Scuba-Diving-USVI.com: an independent guide to diving St. Croix, St. Thomas and St. John, with walls, wrecks and reefs.

Island guide · St. Croix

St. Croix scuba diving

St. Croix scuba diving is all about the edge: a long wall on the north shore that falls away into very deep water close enough to reach from the beach, plus a pier, a wreck trail and a national monument reef on the rest of the island.

  • Known for wall and shore diving
  • Towns Christiansted, Frederiksted
  • Airport STX

Why St. Croix is different

St. Croix is the largest of the US Virgin Islands and the one that stands apart. While St. Thomas and St. John share a shallow bank to the north, St. Croix sits on its own about 40 miles to the south, surrounded by deep water. On the north shore the shelf is narrow, so the reef runs only a short distance from the beach before it drops over a steep wall. That is what makes St. Croix one of the few places in the Caribbean where you can do a proper wall dive as a shore dive.

The island also has a slower pace than St. Thomas. Diving is spread around three areas: the north shore between Christiansted and Cane Bay, the west end around Frederiksted, and the reefs around Buck Island off the northeast coast. Many visitors rent a car and dive from shore on some days and from a boat on others. Remember that traffic drives on the left.

St. Croix dive sites

Cane Bay Wall

  • Shore or boat
  • Wall
  • Reef top for all levels

The best-known dive on the island. You enter from Cane Bay beach and swim out over sand, sea grass and patch reef until the reef top gives way to the wall, which plunges far beyond recreational depth. The top of the wall is a good depth for most divers, and you choose how far down the face you go. Look out over the blue for turtles and eagle rays, and look along the edge for the old ship anchors divers like to find here. Plan your air carefully: the swim out and back is part of the dive.

Salt River Canyon

  • Boat
  • Canyon walls
  • Intermediate and up

West of Christiansted, an underwater canyon cuts into the shelf at the mouth of Salt River Bay, giving two walls usually dived as the East Wall and the West Wall. The bay itself is protected as Salt River Bay National Historical Park and Ecological Preserve, the place where Columbus's second voyage is recorded as landing in 1493. Expect big sponges, overhangs and the chance of larger animals coming up from the deep.

Frederiksted Pier

  • Shore
  • Shallow
  • Macro and night

The long pier at Frederiksted on the west end is one of the most famous pier dives in the Caribbean. Its pilings are covered with sponges and coral, and the shade underneath shelters seahorses, frogfish, octopus, batfish and a long list of small creatures. It is shallow and easy, which makes it a favourite for photographers and for night dives. Cruise ships use the pier, so diving under it can be limited when a ship is in: check before you go.

Butler Bay wrecks

  • Boat
  • Wrecks
  • Range of depths

North of Frederiksted, Butler Bay holds a group of wrecks close enough together to visit several on one trip, including the Rosaomaira, the Suffolk Maid and the Northwind. They sit at different depths, so there is something for both newer and more experienced divers. Our USVI wreck diving guide covers them alongside the wrecks of St. Thomas.

Buck Island Reef National Monument

  • Boat
  • Reef
  • Snorkeling and diving

Off the northeast coast, Buck Island and its barrier reef have been protected as a national monument since 1961, with the protected area enlarged in 2001. The reef is known for its elkhorn coral and for an underwater snorkel trail. Most visitors come on a half-day or full-day boat trip from Christiansted. Rules on anchoring, fishing and where you may dive are set by the National Park Service, so go with a licensed operator.

Shore diving on St. Croix

Shore diving is the island's great strength. With a rental car, a few tanks and a buddy, you can dive the north shore wall or the Frederiksted Pier on your own schedule. Some practical points:

  • Wear booties: entries can be rocky, and you may walk a stretch over sand and rubble.
  • Agree a turn point before you start. On the wall, the swim out uses air, so turn on pressure, not just time.
  • Carry a surface marker buoy, and fly a dive flag where boats pass.
  • Never leave valuables in a parked car at a beach entry.

If you are new to shore diving or to walls, a guided first dive is worth it. A local guide will show you where the entry is easiest that day and how far out the drop-off begins.

When to dive St. Croix

St. Croix diving runs all year. Winter trade winds can make the north shore choppier, and the west end around Frederiksted is often calmer on those days, so the island has a natural back-up plan. Late summer brings the warmest water and the flattest seas, but it is also the peak of hurricane season. See our USVI dive trip planning guide for the full calendar and how to get between the islands.

Combining islands? St. Croix is a short flight from St. Thomas, so it is easy to add a few days of St. Croix wall and pier diving to a trip based on St. Thomas or St. John.

St. Croix diving questions

Can beginners dive the Cane Bay Wall?

Yes. The reef top above the drop-off is shallow enough for newly certified divers, and you can look over the edge without going deep. Stay within the depth your training covers and keep an eye on your gauge, because on a wall it is easy to drift deeper than planned.

Is the Frederiksted Pier good for snorkeling too?

The shallow end is popular with snorkelers, but the best of the pier is underneath, among the pilings, which is easiest on scuba. Always check whether a cruise ship is due before you get in.

How do I get to St. Croix from St. Thomas?

The quickest way is a short flight or seaplane between the two islands. Ferry service between St. Thomas and St. Croix has run at some times and not at others, so check what is operating when you travel.