Info about St. Croix

[WarmWaterDiver]

We're flying Delta on May 1 New Orleans to Atlanta to St. Croix, no San Juan stop planned but Delta hosed us last year when we departed via Baton Rouge - 4 hours behind schedule, and re-routed us through San Juan with final flight of the day on Cape Air. We didn't stay overnight on San Juan but our checked bags did because Delta didn't get them to the Cape Air flight even though they were checked all the way through for the re-route before we boarded in Baton Rouge. They were at the St. Croix airport Cape Air office the next morning. We used Delta on one other prior flight to St. Croix with no problems so last year was just bad operation at the Baton Rouge airport Delta service as well as bad operation at san Juan on Delta service.

In the past we've also used American Airlines flying to Miami to St. Croix, with no San Juan and no hassles. Straight from MIA to STX.

Delta also offers service to St. Thomas from Atlanta but then you still have to get to St. Thomas from St. Croix- via Cape Air, ferry, or seaplane.

 

[marine9]

I wish you the best with "Delta" going through Atlanta.

I've always had problems there with them. Flights
getting canceled, arriving late or being over-booked.

If you can make through via Delta, you'll enjoy your vacation.

 

[caribbeanIslandDiver]

1. In Christiansted (the town proper) you can get around by foot but that is one tiny part of the island. I highly recommend a car for St. Croix. Taxis are expensive and you will want to explore.


2. We stay with friends so I'm no help on this one I'm afraid. One thing to watch is concerning cell phone service. North shore/Cane Bay area and far east have poor cell phone coverage so wherever you stay if that is important inquire about it.

3. No comparison between St Croix/Christiansted and Cozumel. Enjoy St. Croix for it's own flavor.

4. Agree that if you can avoid PR connections you'll be happier but it isn't the end of the world if you have to go through there. They do get overnighted sometimes.

5. Dive Experience is terrific for northshore diving. We prefer their group of personalities, experience and boat over Cane Bay or Scuba personally but to each his own. For west diving, and you really need to dive west while you are there, dive with N2 the Blue. No one knows the west like they do, it's a small boat and very personalized service.

Hope this helps. We love the island and I hope you enjoy your trip!

 

[Brodydog]

2) stay somewhere off the beaten path - there are many villas, vacation houses and condos for rent, many for cheap

Mitsuguy, we are thinking of trip to St Croix. What are some of the names of the rentals places that are cheaper but still a good place to stay on the North shore?

 

[morecowbells]

My local dive op is planning a trip to St. Croix. It looks interesting but is it prone to cold fronts from the north during the winter? We went to Coz one Jan. and lost many days of diving due to the 'nortes. The seas were rough and the weather chilly. We are looking for a Jan. dive spot, however I wonder if I should seek a place further south. Any input appreciated.

 

[mitsuguy]

I'm going to try and address the last few replies in one message here, so, bear with...

One really cool place to stay is at 2dive4 (2Dive4 - Luxury St. Croix Villa Rental and Diving | St. Croix Villas | St. Croix Vacations - Home) - they have their own cylinders with free fills through our shop (Cane Bay Dive Shop)... Other than that, check out VRBO is Vacation Rentals By Owner Vacation Rentals By Owner - I know a number of people who have dived with us that love the deals they have gotten...

Typically, our worst weather, as with almost the rest of the Caribbean, is in the winter time, November through January or February, typically. This is also our busy season... Personally, I would take my chances and come during hurricane season... Unless we get hit head on, the hurricanes typically don't do much to us... When it is rough seas on the North shore, where, arguably, the best diving is, we can always move around to the west end, which is the leeward side of the island, and typically much calmer. Dives over there aren't as good (I've done ALL of them), but not bad, especially the wrecks and the pier. The reef dives aren't bad, in fact a couple are pretty good, but I'm spoiled by the wall in my back yard...


Just one question about North Shore diving and Dive Experience... DO they actually dive the true North Shore???? We never ever see them, and we dive it every day, nonetheless our dive shop is on the north shore... If you will refer back to my map, are you talking about the long reef area just outside of Christiansted?? If so, that is, although technically north, not the north shore that St. Croix diving is all about... Also, I have no idea who you dealt with at Cane Bay, but I can guarantee everyone that used to be here is not anymore, and we have a whole new staff... I'm sorry if you didn't get along with one or another prior, but I'd like to think the crew we have is pretty strong now... And you really like their boat that is impossible to get in to, climbing over the transom better than a 36' Newton custom dive boat, or SCUBA's 38' boat??? We also have two 6 person (usually no more than 4) inflatables that we have people specifically request to dive out of, because the groups are small, and the boats are fun (oh, and surface intervals are done on shore because we are no more than 5 minutes from 90% of our dive sites)

 

[longtailbda]

My wife and I have been going to St Croix off and on for 22yrs. I'd recommend Sugar Beach Condos, just west of C'stead and inside long reef.

Dive experience is a good operation, Michelle is a great diver and a very nice person. She does occasionally dive the traditional North Shore. I would not hesitate to dive with them. We have nothing bad to say about any of the operations there.

That being said we use Cane Bay when we're down there (Hi Mitsu) and everyone is new at the shop. I've been certified for close to 30 years and diving a little longer. No other shop has been as nice as the folks at Cane Bay. Weather permitting they will dive any site that you want to as long as you have 2 divers and make arrangements with the shop. They generally do 2 dives a day but will do more if you want. Try to get on one the inflatables while you are there .

My wife is a fairly new diver, 2 trips ago she was having stomach problems. We we're doing both sets of wrecks for 2 different dives; they are 300 yards apart on the west side. The DM and captain ran the Newton for a 40 min "tour" so that she wouldn't have problems during the surface interval. Not many other operators would have done that. Including the one I work for in the NE.

Mitsu, tell Diamond, Mel and Greg hi. See you in a couple of months.

 

[chucksaul]

Hey Mitsu,

See you in a couple of weeks... Wondering if anyone else is going to be there Memorial Day weekend...

Maybe we can hook up...

Charlie

 

[Daltrum83]

Pardon if I repeat anything that was said already, I am on a cruise ship and $.06 per minute can add up, but I thought I would throw in my $.02

I dove with Cane Bay Dive shop and N2 The Blue dive shop. Both were awesome, very accomidating and friendly. N2 The Blue's prices were a lot better, but Cane Bay Dive has a shop located right on Cane bay (they also offer free transportation to their shop). There is a great great shore dive that takes you right to "The Wall" and I highly recommend it. I did it last week and saw 3 large sea turtles, a giant manta ray (GIANT!) and several beautiful fish. We dove right at about 110ft on the edge of the wall and it was amazing!

There is also a sunken merry go round horse that you can ride on, makes for a funny picture!!

Hope that helps!

 

[stcroixscuba]

.......There are some dive sites in front of Christiansted, but I have not been impressed by them at all. Lots of sand, dead coral, and just no color. SCUBA (captain Ed) actually calls the Cane Bay mooring "The Ultimate Wall" but we hardly ever see them out there because the boat ride is so long from their shop in Christiansted...

Dive Experience is obviously one of our competitors and I don't know much about them other than their boat is relatively small. We have two smaller boats (4-6 passengers max), and a 36' Newton, we definitely have the best boat fleet on the island...

Well I haven't been on Scuba Board in a while but after running into some of my friends from SB at the most recent scuba diving tradeshows I thought I'd check out what's been going on. I'm glad I did as I have the opportunity to disagree with some of the information being put forth here (see above). To be up front, I'm the Captain Ed referred to above and I, along with my wife Molly, own and operate St. Croix Ultimate Bluewater Adventures (SCUBA) here on the island. I've lived and dived here for almost 25 years.

Anyone who thinks Long Reef, the reef in front of Christiansted Harbor is dead and has no color obviously hasn't dived it much, if at all. Not a surprise since Cane Bay NEVER dives that area. Only one dive shop dives every one of the moored dive sites on St. Croix, us.

My reference to the "ultimate wall" is to the entire northshore of St. Croix, all of which is a wall, with varying degrees to steepness. To say that we never dive in front of Cane Bay is simply not true. It's not that long of a boat ride, and the second dive, either Salt River or Long Reef, on the trip back, winds up with the boat just a few minutes from the dock. On a daily basis we start out anywhere from Salt River to Cane Bay.

And let's not forget our second "full sized" boat which leaves from Frederiksted and dives the west end wrecks, reefs, and the fantastic Frederiksted Pier. All west end locations are less than 15 minutes from the dock (or beach).