Frederiksted Pier entry / exit

[choiahoy]

Thanks for the info! @drrich2, is that flight of stairs further out or closer to shore from where you normally entered by the benches?

My wife managed it and in fact we are heading back to do it again in March. When are you going?

We’re planning to go in the middle of May for around 9 days. The plan is to stay in Fredricksted and to use the pier as a sort of ‘house reef’ and to do a few days of boat diving to break it up. We’ll probably also hit Davis and Cane Bay. We’re excited for all the diving, but particularly the pier—we're macro people and have loved the pier dives we’ve done in the past (Jetty in Bali, Salt Pier in Bonaire, Mala Pier in Maui).

 

[They call me Tater]

Sounds like a good plan. Enjoy.

I'm counting days...

 

[Bubblesong]

How do you know when he pier will be in use and when it will be safe to dive? I also want to plan a family trip to dive the pier for the seahorses. My husband is not fond of boats, and I don’t like beach “lug-a-thons”, so this seems like the perfect place for us.

 

[They call me Tater]

The pier is only 'undivable' when there is a cruise ship in port. That doesnt happen often and is usually only for a day. I forget the name but if you google the st. Croix cruise port you can find the schedule.

 

[choiahoy]

There are several sites that post the info. I'm glad I checked too! Originally, we were planning for the week of Easter (1st week of April) and there's a ship in most every day.

http://www.viport.com/documents/CruiseSchedules/2017_2018CruiseShipScheduleSTX_Revised12_6_17.pdf

 

[bmorescuba]

If you giant stride from the lowest point, it's really not that far. But, in fact, there is actually a ladder. The kids who play there use it to get in and out. I have circled it in the one image from @drrich2 and there's another angle that shows it clearly. I've never used that ladder, but it does exist. Awesome dive - keep an eye out for frogfish and nudis.

 

[choiahoy]

But, in fact, there is actually a ladder.

Thanks so much for posting those.

 

[morecowbells]

So glad to see a ladder in place! Two years ago it was not there. While the lack of one was not a deal breaker, this will make things much easier

 

[TN Traveler]

I think trying to climb that 10 ft ladder with gear on would not work. Best to exit via the shore on the other side of the Pier. Maria caused a lot of sand loss on the West End and exiting is more difficult than it had been since the is now a pretty deep “step”. It used to be the only difficulty was the soft sand and climbing over the wall/chain to the sidewalk.

The drop from the bench area is a fairly short distance, easy to just kneel down and hand a camera to someone in the water. The swim along the wall can turn up some interesting criters before you actually reach the pilings.

If you really want to find seahorses, take the N2theBlue boat out to the end of the Pier in about 30-35 ft depth, they are found just off the Pier, hidden in the wired coral patches. All colors and sizes.

The Christmas winds are up now, so Diving, haas been limited (5-8 ft seas) and there is a FEMA ship docked at the Pier, so shore Diving is limited/out.

Don’t know when you will be able to dive Davis Bay, hotel is closed and the dive shop is not functional. But Cane Bay is OK.

Hope that helps.