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