fryback@nlm-vax.ARPA (Dennis Fryback) (08/06/85)
In a recent message information about diving in the Virgin Is. was
solicited. The description of the barrier reef in the Bahamas sounded
wonderful. It reminds me of diving on the wall in Salt River in St.
Croix. The top is a flat reef at about 40 feet, tapering to the edge
at about 50 feet. From there it just goes down and down and .... I
thought I heard one of the dive leaders say it went to 1500 feet. Even
at about 90 - 100 feet there is a lot of black coral to be seen, large
sponges, and visibility of about 100 feet. Looking down into that
blue haze off the side of the wall is absolutely hypnotizing.
Salt River was the best of six spots we dived in St. Croix. I don't
carry more than my snorkeling stuff on vacation, but was *very* pleased
with the first-rate equipment provided by the dive shop ("Carribean
Sea Adventures", in Christianstad). Their dive boat, Deliverance, is
very roomy and well set up for a party of up to 12 divers. The dive
masters are very professional -- a welcome change from Cozumel, where
the water was wonderful, but the equipment dicey and the dive leaders
didn't seem to care if you came up as long as the bill was paid.
St. Croix is US Territory, so diving is regulated and supervised by the
US Coast Guard. It really shows. I recommend it to anyone!
I bought a six-dive package that spread over 4 days. Two 1-dive (50-60 ')
days, then two 2-dive (90-100', then 40-50' later) days. The Salt River
dive was the best. The package, 6 dives, all equip., cost $145 in Dec.,
1983. I imagine it's gone up since.
I want to go back for a night dive (at a pier in 40' of water), and
possibly a trip to a cave in the coral somewhere off the eastern end
of the island. And back to Salt River over and over.