A Day Underwater

SEA A Day Underwater Local marine life beckons divers of all levels

Diving in waters around St. Thomas and St. John is easy and accessible and offers a broad range of dive sites. More than 500 species of fish, 40 types of coral and hundreds of invertebrates inhabit USVI waters. Vibrant blue tang, silvery horse-eye jacks, queen triggerfish, spiny Caribbean lobster, spotted eagle rays, Creole wrasses, and cleaner gobies are just a sampling of the marine life populating the underwater terrain. At dusk you may even encounter an octopus, sea horses or moray eels. Hawksbill, green, and leatherback turtles are also spotted frequently here.

Most dive operators teach a full range of PADI (Professional Association of Diving Instructors) and NAUI (National Association of Underwater Instructors) courses from beginner scuba to instructor training. Specialty courses, such as, underwater photography, peak buoyancy, wreck, drift and boat diving are also available through many operators.

The islands are surrounded by some of the Caribbean’s healthiest reefs. Plus there’s more than a dozen shipwrecks. Some favorite dive sites include Cow & Calf, Wit Shoal II, Navy Barges, Tunnels of Thatch, Coki Beach, Carvel Rock, Eagle Shoals and Tecktite.

The average water temperature is around 82° F (29° C) in the summer and 80° F (26° C) in the winter. Most divers are comfortable in shorty-style wetsuits year-round. Visibility ranges from 60-100 feet, but it can occasionally be higher or lower depending on weather conditions. A recompression chamber is available on St. Thomas in case of dive emergencies. And because the U.S. Virgin Islands is a territory of the United States, you’ll enjoy the added safety of diving within U.S. waters. This means that all dive boats are inspected by the U.S. Coast Guard and captains are USCG-certified.

Blue Flag USVI Works to Improve Beaches and Coast

Blue Flag Certification is an exclusive eco-label promoting sustainable tourism that is awarded to beaches and marinas worldwide that meet extensive criteria. Three USVI beaches have earned this coveted certification. On St. Thomas they are Emerald Beach at Lindbergh Bay and The Ritz Carlton at Great Bay plus Green Cay Beach at Tamarind Reef on St. Croix.

The program serves to encourage authorities and managers to provide beaches and marinas with a certain level of environmental quality, cleanliness and safety standards for local populations and tourists. It aims to improve the environmental quality of beaches and marinas and the management of coastal areas in a holistic way. Blue Flag USVI was awarded 2nd place in the Best Practice Competition 2020 for the Southern Hemisphere by the Blue Flag International Jury for watershed-related work.

According Valerie Peters, Blue Flag USVI coordinator, “We strive to engage the public to protect and preserve the coastal environments of the Virgin Islands and the communities they live in through education and action.”

For additional information, contact blueflagusvi@gmail.com.