Page 1593 - Dive the Seas and More-2
P. 1593
information from experts who have. This and sponges - watch out for black
side of Franko’s Map of the U.S. Virgin hydroids and fire coral. Hawksbill turtles
Islands has the locations and descriptions rest here. A huge grouper occupies the
of approximately four dozen dive sites, stern.
many of which are famous, such as Trunk
Bay’s underwater Trail, and Buck Island WITSHOAL II 30' - 90' (9-27m) Int. -
(this is not the same Buck Island that is a Adv. This is a 328' WWII tank-landing
National Monument near St. Croix) and craft, which was converted to a freighter,
are world-class, and many of which are and finally sunk in 1985 at 90' for a reef
much less visited, owing to location or BLACKBEARD'S EYE to 30' (24m) Int.
remoteness. These islands have just about A shallow tunnel goes to sunlit pool
every kind of Caribbean dive there is, and within Saba Island. After a
the snorkeling is so easy, interesting and short exploration in the cave, this dive
delightful that some scuba divers don’t leads south to "The Fence".
even bother to scuba dive on their visit,
but spend their hours free diving. The THE FENCE 30'-80' (9-24m) Int. A big
dive sites and descriptions appearing on reef spur rises from 80' to within 30' of
this Franko Map of the U.S. Virgin surface. Star and brain corals dominate.
Islands, St. Thomas and St. John side are Queen and French angelfishes stare at
as follows: divers. Southern stingrays feed in the
sand.
CREAKING ROCK to 65' (20m) Int. A
huge boulder slightly rocks in surge, MISS OPPORTUNITY 55'-90' (17-27m)
making a weird creaking sound. This is Int. - Adv. This is a former 300'+ hospital
often a drift dive. It is a good place to see barge, sunk in 1985 for a reef. The barge
spotted drums and pipefish. is upside down, listing starboard. Resident
over-size jewfish presides over the
THE ARENA 25'-75' (8-23m) Adv. encrusted wreck .
Usually a drift dive, "The Arena" is a
natural sand-filled bowl within a ring of SPRAT POINT 25'-50' (8-15m) Beg.
volcanic boulders, Popular, east-west spur-and-groove reef
covered with gorgonians and filled with convenient to St. Thomas Harbor. Coral
corals, sponges, sea rods, and sea fans gardens atop spurs include elkhorn,
more common to deeper water. yellow pillar star and finger corals.
Spectacular sponges.
WITSERVICE IV 80'-100' (24-30m) Int.
- Adv. This 123' tug sank portside-down WITCONCRETE II 45'-100' (14-30m)
after hitting Dry Rocks while towing a Int. - Adv. This 300'+ concrete fuel barge
barge in 1979, and wasn't rediscovered was sunk in 1996 for a reef. Tons of
until 2001. Now it is covered with corals parrotfish, wrasses, blue tangs, tomtates,
