St. Croix

[BFEIII]

Thinking of going to St. Croix. What can you all tell be about the diving there? Probably staying in the Christiansted area. I this too far from the best dive sites? Any restaurant or other recommendations? Especially dive operators.

Thanks all!

 

[cbm32]

From a VERY limited sample size (two tanks on one day), I would have a hard time recommending St Croix as a dive destination. If the primary reason for the trip is to dive, I would go someplace else.

 

[KathyV]

Search this site for more information; here is a recent thread about St. Croix:
http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/lesser-antilles/502122-st-croix-april.html#post7353943

 

[drrich2]

KathyV linked you to a thread where I posted with a link to my 1 day quick trip report. In a nutshell, I liked St. Croix Ultimate Blue Water Adventure, read good things about N2TheBlue (and would read up on & seriously consider them), and if I were out for shore diving heavily at their site & wanted to stay at their cottages, Cane Bay Dive Shop would get a look, too.

Here are some questions that may help others help you.

1.) How many days do you plan to stay, and how many days do you plan to dive?

2.) What's your comfort level for renting a car & driving around? I know they drive on the 'wrong' side of the road in St. Thomas; I'm guessing they do in St. Croix? Is that an issue? From Wikipedia:

Island roads tend to be poorly surfaced and may take sharp turns due to the terrain. Cars drive on the left hand side of the road, but nearly all the automobiles on the island have left side steering columns. This has proven difficult for new residents and visitors from right-hand traffic locales such as the mainland United States and Puerto Rico.

3.) Do you want to do shore dives? Unguided? If so, how much emphasis on shore diving vs. boat?

4.) What makes you interested in St. Croix? Knowing what draws you there might help.

Richard.

 

[KathyV]

They drive on the left side of the road in St. Croix but they have many good roads.

 

[BFEIII]

Thanks Richard,

I Will probably say about 8 or 9 days and dive at least half of them. I usually rent a car whenever I vacation so that's not an issue; neither is driving on opposite side or renting a right side steering wheel car. Usually boat dive but shore diving as an additional option is fine too. I'm thinking of St Croix because I want to do a quick trip to somewhere in the Caribbean that i'v not yet been to and i friend has a condo I can use.

Ben

 

[diversteve]

The Frederickstad Pier is supposed to be a good dive also. Call N2theBlue, S.C.U.B.A. or one of the other shops before you drive over to ensure there's no cruise ship moored/expected.

I'm gonna say this is a stretch though - (One of the Seven Jewels of the Caribbean): N2theBlue Scuba Diving | The Pier

 

[KathyV]

The Frederickstad Pier is supposed to be a good dive also. Call N2theBlue, S.C.U.B.A. or one of the other shops before you drive over to ensure there's no cruise ship moored/expected. I'm gonna say this is a stretch though - (One of the Seven Jewels of the Caribbean): N2theBlue Scuba Diving | The Pier

Fredricksted Pier is a fantastic shore dive; below is a thread about it. But apparently you can only dive it on certain days depending on boat traffic, but the dive shops should know all about that.

http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/le...dricksted-pier-must-st-croix.html#post7374660

 

[They call me Tater]

Not everyone likes the same flavor. The diving and the food were both good and diverse IMHO. It was not the first time I liked an island but it was the first time I left with a list of things I wanted to go back for. Not the best of anything but very good all around. We're going back next year.

 

[drrich2]

Tater:

Interesting. I'd like to know more about what you reference in your post. How long did you stay, where, who'd you dive with & how many dives? Any shore dives?

When you said it's the 1st time you left with a list of things you wanted to go back for, what were these things? Stuff you wanted to repeat, or stuff yo didn't get around to the 1st time?

As you said, not everyone likes the same flavor, but the truth is more involved than that. When planning scuba trips, often we face a bewildering array of flavors we'd like fine, but we can only sample a few, and must prioritize them.

To me, the issue is not 'would St. Croix be good?' This issue is whether St. Croix would be better than other places I've been, or perhaps better than other places I'd like to try?

It keeps popping up on my 'maybe someday' list. Like perhaps for a family trip with non-diving toddler, wife & mother-in-law, if they can amuse themselves while I'm off diving.

Richard.