USVI Dive Vacation - what do we need to know?

[jonhall]

Try The Pink Condos of St Croix for Pink Condos. May have to message someone. The condos probably would be on the more expensive side of rentals compared to other places. You could also email Jenny Keith at Nep2une Scuba and see if she can give you some suggestions of places to stay.

Jenny also would be a great guide for pier dives during the day and especially at night. The pier dives would also be some of the easiest shore dives you could do on your own as you just have to follow the pilings. Unless they have changed, Nep2une will provide a cart/lock so you can wheel your tanks and gear to the pier, do your pier dive, and then cart everything back.

A rental car is a definite for the island (driving on the left.) No matter which side of the island you stay on, you will want to go to the other sides. Geckos Island Adventures, located behind Nep2une, offers an ATV tour that will get you to some places not easy to drive to, such as through the "rainforest" and to high points with a view on the north shore. The drive between Frederiksted and Christiansted isn't bad and takes about 35 minutes.

 

[SaltyKSue]

Try The Pink Condos of St Croix for Pink Condos. May have to message someone. The condos probably would be on the more expensive side of rentals compared to other places. You could also email Jenny Keith at Nep2une Scuba and see if she can give you some suggestions of places to stay.

Jenny also would be a great guide for pier dives during the day and especially at night. The pier dives would also be some of the easiest shore dives you could do on your own as you just have to follow the pilings. Unless they have changed, Nep2une will provide a cart/lock so you can wheel your tanks and gear to the pier, do your pier dive, and then cart everything back.

A rental car is a definite for the island (driving on the left.) No matter which side of the island you stay on, you will want to go to the other sides. Geckos Island Adventures, located behind Nep2une, offers an ATV tour that will get you to some places not easy to drive to, such as through the "rainforest" and to high points with a view on the north shore. The drive between Frederiksted and Christiansted isn't bad and takes about 35 minutes.

Great idea to call the dive shop and ask them about places to stay.
We have been there and dove the pier a number of time with no guide but might want to sign up for a few boat dives and a guide for Cane bay and Davis Bay.
I know the last time we were there - no car rentals were available because all the guys working at the refinery had them all.

 

[jonhall]

I know the last time we were there - no car rentals were available

I'll do some digging to see if I can find who we have used - they were not your normal car rental agency - actually a car repair place, but had cars to rent. Not sure if they are still in business but I'll look anyway.

few boat dives and a guide for Cane bay and Davis Bay

If you haven't done it yet, Salt River Bay has submarine canyons and walls. Definitely different dives than what the west side or Cane Bay offers - water was just a little rough the days we dove there.

Ha ha!!! As I type this, a guy on Wheel of Fortune just won a trip to St. Croix!

 

[SaltyKSue]

I'll do some digging to see if I can find who we have used - they were not your normal car rental agency - actually a car repair place, but had cars to rent. Not sure if they are still in business but I'll look anyway.



If you haven't done it yet, Salt River Bay has submarine canyons and walls. Definitely different dives than what the west side or Cane Bay offers - water was just a little rough the days we dove there.

Ha ha!!! As I type this, a guy on Wheel of Fortune just won a trip to St. Croix!

Thanks jonhall! That would be awesome!
One of the airbnb's I was looking at, a customer of theirs recommended a place called Jodi's -
I can't remember if we dove Salt River Bay when we were there last time. I'll have to look at my dive book and see. That is good info though! Thanks!

 

[jonhall]

I'll do some digging to see if I can find who we have used - they were not your normal car rental agency - actually a car repair place, but had cars to rent. Not sure if they are still in business but I'll look anyway

Wanted to post this before I forgot. There are 2 car rental places we have used:

Centerline Auto Rental - St Croix USVI Rental Cars - Centerline Car Rentals Phone number I have is 340-778-0450 although their website has a different number.

Midwest Auto Rental - may not be in business anymore. Phone number I have is 877-772-0438. They are the company that was part car rental, part engine repair shop.

 

[SaltyKSue]

Wanted to post this before I forgot. There are 2 car rental places we have used:

Centerline Auto Rental - St Croix USVI Rental Cars - Centerline Car Rentals Phone number I have is 340-778-0450 although their website has a different number.

Midwest Auto Rental - may not be in business anymore. Phone number I have is 877-772-0438. They are the company that was part car rental, part engine repair shop.

Thank you soooo much for this info~ Now I just need my friends husband to let her go with me!

 

[TN Traveler]

Just to add a little bit - right now the water temperature is almost 90 degrees (depends on whose computer you believe) at the Pier and the wind is down and the water is flat and clear. If you can accept the possibility of hurricanes (not likely in October), and the fact that some of the restaurants are "on break", this a great time to be on island.

The dive shop at Carambola is probably going to reopen very soon, so diving at Davis Bay will become easy again. I prefer Davis Bay to Cane Bay because of the shorter swim to the wall and the fact there is a good spur-and-groove reef between the shore and wall. Boat dives at Salt River can be awesome, depending on which Pelegics are around. You can also catch a dive boat out of Christiansted that will take you to the wall on the North Shore.

One of the great things about St Croix diving is the variety - shore dives at the Pier and Davis/Cane Bay - wall dives at Salt River and the Trench on the north side.

A rental car is a must - Centerline and Judi of St Croix (340-773-2123) are my choices.

Staying in Frederiksted makes for easy diving and there are a couple of good restaurants there but the restaurants in Christiansted are world class. This is a "foodie" destination so don't miss that part of the island life. Do not expect much of night life - they really do "roll up the boardwalk" at 10 pm.

 

[SaltyKSue]

Just to add a little bit - right now the water temperature is almost 90 degrees (depends on whose computer you believe) at the Pier and the wind is down and the water is flat and clear. If you can accept the possibility of hurricanes (not likely in October), and the fact that some of the restaurants are "on break", this a great time to be on island.

The dive shop at Carambola is probably going to reopen very soon, so diving at Davis Bay will become easy again. I prefer Davis Bay to Cane Bay because of the shorter swim to the wall and the fact there is a good spur-and-groove reef between the shore and wall. Boat dives at Salt River can be awesome, depending on which Pelegics are around. You can also catch a dive boat out of Christiansted that will take you to the wall on the North Shore.

One of the great things about St Croix diving is the variety - shore dives at the Pier and Davis/Cane Bay - wall dives at Salt River and the Trench on the north side.

A rental car is a must - Centerline and Judi of St Croix (340-773-2123) are my choices.

Staying in Frederiksted makes for easy diving and there are a couple of good restaurants there but the restaurants in Christiansted are world class. This is a "foodie" destination so don't miss that part of the island life. Do not expect much of night life - they really do "roll up the boardwalk" at 10 pm.

Excellent info. here~ There is no way I could go NOW. But I might want to consider going this time net year instead of in June or July?

 

[TN Traveler]

June and July are great times to be here. All the restaurants are open but still not as crowded as Jan - April. Normally a little windy at that time of the year which will not effect diving at the Pier but might make boat dives on the North Wall a bit more challenging.

We enjoy this time of the year because we often are the only divers at the Pier (and nothing more than a batching suit needed. Nothing like having the whole ocean to yourself. Lots of turtles roaming around right now and they are very tame.

 

[jonhall]

July are great times to be here

Yes and July 4th fireworks from the pier!!!!! Do they still do that?