This trio of islands has one thing in common: great diving. From wrecks to soft-coral covered piers and walls that plunge into the abyss, there are scores of sites to fill any number of dive vacations. Otherwise, each island has its own distinctive qualities: St. Thomas has its shopping and beaches, St. Croix has its laid-back attitude and rugged beauty, and quaint St. John has its artistic eco-environment. A ferry connects the islands of St. Thomas and St. John while St. Croix is a short 25-minute flight away. Topside adventures include sailing, snorkeling, scenic tours by foot, horseback, mountain bike or car, sugar plantation tours and mangrove kayaking.
Diving in USVI
With some of the Caribbean’s most unheralded scuba diving, the three islands that make up the United States Virgin Islands — St. Thomas, St. John, St. Croix — each has their own unique spin on underwater adventure. Visibility ranges from 60 – 150 feet, and water temperatures range from 78°F in winter to 84°F in summer.
St. Thomas, which is the main hub in the USVI, has been quietly creating one the most extensive collections of wreck dive sites in the Caribbean. The long list of artificial reefs starts with the popular WIT Shoal II, which is recognized as one of the best in the region. This 327-foot wreck found its way to the seafloor unceremoniously while being towed to a deeper site. An abundance of marine life has taken up residence including bar and horse-eye jacks. Other top wrecks include the Cartanser Senior, the 300-foot Miss Opportunity, the WIT Concrete, WIT Service, Mist, WIT Power, Western Cities and the Navy Barges, among others.
St. John, which is only about a 20-minute ferry ride from St. Thomas, is a quiet, unspoiled, island escape, with some of the Caribbean’s top rated beaches, including Trunk and Cinnamon Bay. Here, coral gardens dominate the dive experience, and there are more than 25 moored sites within a 20-minute boat ride. Parrotfish, angelfish, hoards of blue tang and myriad macro critters inhabit such vibrant dive sites as Carval Rock, Arches, Congo Cay and Tunnels of Thatch among others. The wreck of the Major General Rogers, or even the famous RMS Rhone, which is in nearby BVI, are easily accessed via St. John.
About a 30-minute flight south of St. Thomas brings you to St. Croix, which has a great deal of underwater diversity, including some of the Caribbean’s top wall dives at Salt River Canyon West or East. Either way, you’ll find vertical drops festooned with thick growths of corals and sponges that harbor eels, lobster, grouper and host lots of passing pelagics such as spotted eagle rays. The visibility here typically exceeds 100-feet. Continuing the wreck theme, the 177-foot Rosa Maria heads the list as must dive, especially for a critter-filled night dive. As the most diverse of the USVI, St. Croix also features the best macro dive around in the Fredericksted Pier. At night, expect frogfish, seahorses, invertebrates and octopus. Check the current weather here.
Dive Primer
- Water Temp: 78-82°
- Visibility: 60-80′
- Wetsuit: 3mm
Best Time to Travel
- Year-round
Favorite Dive Sites
- The WIT Shoal
- Salt River Canyon
- Carvel Rock