US Virgin Islands Scuba Diving

Christopher Columbus was inspired to name them Santa Ursula y las Once Mil Virgenes (Saint Ursula and her 11,000 virgins) in short, the Virgin Islands. The Caribbean Virgin Islands archipelago consists of the US and British territory. To add to the mix, the islands east of Puerto Rico are known as the Spanish Virgin Islands.

Their original inhabitants were Arawak, Carib and Cermic Indians who perished after the colonial era due to famine, exploitation and widespread illness. Shortly after African slaves were brought to work plantations. These are the ancestors of the present day West Indian inhabitants of the Caribbean.

The U.S. Virgin Islands of St. Thomas, St. Croix and St. John are hot reef territory. Visibility can go as deep as 120' and night dives are magical.

St. Croix has wall dives that drop down as far as 1 to 2 thousand feet along the second largest coral-adorned barrier reef in the Caribbean. Marine life in these waters include barracuda, angel fish, elephant ear sponge, horse eye jacks, eagle rays, manta rays and whale sharks.

The Salt River Canyon's East Wall dive site has special historical significance. Columbus had 17 ships in tow on his second trip to the Americas when bloodshed ensued here between Native Americans and Europeans. The site also marks one of the older geological landmarks of the Caribbean. Hogfish, snappers, black bar soldier fish, striped grunts, angel fish, parrot fish, groupers spotted eagle ray and black tip reef sharks are common here. Scotch Banks and Salt River Canyon West Wall are also not to be missed.

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