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Dive Review of Dive Experience in
Virgin Islands/St. Croix, USVI

Dive Experience: "Disappointment with St. Croix", Apr, 2018,

by Jacob Rosenstein, CA, US (Contributor Contributor 14 reports with 7 Helpful votes). Report 10684.

No photos available at this time

Ratings and Overall Comments 1 (worst) - 5 (best):

Accommodations N/A Food N/A
Service and Attitude 2 stars Environmental Sensitivity 4 stars
Dive Operation 3 stars Shore Diving N/A
Snorkeling N/A
Value for $$ 3 stars
Beginners 3 stars
Advanced 3 stars
Comments My first choice of a dive operator had closed their shop due to damage from Hurricane Maria in 2017. I purchase 2 dive packages at Dive Experience for the location and based on a previous Undercurrent reviewer. I regret my choice now. I dove the USVI for 3 days and didn't get to any wall diving until my last day. Although there were many sharks, turtles, and tropicals, I would have preferred not to dive the same area for 2 days in a row. My protest on the second day to boat captain and D.M. Sam was met with "the conditions are still rough to go any further...I've been diving this place for years." Alas, the other dive boat ventured further along the north coast of the island. My daughter experienced ear barotrauma after the first dive day, waking up with an ear ache. When we
went to the dive boat the next day, Dive Masters Bob and Sam encouraged her to come on board and see how she felt. Owner Michelle was absent from the shop. To my daughter's credit, she stayed on land. Experienced D.M.'s should know the symptoms and offer unbiased advice. Thus, the 2 stars for "Service and Attitude". Pesky Lionfish were speared by Bob on all dives, keeping the invasive population in check, and also attracting sharks. D.M. Sam was more interested in shooting video than leading group dives.

Reporter and Travel

Dive Experience 251-500 dives
Where else diving Caribbean, Costa Rica, Hawaii, Fiji, Indonesia, Palau, Red Sea, California Channel Islands, Cuba, Sea of Cortez
Closest Airport Christianstead Getting There San Francisco to Miami. We had a long wait for our American flight to St. Croix, getting in an hour and a half late.

Dive Conditions

Weather sunny Seas choppy
Water Temp 79-80°F / 26-27°C Wetsuit Thickness 5
Water Visibility 30-50 Ft/ 9-15 M

Dive Policy

Dive own profile no
Enforced diving restrictions We had to dive with the group. There were many divers on the first day, but group size was smaller on subsequent days.
Liveaboard? no Nitrox Available? yes

What I Saw

Sharks Lots Mantas None
Dolphins None Whale Sharks None
Turtles > 2 Whales None
Corals 3 stars Tropical Fish 4 stars
Small Critters 2 stars Large Fish 3 stars
Large Pelagics 3 stars

Underwater Photography 1 (worst) - 5 (best):

Subject Matter 3 stars Boat Facilities 3 stars
Overall rating for UWP's 3 stars Shore Facilities 4 stars
UW Photo Comments There was a separate rinse tank for U/W cameras where they would have to stay until diving. Small boats make for cramped spaces.
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Note: The information here was reported by the author above, but has NOT been reviewed nor edited by Undercurrent prior to posting on our website. Please report any major problems by writing to us and referencing the report number above.

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