St. Croix is the U.S. Virgin Islands' serious dive island. A protected barrier wall runs along the whole north shore and plunges toward the Puerto Rico Trench; the west end has a pier that ranks among the Caribbean's best macro dives; and one small bay holds a cluster of divable shipwrecks. All of it is shore-close — most St. Croix dives are minutes from the mooring, not an hour's boat ride.
The dive shops below are the island's working operators, verified as running trips this year. Tell them what you want to see and your certification level; several run small six-diver boats.
The famous one: the drop-off starts about 100 yards off Cane Bay Beach at around 40 feet, then falls away toward a trench measured in thousands. Reef sharks, turtles and rays are regulars. Divable from shore on a calm day, or by boat.
A calm, shallow pillar dive (25–90 ft) considered one of the Caribbean's best macro and night dives — seahorses, frogfish and octopus live among the pilings.
A cluster of wrecks in one small area: the trawler Suffolk Maid, the tug Northwind and the barge Virgin Islander in the shallows, with the deeper Rosaomaira for advanced divers.
PADI 5 Star shop running boat dives from its 36-foot Newton, IBIS, plus guided shore dives at the Wall and the pier. Instruction and rentals.
A PADI center that keeps groups small — six divers per boat, max — with pier shore dives, custom boat trips, and nitrox fills.
The boardwalk dive center (home of Dive Experience, the island's oldest dive operation, founded 1983 by Women Divers Hall of Famer Michelle Pugh), running trips on the Lil' Salty.
A PADI 5 Star Instructor Development Center on the north shore, steps from the Wall — guided scuba and snorkel tours.
The only dive shop inside Salt River Bay National Historical Park — it dives the east and west walls of the Salt River submarine canyon.
The two-town PADI center known island-wide as SCUBA, running boat and shore dives across the walls, wrecks and pier.
The Cerulean puts twelve of you on a private beach, fifteen minutes from town — check your dates.