Diverraygr
Guest
Just came back from St Croix from a week of diving. Had perfect weather for diving, bright sun, warm water and clam seas. The dive shop we used was St Croix Ultimate Blue Water Adventures, great staff, if you are going there looking them up. The diving was good and seen a wide range of sea life on many of the sites. With the normal reef fish we saw many sting rays, a nurse shark and sea tuttles often. I was always looking for the sea horses when I'm down in the Carribbean and coming back to the boat the dive master found one before I did. She had said they never had seen one on the part of the reef before. Water was starting to warm up to summer temps so some sites vis was down a bit but coming from Michigan anything better then 20ft is good. Vis was running better then 70ft on the deeper dives but some of the sandy areas vis was down to about 50ft.
What I did notice at St Croix is the reef- it's not doing to good. Most of the reef is covered with a grass type of alge. Some of the reef had a broad leaf alge that covered a lot of the reef even below 90ft. Lots of dead coral on many parts of the reef. I seen good live and I was trying to talk myself in that it's coming back- but it may be on a non-stop downward end. I wonder if the big oil refinery on the island has something to do with it. Other islands I have been taken a stand to protect the reef and parts of the land on the island. I didn't hear any protection causes on St Croix.
Other things I notice- cruise ships do not stop at St Croix. They have in the past but with some poticial views they are stopping at St Thomas instead. Lots of shops in Christiansted (were we had stayed) but no one to shop at them. They are working to get the ships back but it may be awhile for that to happen.
I was nice to get some diving in so I did make the best of it- I live in Michigan so I was looking for any warm diving. My dive buddy or I never had been there before so did really know what to expect- over all I rate the week there about a 5 as just as an alright spot to dive. Need more info drop a note and I will get back to you.
Ray
What I did notice at St Croix is the reef- it's not doing to good. Most of the reef is covered with a grass type of alge. Some of the reef had a broad leaf alge that covered a lot of the reef even below 90ft. Lots of dead coral on many parts of the reef. I seen good live and I was trying to talk myself in that it's coming back- but it may be on a non-stop downward end. I wonder if the big oil refinery on the island has something to do with it. Other islands I have been taken a stand to protect the reef and parts of the land on the island. I didn't hear any protection causes on St Croix.
Other things I notice- cruise ships do not stop at St Croix. They have in the past but with some poticial views they are stopping at St Thomas instead. Lots of shops in Christiansted (were we had stayed) but no one to shop at them. They are working to get the ships back but it may be awhile for that to happen.
I was nice to get some diving in so I did make the best of it- I live in Michigan so I was looking for any warm diving. My dive buddy or I never had been there before so did really know what to expect- over all I rate the week there about a 5 as just as an alright spot to dive. Need more info drop a note and I will get back to you.
Ray
