St Croix for diver/nondiver couple

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jejton

Contributor
Messages
171
Reaction score
87
Location
Florida
# of dives
50 - 99
Looking to get away for a few days and having never been to the USVI, am thinking of going there. I am the diver, my SO is not. This would not be a diving vacation but rather a vacation with a dive or two hopefully squeezed in. What are the topside activiites like at St. Croix? Not interested in shopping, dining, etc. Want to relax on a tropical beach, see some nature oriented sites and get some snorkeling in, as well as hopefully a dive or two. How does the diving there compare to south Florida? How do the beaches compare? Are the dives a half day affair, or would I return early enough to not be abandoning my wife for most of the day?
 
Looking to get away for a few days and having never been to the USVI, am thinking of going there. I am the diver, my SO is not. This would not be a diving vacation but rather a vacation with a dive or two hopefully squeezed in. What are the topside activiites like at St. Croix? Not interested in shopping, dining, etc. Want to relax on a tropical beach, see some nature oriented sites and get some snorkeling in, as well as hopefully a dive or two. How does the diving there compare to south Florida? How do the beaches compare? Are the dives a half day affair, or would I return early enough to not be abandoning my wife for most of the day?
I've been to St. Croix twice, but only for one day each time as a cruise ship stop. I dive whenever I can while on a cruise ship and it's a great way to sample dive sites around the world. I loved it so much that it's been on my list, so I'm going there in May 2021. Hurricane season is June-December. I inquired about the diving weather and any special natural diving events from Nep2une and here's what she said: "One of the wonderful things about St. Croix is that the diving here is great year round. The winter months are typically when we receive most of our rain from Nov- Feb, but we do see short showers on a daily basis year round, but they usually do not last long. We do not have any particular spawning events, but we do have a bioluminescent bay in Salt River Bay on the north side but this is best seen by kayak." Here's the link to the official tourism web site. Welcome to St. Croix, US Virgin Islands | GoToStCroix.com If you're interested in the bioluminescent bay, remember to time your trip around the darkest moon cycle.

There several activities of topside stuff to do and you will have to rent a car. It's an island, so rental cars could be in short supply at certain times. You can rent at the airport, or take a taxi from the airport to your hotel then rent a car from Judi of Croix and she brings the car to you. I've chosen to stay at Sand Castle on the Beach (adults only) in Frederiksted because it's close to Nep2une and the pier and it's a beach front property. The other major area is Christiansted and the Cane Bay area is nice. There's also a ferry that you can take to St. Thomas if you want to spend the day on another island. Don't bother diving in St. Thomas. It's not worth it.

IMO, any destination is better than Florida. The Caribbean water is blue, not green, and the visibility in St. Croix is generally excellent. I saw my first seahorses there and not just one, but six of them! They are very common at the pier, but I couldn't dive the pier back then because it's not allowed when the cruise ships are docked. There's no cruise ships now. You've got white sandy beaches too. Dive trips are typically 8 a.m. for 3-4 hours, and 1 p.m. for 3-4 hours. Shore diving and boat diving is available, along with night diving.
 
St Croix is a laid back destination. There is not a lot of night life but there is EXCELLENT food - it is a "foodie" destination (or was until we see what COVID has caused to close). Small unique restaurants serving high quality food.

Snorkeling is good all over the island - combine it with sightseeing. Go to the east end and see Point Udall (the eastern most spot of any US territory) and then walk (hike) down the hill to either the North or South and snorkel at a pristine beach. Usually you will have the beach to yourself during any weekday. Go to Carambola on the North side - you can do a shore dive while your SO snorkels above you. Easy swim out to a great spur and groove reef and a great beach area. You can also hike out to the Tide Pools that are further west from there. And there is always a trip to Buck Island for snorkeling and beach time (powdery white sand).

You can take a ride through the Rain Forest on Mahogany Road (Jeep recommended) or ride horses on the beach.

Shore diving at the Pier or Davis Bay (Carambola) or afternoon one tank dives on the West End (the end of the Pier is one of my favorites) do not chew up a whole day. Paul's pictures of night dives at the Pier (see Nep2unes Facebook page) show how special a night dive can be.

And don't forget there are 2 Forts on the island - a small one near the Pier and a big one in Christiansted (where Alexander Hamilton spent time as a youngster (in the brig). There are restaurants and local shops in Christiansted that deserve a look (since the ships don't dock in Christiansted, you won't find all the typical cruise port shops - mostly local, handmade crafts).

Actually, I almost hate telling folks how great the island is because a big tourist influx could negatively affect the real culture of the island (and make it harder for me to get dinner reservations :wink: ).
 
St. Croix Research Report Aug. 2017 - St. Croix Research Report Aug. 2017

My report has photos and may help give you some idea what it's like to enjoy the island. I really liked it. I didn't find it as 'fishy' as Key Largo. Viz. was pretty good, but not up there with the Caymans or Cozumel, in my opinion. @KathyV has been to St. Croix recently.

I liked St. Croix. It doesn't do a lot of cruise ship business so it's not packed with 'shore excursion' type activities, but there are some things to do, and it's a decent-sized island with varied vegetation and scenery. Quite pretty from some vantage points, which we enjoyed via a Tan Tan Tours jeep tour. I think St. Croix is the kind of island that would merit a couple of trips, staying in different parts of the island (e.g.: Christiansted and Frederiksted).

Richard.
 
We like Fredricksted pier on west end for macro life. Could spend a week just diving the pier. Cane Bay on north side has large beach, shore diving but a longish swim out. The island was devastated by Hurricane Maria in 2017.
 
With only 4 nights, and 1 diver in the couple, so this trip is primarily about topside activities - beach, hiking, snorkeling, etc and hopefully a dive or two squeezed, are we better off going to St John or St. Croix? Is it enough time to reasonably split the trip between the two? I ask only because do love visiting national parks and being that I'm the only diver, I don't want to sacrifice a better trip for us just so I can get a dive or two in.
 
If we decide to go to St Croix, which location, accomodations would you recommend keeping in mind I am the only one diving? Dining out is not a concern but if I manage to get out for a dive or two, my SO would want to be able to relax on a comfortable beach or go for a walk and feel safe, or be able to stay at the resort/hotel/villa and relax on a nice beach for a lazy morning/evening.
 
Go to Cane Bay Dive shop. There is a lovely shore dive right off their beach or they have a boat you can go out on if you want.
 
With only 4 nights, and 1 diver in the couple, so this trip is primarily about topside activities - beach, hiking, snorkeling, etc and hopefully a dive or two squeezed, are we better off going to St John or St. Croix? Is it enough time to reasonably split the trip between the two? I ask only because do love visiting national parks and being that I'm the only diver, I don't want to sacrifice a better trip for us just so I can get a dive or two in.
For what you are describing I would suggest Carambola. It is right on the beach, has a great beach, a reef for shore diving (Sweet Bottom Dive Shop on site) and has had major renovations/upgrade since the hurricane. It is supposedly now a Marriott Renaissance Resort.
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/teric/

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