Butler Bay Wrecks - St. Croix

Butler Bay isn't just one wreck, it's a whole collection, practically stacked on top of each other, and that's why we love it. You’ve got a tugboat, a barge, and a couple of old trawlers, all sunk intentionally over the years to create an artificial reef. Our favourite is probably the Rosaomaira, the deepest at around 30 metres. Dropping down, you feel the cooler thermocline hit, then the silhouette of the wreck emerges, covered in rough cactus coral and home to big schools of margates. We've seen nurse sharks napping under the bow of the Suffolk Maid and trumpetfish posing for photos by the wheelhouse. The beauty of Butler Bay is its accessibility for a proper multi-wreck dive. The wrecks range from 10 to 30 metres, so you can spend your whole dive exploring different vessels. We'd suggest going on a calm morning, as the bay can get a bit surge-y in the afternoons, which makes navigating between them a little less enjoyable. It’s a site that suits intermediate divers who are comfortable with depth and want to spend some quality time exploring man-made structures that have become natural habitats. Keep an eye out for the smaller stuff too; banded blennies poke their heads from every crevice, and we've even spotted shortnose batfish walking on the sand nearby.

Location
St. Croix, US Virgin Islands, Caribbean
Coordinates
17.745000, -64.875000
Type
wreck
Maximum Depth
10-30m
Difficulty
Intermediate

Wreck History - Butler Bay Wrecks

Vessel Type
unknown
Cause
scuttled

Butler Bay on the west end of St. Croix is a veritable playground for wreck divers, often called a 'wreck graveyard' for the collection of vessels sunk in close proximity. This site isn't the result of a single maritime disaster, but rather a purpose-built artificial reef composed of five distinct wrecks, creating a unique and varied underwater landscape. The ships were intentionally scuttled over the years, some after being damaged beyond repair by hurricanes like Hugo in 1989.

Divers can explore a diverse fleet on a single trip. The lineup includes the Rosaomaira, a 176-foot freighter; the Coakley Bay, a large tugboat; the Suffolk Maid, a trawler; a retired oil refinery barge; and the Northwind, a former research vessel. They rest at depths ranging from a shallow 10 meters to a more advanced 30 meters, offering something for every experience level.

Today, these wrecks are teeming with life. Their steel hulls, now draped in vibrant corals and sponges, have become a bustling metropolis for schools of horse-eye jacks, barracuda, sea turtles, and the occasional reef shark. Exploring the swim-throughs of the Rosaomaira or circling the imposing wheelhouse of the Coakley Bay provides an unforgettable dive that perfectly blends maritime history with thriving marine biology.

Marine Protected Area: Salt River Bay National Historic Park and Ecological Preserve

Best Time to Dive in St. Croix

The warmest water temperatures in St. Croix occur in January, averaging 27.0°C. The coolest conditions are in December at 27.0°C.

Monthly Water Temperatures

  • January: 27.0°C (air: 24.6°C)
  • February: 27.0°C (air: 24.3°C)
  • March: 27.0°C (air: 24.6°C)
  • April: 27.0°C (air: 25.2°C)
  • May: 27.0°C (air: 26.3°C)
  • June: 27.0°C (air: 27.0°C)
  • July: 27.0°C (air: 27.1°C)
  • August: 27.0°C (air: 27.3°C)
  • September: 27.0°C (air: 27.4°C)
  • October: 27.0°C (air: 27.1°C)
  • November: 27.0°C (air: 26.2°C)
  • December: 27.0°C (air: 25.5°C)

Nearby Dive Sites in St. Croix

Nearest Dive Centres to Butler Bay Wrecks

Marine Life in St. Croix

Home to 465 recorded species including 391 reef fish, 38 hard corals, 9 sharks & rays, 6 seagrass & algae, 6 whales & dolphins, 5 other.

Notable Species

Recommended Packing List for Butler Bay Wrecks

Based on average water temperature of 27.0°C.

  • Shorty or Rashguard - warm 27°C water needs minimal exposure protection
  • Mask - essential for every dive
  • Fins
  • BCD - buoyancy compensator
  • Regulator - your most safety-critical piece of gear
  • Dive Computer - tracks depth, time, and NDL
  • Surface Marker Buoy (SMB) - essential for boat pickups
  • Dive Torch - useful for crevices and colour at depth
  • Underwater Camera - capture your diving memories