We will be spending a week with some non-divers on the east end of STT. We have a few morning trips booked with Red Hook Dive Center, but we were thinking of adding some shore diving so we can take the terrestrials to the beach while we dive. I've seen some reviews discuss Coki, which looks to be nearby. Are there other suggestions? Thanks.
St Thomas Shore Dives
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I've been to ST twice (Dove with Admiralty), but never to Coki. It's supposed to be a great beach, but in a not so great area, at least as of a few years ago. There were a number of threads on TripAdvisor about it. Don't know if the issues have passed or not.
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Coki is a beginner dive mostly. The cruise lines take their divers there frequently, it's pretty shallow and IMO non-descript. Off the beach it's about 40'. The better part of that dive is past the Coral World outfall pipes (can't miss them) as you head to the right - there's a lot of nicer coral formations in one area - kind of close into shore. It gets a little deeper there as you move into the channel - we hit about 60' in one spot.
They also do snuba and snorkeling there if that's of interest to the others. It's also a locals beach, there's quite a few decrepit looking food places and the ganga gets passed around pretty openly. I wouldn't take kids but we didn't have any problems.
We also got caught in a ripping current at Coki later in the afternoon on our 2nd dive - probably about 4PM. Wasn't there earlier. Just past Coral World - we had to get out and get a ride back to the beach - too far to walk with tanks etc.
Try Molly Molone's - in Red Hook for lunch. Molly Molones Irish Yacht Pub ? "Same Ireland, Different Island" St Thomas Virgin Islands They're literally 20' from the Red Hook dive shop.
You might go over to St. John on the car ferry and dive the park sites there. It's a short ride and the ferry runs till evening afaik. Low Key Watersports lists several: Low Key Watersports - Diving in St. John, US Virgin Islands Some really nice beaches/snorkeling there also. I think Trunk Bay is pretty crowded at times - maybe with cruise traffic?
For boat dives, Carval Rock is one to do. It's blown out often, so then they'll go to Congo Cay nearby. We dove Grass Cay also, kind of a shallow drift over mostly fans/soft corals. Saw a few stingrays and a couple small sharks.
They also do snuba and snorkeling there if that's of interest to the others. It's also a locals beach, there's quite a few decrepit looking food places and the ganga gets passed around pretty openly. I wouldn't take kids but we didn't have any problems.
We also got caught in a ripping current at Coki later in the afternoon on our 2nd dive - probably about 4PM. Wasn't there earlier. Just past Coral World - we had to get out and get a ride back to the beach - too far to walk with tanks etc.
Try Molly Molone's - in Red Hook for lunch. Molly Molones Irish Yacht Pub ? "Same Ireland, Different Island" St Thomas Virgin Islands They're literally 20' from the Red Hook dive shop.
You might go over to St. John on the car ferry and dive the park sites there. It's a short ride and the ferry runs till evening afaik. Low Key Watersports lists several: Low Key Watersports - Diving in St. John, US Virgin Islands Some really nice beaches/snorkeling there also. I think Trunk Bay is pretty crowded at times - maybe with cruise traffic?
For boat dives, Carval Rock is one to do. It's blown out often, so then they'll go to Congo Cay nearby. We dove Grass Cay also, kind of a shallow drift over mostly fans/soft corals. Saw a few stingrays and a couple small sharks.
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Bratface
Contributor
I live in St Thomas and I'm glad to hear you will be diving with Red Hook. They run a good operation and are friends of mine. As for shore dives, there really aren't many choices other than Coki. You will do a shore dive and see a few bar jacks, sergeant majors and damsel fish mostly. In my opinion, not worth doing and Coki can be a place of opportunity for someone to liberate you from any stuff you leave on the beach. Go snorkeling around the point at Sapphire. Nicer beach, nice fish and sometimes turtles to see over by the point.
Low key and Red Hook dive the same sites. Go over to STJ for a different flavor, take the people ferry and rent a jeep over there. Go out to Skinny Legs or Miss Lucy's in Coral Bay. Both serve a good lunch except Miss Lucy is closed on Mondays. If you are lucky, you will get to see the donkeys on the way out there. Also stop to see the Annaberg Sugar Mill ruins. You can take a short walk to Water Lemon Cay for good snorkeling. I have seen an octopus, ray, and many juvenile fish there. Nice limn' on the beach at Cinnamon or Maho. Good place to have your post-beach drink is Woody's before catching the ferry back.
As for diving, stay on the boat and take a guided tour. They can take you on the best sites like Arches and Tunnels (if the weather is right), Cow Rock/Calf Rock, Ledges and more. You have a better chance at seeing angel fish, trumpet fish, lobster, maybe a crab, a school of bar jacks and other cool stuff. We also have a problem with the invasive Pacific Lionfish. We cull ours here or they will destroy our reefs by eating all of our juvenile fish. They are beautiful and you may have the opportunity to see one.
Water temp is around 80 degrees here right now. Sunny days, bring sunscreen and a hat.
Low key and Red Hook dive the same sites. Go over to STJ for a different flavor, take the people ferry and rent a jeep over there. Go out to Skinny Legs or Miss Lucy's in Coral Bay. Both serve a good lunch except Miss Lucy is closed on Mondays. If you are lucky, you will get to see the donkeys on the way out there. Also stop to see the Annaberg Sugar Mill ruins. You can take a short walk to Water Lemon Cay for good snorkeling. I have seen an octopus, ray, and many juvenile fish there. Nice limn' on the beach at Cinnamon or Maho. Good place to have your post-beach drink is Woody's before catching the ferry back.
As for diving, stay on the boat and take a guided tour. They can take you on the best sites like Arches and Tunnels (if the weather is right), Cow Rock/Calf Rock, Ledges and more. You have a better chance at seeing angel fish, trumpet fish, lobster, maybe a crab, a school of bar jacks and other cool stuff. We also have a problem with the invasive Pacific Lionfish. We cull ours here or they will destroy our reefs by eating all of our juvenile fish. They are beautiful and you may have the opportunity to see one.
Water temp is around 80 degrees here right now. Sunny days, bring sunscreen and a hat.
jimw
Contributor
We made shore dives at Coki Beach Dive Club on 2 occasions several years apart--both quite good! Saw 2 lemon sharks the last time. Few divers as the discover scuba classes go down the beach to Coral World. Coki is a small beach and not wide--Sapphire is better by a long ways as someone said. The dive club has places to store stuff--not a problem. A tank and weights are dirt cheap. However the cab ride over there is brutal--I think I spent $40-$60. both ways from a cruise ship. I would try to find a tour that drops you off at the beach--then picks up for the rest of the trip. If we had this shore dive in Florida it would be VERY popular.............To be fair, I haven't done any other dives on St Thomas; and if the dive ops pick up, it might be a great option..............
EbbTideMike
Registered
I'm planning a trip to St. Thomas later this summer. I may spend more time, possibly even stay, on St. John. My wife is pregnant so I'm hoping to hook up with a good dive shop so I can enjoy myself while she's safe somewhere. I think she'd be willing to snorkel off a boat while I dive. I'm really hoping to travel with another couple so that finding a buddy isn't an issue.
poidog
Registered
You will have more opportunities for shore diving on St John. Max depth will be about 50-60ft.
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