St. Croix. It's the largest - and perhaps most mysterious - of the three U.S. Virgin Islands. And after a dive vacation there, you'll be asking yourself why this lush, tropical island is cloaked in relative obscurity. It's an American-Caribbean paradise that offers the best of both worlds - easy access, American convenience and modern infrastructure, all wrapped in a typically Caribbean package with warm water, tropical beaches, get-away-from-it-all ambiance and colonial charm. Seven flags have flown over St. Croix during its rich history, but best of all, you don't need a passport to go there.

Cane Bay Dive Shop

Cane Bay Dive Shop is St. Croix's top scuba diving and watersports outfitter. With five locations around island, the PADI 5-Star IDC facility is never more than 10 to 15 minutes away. Their flagship shop is located on the laid-back North Shore, home to their signature house reef. Their other locations include Cane Bay West in Frederiksted, Cane Bay East in Christiansted, Cane Bay at Carambola Beach Resort and Spa, and their newest spot at the Divi Carina Bay Beach Resort.

Cane Bay Dive Shop was founded in 1990 with the goal of pleasing every customer. Owner Hal Rosbach enjoyed diving the Cane Bay Wall so much that he decided to build his first shop there, and this is where Cane Bay's headquarters is located today.

Cane Bay Dive Shop lets their customers set the schedule. There are a variety of choices for every skill level, whether it be a shore dive, drift dive, boat dive or snorkel, on any one of dozens of dive sites. Cane Bay also offers a full rental, sale and service center, and they boast the largest rental and retail stock on St. Croix.

Cane Bay's 36-foot Newton dive boat, called the "Ibis," whisks divers to any dive site off St. Croix that strikes their fancy. No dive sites are out of reach in this extremely fast and comfortable vessel. Cane Bay's fleet also includes a handful of rigid hull, inflatable "yellow jackets," with convenient trap doors that allow divers to exit and enter the clever little boats quickly and easily, right over the dive site.

The most requested sites include Cane Bay, directly off of the main location, Salt River, Frederiksted Pier, Rust Op Twist and the famous advanced site called Vertigo. There are also a handful of wrecks visited during a typical week of diving. St. Croix features quintessential Caribbean reef fish and critters, including angelfish, jacks, barracuda, dolphin, flounder, pufferfish, snapper, reef sharks and more.

Cane Bay Dive Shop works with Carambola Beach Resort, Divi Carina Bay Resort and other hoteliers on the island, but also offers accommodations in their newly renovated cottages conveniently located adjacent to their North Shore headquarters. Contact them for personalized dive and cottage packages.

Carambola Resort

If you're looking for a secluded, pristine beach, warm turquoise waters, lush tropical landscape and spectacular sunsets, Carambola Beach Resort and Spa is the perfect choice. The resort was created to celebrate the unspoiled beauty of the Caribbean by Laurance Rockefeller 23 years ago. The resort's design is inspired by the cultural heritage and history of St. Croix and the US Virgin islands, with red roofs reflecting the island's Danish heritage, in-room screened porches, Spanish colonial mahogany woodwork, creole symetry and central entrance, and French louvered windows.

Carambola offers a full spectrum of activities and services, whether you want to spend quality time with your family on the beach, seek a romantic spa getaway, have your dream wedding, search for world-class golf courses, or bring a group for a meeting or event.

Amenities at Carambola Beach Resort & Spa include more than 1,000 feet of pristine beachfront, freshwater swimming pool, fitness facility, lighted tennis courts, restaurants with live entertainment, poolside bar and grill, 150 guest suites, Spa De La Mer, 19,000 square feet of flexible event space, on-site catering, conference and event services, complimentary wireless access in designated areas, marine antiques and gift shop, on-site dive shop, car rental, laundry, drycleaning and pressing service, and complimentary Cruzan Rum served with fruit punch on arrival.

Divi Carina Bay

Located on the quieter side of St. Croix, the Divi Carina Bay Beach Resort combines privacy and relaxation with modern style and amenities. Spacious beachfront guestrooms and deluxe hillside suites offer private balconies with stunning views. It's all just steps away from an exciting casino, miniature golf course, and an on-site PADI five-star dive operation and activities center. Guests of the Divi Carina have their choice of diversions.

It's no wonder this beautiful property has received so many accolades, including being named one of the best large hotels in the Caribbean by readers of Caribbean Travel & Life magazine, and achieving a three-star rating by AAA.

Choose from 180 beautifully appointed beachfront guestrooms, including one bedroom suites or ocean view villas. Step out onto the sand from your terrace or awaken to the ocean breezes from your balcony. Divi Carina Bay's guestrooms are spacious and designed with modern décor and tropical elegance.

Casual dining for breakfast, lunch, dinner and light snacks is available at the Dockside Café and Deli, a colorful, market-style setting just steps from the beach. On Thursday nights, enjoy Divi's Caribbean Beach BBQ which features local cuisine, vendors, and live music. East End Pizza is a new restaurant now open to satisfy Italian taste buds, serving calzones, sandwiches, salads, and of course, pizza, 7 days a week.

 

A Caribbean getaway is closer and easier than you think. St. Croix is simply spellbinding; a uniquely beautiful island that will enchant you from beginning to end. Let the professionals at Cane Bay, Carambola Resort and Divi Carina Bay show you how to indulge all 5 of your senses in an utterly sumblime setting.

Spotlight Archives

December 2009: Bill Beard's/Rich Coast Diving/Villas Sol
November 2009: Utopia Dive Village