Heading to St Thomas - USVI

[adutto]

Hi guys!
Any recommendations on operations down there?
Any specific dive spot I should request?

I'd like to do good dives, not the regular turistic/cruise spots...

Thanks for the suggestions!

 

[Newdiv]

I went with Jerry from admiralty. Due to boat issues, he took us to the North side out of Hull Bay to dive inner and outer Brass and to unnamed sites in a fishing boat. Had a blast and dove with him for 3 days.

I will use him again next year when I visit St. Thomas.

 

[Jersey]

Op depends on where you are staying and if you have a car. While the island is a grand total of 35 square miles, it can take an hour to get from point A to point B. (My 5.6 mile commute from Sapphire Beach to Charlotte Amalie took on average 40 minutes. More in bad weather, cruise ship days, accidents, errant cow in the road or pop up parade.) If you are on the East End/Red Hook area I can recommend Red Hook Dive Center. I also heard good things about Blue Water. Site is often dictated by weather and who is on the boat (students/haven't been in 10 years/. My favorite site is French Cap an 80 foot deep pinnacle. Mingo and Congo have a couple different sites, deeper more advanced. Calf and Cow are the iconic St. Thomas sites and I really do like Calf. Canyons and a surging swim through that pops you up like a cork. Packet Rock (named for a mail packet ship that sunk on it) has a china field, then a swim around the rock (I was stalked by a curious shark on a dive here). Fish Bowl or Aquarium has lots of fish. Dog Island has some interesting canyons to swim through. I saw sharks on about 30% of my dives, so keep your eyes open. Lots of sleepy nurse sharks and I'm guessing Caribean reef sharks often just at the edge of the visual field checking out the bubble blowers.

 

[diversteve]

We liked Congo Cay also - it was an alternate for Carval Rock which we couldn't dive on arrival there due to weather conditions. I don't remember the site name.
Coki Beach on the East End is a shore dive with Coki Dive on-site. Pretty average/shallow but a good place to get wet cheap if you need to check buoyancy etc.
The shop we used has closed since then but I've heard good things about Red Hook Dive also.

 

[CptTightPants21]

Admiralty or Blue Island Divers.

I dove with Admiralty 3 years ago when Duane was the owner. Admiralty was recently sold, but looks like the new owner Gerry is still getting great reviews.

Those two outfits were on the southside of the island in town and did most of the nice wrecks. The few other outfits I saw seemed to focus more on new OW divers and/or shallow reef dives.

If you are ok with an upscale restaurant, I highly recommend Oceana.
Oceana, Frenchtown - Restaurant Reviews, Phone Number & Photos - TripAdvisor

 

[adutto]

Thanks everyone for the feedback so far! I have a lot of research to do!

@CptTightPants21 I'll most definitelly use the restaurant as I'm heading there for my marriage aniversary and need to spoil the misses

 

[Newdiv]

I dove with Admiralty 3 years ago when Duane was the owner. Admiralty was recently sold, but looks like the new owner Gerry is still getting great reviews.

The new owner, Jerry was the captain of the boat while Duane owned it.

 

[adutto]

The new owner, Jerry was the captain of the boat while Duane owned it.

you guys are putting Admiralty high on the ranking... I'll be in the north shore but I most definitelly give them a call and see if we can work it out.

Thanks!!

 

[Newdiv]

you guys are putting Admiralty high on the ranking... I'll be in the north shore but I most definitelly give them a call and see if we can work it out.

Thanks!!

I have only been out with him 3x on one vacation (6 tanks) with wife and Jerry snorkeled with my son. I just think he is a really good guy. I will use him again when I return in 2018.

 

[CptTightPants21]

The new owner, Jerry was the captain of the boat while Duane owned it.

Jerry is good people.

Does Duane still DM like he wanted to?