Frederiksted Pier entry / exit

[choiahoy]

I'm having trouble finding info on this. Can anyone who's dove it shed some light on the best entry and exit?

 

[KathyV]

N2theBlue is the dive shop close to the pier and they can advise you.
N2theBlue Scuba Diving St. Croix US Virgin Islands

 

[They call me Tater]

Entry can be done by jumping off the pier. Then return on the opposite side and there is a shore exit. N2 the Blue is nearby and will be happy to help.
They are also very good at finding the critters.

 

[gwklein]

A few years ago I did several dives off the pier. We went about half-way out of the pier (very long pier) and then jumped off. The drop was abut 8-10 feet. We saw other divers lowering their cameras by a line to the water level before jumping in. Lots of critters and a good night dive. Make sure you have a a knife or scissors with you because there was a lot of fishing line in the water.

 

[choiahoy]

Thanks for the replies. My wife hates leaping into dives (cliffs, ledges etc). Is there a ladder to get in? Or I suppose she could just get in at the exit point.

 

[gwklein]

There was at least one place where small boats pulled up to the pier to let passagers off that was lower than the rest of the pier. Don't recollect why we didn't use it.

 

[KathyV]

I'm sure that you can enter at the beach but it might be a long swim out to more distant "cathedral like" pillars and areas of greatest coral encrustation and sea life. There's probably a ladder but I can't remember but @drrich2 was recently in St. Croix so he can probably share some information.

 

[drrich2]

I giant strode. I imagine you could enter where most of us exit, but that's a fairly long trip around to get to the point where you're enjoying the pilings, and you've got to do it again when you exit. On exiting, I thought once I reached the boulders I'd almost be out of the water, so to speak, but no, it took awhile to work my way around to the exit.

While not everyone likes giant stride entries, in this case it does put you close to the action upon entry, and will offer you more dive time.

To see it in pictures:

It's huge, with a legion of underwater pilings beneath.

The bench area I giant strode off of. A drop, but not ridiculous. Put BCD with tank on bench, squat, get yourself in gear, jump in.

You can see where a short flight of steps drops you to get on a boat, from when we stopped there on a cruise previously. I think another poster mentioned this spot, so here it is.

Richard.

 

[KathyV]

Thanks for the great pics @drrich2; it surely is a big pier!

@morecowbells posted a St. Croix trip report and video at the link below and mentioned that there isn't any ladder.

Overall impressions from first visit to St. Croix

@N2theBlue StCroix STX will offer some advice.

 

[They call me Tater]

My wife hates heights and isnt that keen on diving but if you drop in where the boats are in Rich's.photos, it is a much smaller drop. My wife managed it and in fact we are heading back to do it again in March. When are you going?