One of the must-do dives on St. Croix is the Frederiksted Pier. Known for world class macro-diving, the Frederiksted Pier is an easy dive for all levels of divers, even those taking a Discover Scuba course. Imagine rows of concrete pilings covered in decades worth of colorful sponges and coral and teeming with fish, shrimp, and so much more. Simply put, the diving is incredible, day or night. Divers often do a giant-stride off the pier into just 20 feet of water, but the very end of the pier is as deep as 90 feet.

GENERAL LOCATION

The Pier is located in the heart of Frederiksted, across the the Customs House. There is parking on Strand Street and along most of the streets in town.

ACCESS TO DIVE SITE

This dive site can be accessed from anywhere along the pier, or the surrounding shore. However, please note that you cannot dive the pier when a cruise ship is in port.

DEPTH AND TYPICAL CONDITIONS

Starting from shore (sea level) up to 90 feet deep at the far end of the Pier, averaging 25 feet for most of the length of the pier.

Conditions are typically calm with great visibility up to about 80 feet! But, it can be a little cloudy (particularly near the shore) especially when there is storm runoff.

WHAT YOU’LL SEE

What won’t you see?! If you are a photographer, bring your camera. The pilings themselves are covered in a variety of soft corals and sponges in all the colors of the rainbow. During the day you’ll find lots of colorful reef fish, octopi, seahorses, squid, hermit crabs, pufferfish, and other amazing creatures. You’ll also see schools of sergeant majors, tangs, and soldierfish swimming between the pilings. The pier is also home to frogfish, juvenile trunkfish, trumpetfish, porcupinefish, brittle stars, arrowcrabs, fireworms and huge bait balls. Keep an eye out for larger critters like barracuda, sea turtles, and stingrays as well.

At night, different fish come out to feed and the pier becomes a whole new world. Watch as the octopi hunt along the seafloor, huge silver tarpon feed on smaller fish, and lobsters can be seen walking along the sand. You may also see eels free swimming as they hunt reef fish, and even catch a glimpse of a sea turtle.

THE DOLPHINS

The Dolphins are the two free-standing concrete moorings just south of the pier. These pilings too are covered in decades of living coral and sponges, and are frequented by sea turtles, stingrays, lobster and lots of reef fish. Between the two dolphins is a some scattered debris that can be home to scorpionfish, octopi, and more. Plus, be sure to look out in the surrounding sand for garden eels.

THREE AMIGOS

The Three Amigos are the three large pilings grouped together at the far end of the Frederiksted Pier. This is the deeper part of the dive, starting at 90 feet but getting down to 30 as you swim towards town. At this end of the pier you may be lucky to spot a pelagic fish, as well as a school of Atlantic spadefish.

RESTRICTIONS

You cannot dive the pier where there is a cruise ship or military vessel docked at the Pier.

NEARBY AMENITIES

The Pier is in Frederiksted, so you can find anything you need nearby – restaurants, shopping, and several great dive shops.