| What do you do upon realizing it's been more than a | | | | This worked great for us, as there was a |
| year since your last dive trip, and you're itching to get | | | | representative waiting outside baggage claim when |
| wet again? After kicking yourself of course? Well the | | | | we arrived holding a placard with our name on it. Just |
| obvious answer is to drop what you're doing and go | | | | signed some papers and left. Upon departure, I parked |
| diving. So I took my own advice and have just | | | | at the airport, locked the keys inside and left it. As for |
| returned from St. Croix in the U.S. Virgin Islands, where | | | | where to dive - definitely the north shore "Wall". |
| my son and I pretty much dived our brains out for | | | | Several sites are an easy swim from the beach - |
| about a week. We also ate some great food, saw | | | | maybe 200 yards out, then drop down over the wall |
| much of the island, and chilled out on our balcony | | | | which starts at about 50' and drops to 3200'. Keep an |
| overlooking the ocean. So why St. Croix? Well, why | | | | eye to the north where you might see the occasional |
| not? For one, I hadn't been there yet, and prefer diving | | | | black-tip shark, manta, or spotted eagle ray swim by. |
| new locations. But I also have a friend who used to | | | | Also make sure you dive Salt River where the wall |
| work there as a divemaster, and I figured on getting | | | | has giant coral heads, some caves, and huge |
| some insider perspective. After a few email | | | | swim-throughs. The reef is healthy, vibrant, and full of |
| exchanges with him, and scouting the web, I found all I | | | | all kinds of marine life. I saw several stands of black |
| needed to get everything booked. Considering how | | | | coral, and an unusual number of trunkfish there. While |
| "last minute" the planning was, the trip came off | | | | the north wall is awesome, there are a couple places |
| smoothly. There were only a few parameters to | | | | to note on the west end that are also "must do" dives. |
| consider, namely that I wanted to do it cheap and get | | | | One is the wrecks. Actually 2 sites - the deeper one |
| in a lot of diving - at least 2 tanks a day. Oh, and I | | | | has a tug and a vehicle ferry setting about 100' down. |
| wanted to eat some fresh shrimp. The best diving on | | | | Lots of growth, but the structures stand out clearly - |
| St. Croix, is on the famous "Wall" that runs along the | | | | especially the wheelhouse on the tug, and makes for a |
| north shore for about 7 miles or so. With this in mind I | | | | super photo shot. Also on the west end is the |
| found lodging at a small, 9 room hotel at Cane Bay | | | | Frederiksted Pier, which runs a few hundred yards out, |
| which is just west of the mid-point of the north side. | | | | and is one of the fishiest places I've seen. The debris |
| As luck would have it, one of the best restaurants on | | | | on the bottom and the pilings are home to all sorts of |
| island is also located on the same property. The hotel | | | | critters, including banded coral shrimp and spider crabs |
| is built right on the shore, which is rocky at that point, | | | | by the dozen. You're likely to get "inked" after startling |
| and all rooms face the ocean. The views are | | | | an octopus trying to blend into the background as you |
| outstanding with St. Thomas and St. John visible on the | | | | swim by, or watch them turning colors while hiding in |
| horizon, and the ever-present sound of the waves | | | | some of the oddest places. The funniest was this little |
| crashing on the rocks. Within a half mile are a couple | | | | guy holed up in what appeared to be the top of a |
| more excellent places to eat, as well as the dive shop | | | | broken wine bottle. There's lots more to see and do on |
| we used which is right across from the beach at Cane | | | | St. Croix, including some interesting history. It's readily |
| Bay. I highly recommend obtaining a rental car for | | | | apparent from the dozens of old windmills, that sugar |
| getting around the island. It's far less hassle than relying | | | | plantations once covered the island, and supported a |
| on taxi's and because there's lots to see, will save | | | | very different economy from today. |
| money in the long run. The best way is to arrange the | | | | For more details, check out diving St. |
| rental beforehand so it's waiting for you upon arrival. | | | | |