If you’ve ever entertained the notion of taking a trip to the Caribbean and wondered which destination affords you the most choices in water sport activities, St. Croix in the U.S. Virgin Islands is the answer. The largest island in the Virgin chain, St. Croix offers an enormous spectrum of top shelf aquatic diversions serving all areas of interest. Whether you want to dive, fish, sail or kayak, St. Croix features some of the best conditions found in the tropics.
A Diver's Paradise
- The broad diversity of St. Croix’s underwater terrain makes it one of the most desired diving destinations in all of the Caribbean. For the adventurous, there’s a wall dive right off the north shore at Cane Bay. A bigger plunge is found at the Ham’s Bluff drop-off at Salt River, whose blue waters descend to over 3,000 feet. Off the coastal town of Frederiksted on the eastern shore, there are a half dozen sunken wrecks to explore, including the Rosa Maria, a massive 177-foot steel-hulled freighter. The Frederiksted pier itself is a marine life marvel. Its sponge-encrusted pilings host an abundance of tropical sea life, among them sea horses, moray eels, squid and octopus. At the southeastern tip of St. Croix is another National Wildlife Refuge, Sandy Point, which features the longest sandy shore in all of the Virgin Islands. A nesting area for sea turtles, the reefs here slope gently from 30 feet to depths of 100 feet, so you can choose your own level of diving comfort.
Get an Eyeful
- Innumerable destinations in the tropics claim their reefs offer the best snorkeling in the Caribbean, but Buck Island is definitely a contender for the title. Lying just a mile and a half off the northeastern coast of St. Croix, the land and reefs have been under environmental snorkeling protection since 1948. The 4,554 acres of aquatic sanctuary surrounding the island are alive with dazzling marine life, including rich gardens of sea fans, tropical fish and three species of sea turtles. A unique underwater trail guides snorkelers through a stunning array of colorful coral gardens, which remain off-limits to fishing. Buck Island can be accessed by departing from Christiansted and the north shore of St. Croix via a variety of watercraft.
Sport Fishing and Private Boat Charters
- The dramatic irregularity of the bottom terrain in the waters encircling St. Croix is not just a thrill for divers, but for fishermen as well. The Virgin Islands are situated at the edge of what is known as the Puerto Rico Trench, which runs 6 miles deep. These significant blue depths contain abundant big game species, including mahi-mahi, yellow and black tuna, wahoo and even marlin. Due to the quality of the ocean environment, the size of most of the fish caught in these waters exceeds average, presenting a challenge to any angler. Find your way onto the water on one of the many sailing vessels available for charter. The consistently calm seas surrounding St. Croix are a sailor’s paradise, with prevailing trade winds and stable weather. Sailboats, catamarans and trimarans can all be charted for as many days as you wish to be aboard.
Choices, Choices
- St. Croix is well-known for other water-related activities. Get into a kayak and paddle your way into the picturesque Salt River National Historic Park and Ecological Preserve. Or, find yourself airborne, flying above the azure water and verdant landscapes while parasailing behind a speedboat. The island has some of the best windsurfing and kiteboarding found anywhere in the Caribbean, and there are plenty of established operations that can provide you with professional instruction and equipment to get you going.
