have a dive opinion on site and you can rent tanks there. The buoy for the wall is 100' at best off the beach. There are some serious bluffs along the shore in this area and if I ever go back I will definitely give it a try. Maybe someone on here has actually been diving there and can comment on it.
 
captboob.......my favorite place to dive.......probably because my aunt-in-law lives in Frederiksted on a beach and have been visiting her every few years since 2005.

In early April the water is 79-80; by late June it can be as high as 84, so I would say expect about 81-82 degrees. Last dove in December 2012, water was 84.

Water on west side (Frederiksted) is calmer than water on north and east side. Walls: on north side, Cane Bay, which is a shore dive and has beach, snorkeling, and good place to eat; also on north side, Salt River Bay also has submarine canyons.

Best shore and night dive is Frederiksted Pier. Seahorses, frogfish, and many other critters come out at night.

The dive shop to go with in Frederiksted is N2theBlue. They are about a football field walk from the pier. Pick up a tank from them (they let us use their cart) and do pier as shore dive. Of course they will guide you also. We always jump off the pier on one side to enter and come up at a little wooden dock on the other side.

N2theBlue's boat dives leave from the pier also. Short rides to dive sites and great people. They also do other night dives. There is a small parking lot by the shop.

Car rental has been pretty easy and different. We pick up car at airport and then drive to an auto repair garage (I think we rent from Midwest Auto) to pay. Have only had one problem with a car which was remedied. Remember to drive on the left.

A couple of FYI's if interested: the only USVI casino is at Divi Carina on southeast end of island....okay if your into that; 1844 Tavern (in Christiansted) has the best (I never say that about anything) hamburgers from Greg Norman raised beef; and there is a snorkel trip that leaves Christiansted and goes to Buck Island Reef which is a protected national monument...nice to do one time.

If you have any questions about anything, I'll be happy to try and answer them.

Jon
 
I thank everyone for their replies. I will print out all of this informative information.

again:
ty-diversteve
ty-drrich2
ty-Doc...that mask defogger sounds great!
ty-bamafan (im not an obama fan tho)
and TY- JONHALL1 for the travel guide :) we will use it.
If there is anything else that pops into mind, I'm listening.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Doc
I'll be there in 2 weeks and can report back then. I've been there a few times, and the pier is definitely my favorite for the same reasons others have cited.

One thing to consider is the cruise ship schedule. When we were there last, the pier was locked down like Fort Knox when the ships were in port.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
You can find the cruise ship schedule online somewhere....wish I could be more helpful and tell you where I found it.

The cruise ships anymore are few and far in between. They shouldn't be a problem. If you go with N2the Blue dive op, and you do a night dive of pier, Jenny Keith is one of the people to have as your DM. She is extremely knowledgeable and you will learn a lot from her.

Jon
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/perdix-ai/

Back
Top Bottom