Each of the US Virgin Islands has something different and special to offer. Whether you enjoy diving on splendid reefs, exploring wrecks, or taking night dives along piers where all kinds of mysterious creatures await, you are sure to find picture perfect dives at each. The sea around St. John is inhabited by over 500 species of fish, hundreds of different types of invertebrates, and at least 40 kinds of coral, and there are plenty great places to dive, many of which can be accessed from shore. Here are just five of those incredible St. John dive sites to give you a taste of what you’ll find beneath the island’s brilliant blue Caribbean waters.
Eagle Shoals
Located on the southeast coast of St. John’s, just off coral bay, Eagle Shoals has caves where underwater wedding ceremonies are often performed, and intriguing swimthroughs are filled with life. Only diveable when surface conditions are calm, the site is one of the least visited, as it takes quite a long boat trip to reach. With three long coral fingers that reach out to sea, and ledges where lobsters and nurse sharks hide, the site is simply magnificent. Watch for porkfish and schoolmasters, huge Nassau groupers, various types of grunt, and brilliant parrotfish as you explore. The sun’s rays filter through the well-lit cave’s entrances, and sponges and corals stacked one on top another create a brilliant kaleidoscope of color, making conditions ideal for photography. Although maximum depth is just over 78 feet, most features are at depths between 30 and 40 feet.
Carval Rock
With dramatically soaring rock formations that drop to meet the ocean floor at 80 feet, Carval Rock is washed by strong currents that bring in plentiful nutrients, and is inhabited by huge tarpon, sharks, manta rays, and lots of smaller fish and other creatures as well. The rock formations, which can be seen from well above the surface, are also a nesting area for terns and other sea birds, and while they are loaded with sponges and corals, the heaviest concentration of life starts at about 20 feet beneath the surface. Along the south, sloping side, the coral and gorgonian growth is most abundant, while the north face offers a steep drop straight from the surface to the seabed. Due to the strong currents that frequent the entire area, this site is suitable for experienced divers only.
Congo Cay
Located west of Carval Rock, Congo Cay features soaring rock pinnacles and ridges, covered in soft coral and sponges that create a brilliant backdrop for all the reef fish you’ll find here. Actually a pair of dive sites, and sometimes even divided into four, the cay has walls with small, colorful grottoes that provide endless opportunities for exploration.
Depths are between 25 and 80 feet on the eastern side, which is washed by strong currents, while the southwestern side features depths between 30 and 60 feet and is sheltered from the water’s flow. An excellent site for all divers, with areas suitable for novices to explore and more exciting opportunities for expert divers, it is home to a wealth of marine life including turtles, sharks, tarpon and barracuda, puffer fish and butterfly fish, Moorish idols and tangs, parrotfish, and countless others. Little wrasse set up cleaning stations, offering larger inhabitants a chance to relax and have parasites and buildup removed.
Grass Cay
A fantastic multi-level site for all divers, Grass Cay has a sandy bottom which attracts stingrays and manta rays, as well as nurse sharks and the occasional bull shark. With depths ranging from 15 to 95 feet, it has massive mounds of coral that shelter butterfly fish, tangs and angel fish, lots of colorful wrasse, and plenty of tiny crabs and shrimp. Tarpon and mackerel hunt for their lunch, as do stealthy, grinning barracuda. Watch for leatherback and hawksbill turtles, too!
This site is often used for night diving, when the soft coral extends to feed and the octopus come out of hiding to put on a show. You’ll see more lobsters and crabs at night, and you can see the parrotfish sleeping in the cocoons they make for themselves each night to protect themselves from predators while they sleep. While it is interesting to do shore dives at night, this site is only accessible by boat and offers a completely different experience!
Tektite
Located in Greater Lameshur Bay, Tektite is named for the glassy meteorite remnants that can be found on the seabed here. The Tektite structure was built in 1969, and was a joint effort between the Department of the Interior, the US Navy, and NASA. Four aquanauts lived in this habitat, which was built by General Electric, and which followed original orbiting skylab design plans. They spent two months here, being monitored as they breathed compressed air, and lived in isolation just as astronauts do in space.
The underwater habitat was placed on concrete footings 50 feet below the surface, and consisted of two eighteen foot high towers connected by a passageway. Inside, there were four circular rooms, plus an engine room and laboratory. The aquanauts had access to radio and television, and could enter and leave the habitat via an open hatch in the so-called wetroom on the lowest level.
Nestled among coral encrusted caves, ledges, and tunnels filled with glassy sweepers, squid, and tarpon, as well as countless reef fish this sheltered site is incredibly beautiful. Watch for passing turtles and sharks as you explore, and once back onshore, you can visit the Tektite Underwater Habitat museum or hike the famous Tektite trail. The Tektite habitat itself was dismantled long ago, but the site is marked with a buoy and is fascinating to explore.
While these are only a handful of the wonderfully diverse dive sites at St. John, they all feature visibility that routinely reaches 100 feet or better, though it sometimes drops to about 60 feet. The water temperature is a steady 80-82 degrees Fahrenheit most of the time, and the photo opps are just fantastic. Best of all, there are wonderful dive operators to help you make the most of your St. John’s vacation.