St. John in the U.S. Virgin Islands: Diving Paradise

The U.S. Virgin Islands became U.S property back in 1917 for a total cost of 25 million, in a deal with Denmark in efforts of advancing strategic interests during the first world war. The U.S. Virgin Islands are made up of St. Thomas, St. John's, St. Croix and Water Island. St. John's is a wonderful diving local due to its pristine clear water where the average visible depth is anywhere from 60-100feet. The gentle water current associated with these dive spots enables one to enjoy and take in the many diverse lifeforms without having to struggle against the current.

The best diving on St. John's can be found on the west coast, north of Cruz Bay, between St. John's and the island of St Thomas. Pillsbury Sound is one of the best spots to explore. There you can discover Caraval Rock, Congo Cay, Grass Cay, Mounds at Mingo, Arches and Tunnels at Thatch and Lovongo Cay. Other great dive locals can be seen at Stephens Cay, Eagle Shoal, Flanagan's Reef, Maple Leaf, Cocoloba, Witch's Hat and the sunken wreck of the General Rogers. There are over a dozen different diving destinations on the island of St. John's, there for you to explore and enjoy.

While diving at these locations, you will discover a myriad of fish, invertebrates, and corals and the reefs will be teeming with life. Larger fish such as Grouper, Snapper, Grunts, Redband and Stoplight Parrotfish, Snook, Jacks, majestic Queen and French Angelfish, Queen Triggerfish and Big-Eye Squirrelfish can be seen close to the reefs. Smaller fish like the Royal Gramma, Rock Beauty angelfish, Spotfin and Foureye Butterflyfish, Creole and Bluehead Wrasses, Hamlets and schools of Atlantic Blue Tangs and Sergeant Majors with jewel and velvet Damselfish darting in and out of the rocks and coral to catch a better glimpse of you while relying on the safety of their homes by not traveling to far away.

Invertebrates can also be seen. A plethora of Peppermint and Coral Banded shrimp, Sally Light-Foot, Coral and Spiny Spider crabs, Black Diadema Long- Spined Urchins, Feather duster and Fan worms and Sea Stars can be discovered if you are lucky and look closely.

Then for those that are into corals, gorgonians and sponges. you won't be denied or disappointed as towering spires of Vase, Tube and Barrel sponge are all over the place. Beautiful purple sea fans and knobby finger gorgonians are also commonplace, then there are the massive brain corals and various species of Acropora stony corals like the Elkhorn and Staghorn. Scroll, tube, cactus, flower (tubastrea) and star coral can also be seen rising up from the depths like huge trees rising up in a tropical rainforest.

One of the best places to explore, if you just like to float leisurely along the top of the water while snorkeling, is the famous "Trunk Bay". This is the snorkelers paradise if their ever was one, where Trunk Bay is protected and listed as a designated national park. Here, one can follow an underwater trail of sorts that will take you around a reef that extends out from the shore of St John's, close to land. It is a wonderful place to explore or even learn how to snorkel. This is one of the most popular excursions on the cruise ships as well.

As is commonplace with any dive locale, care and common sense must be employed to reduce the chances of affecting the reefs where you are diving. Stepping on the corals or rocks, collecting any type of marine life or carelessness is forbidden. We must be aware and conscientious of our reefs to keep them just as the way they were before we got there. Taking responsibility and pride in protecting our diverse and delicate reefs will ensure that we will be able to visit them again and again in the future.