Cane Bay Wall - St. Croix
Cane Bay Wall. It’s a name that gets a nod of recognition from pretty much any Caribbean diver, and for good reason. We’ve done this dive countless times, both by boat and shore, and it never disappoints. The immediate drop-off, just a short swim from the beach, is genuinely dramatic. One minute you’re finning over sandy flats and then, boom, a sheer face plummets into the blue. We often hit it early morning for the best light, casting incredible shadows down the wall. Look close in the overhangs for giant gobies, and we’ve spotted a few dusky blennies camouflaged against the sponges. The wall itself is riddled with crevices, perfect for French grunts to hide in during the day. Our favourite part? Drifting along at around 20-25 metres, watching ocean triggerfish zip by, and keeping an eye on the deep blue for Caribbean reef sharks. We've even been lucky enough to see swordfish pass through. Just remember, the wall goes *deep*, so keep an eye on your depth and bottom time. It’s an intermediate dive, mainly because of the potential for currents and the sheer verticality. This is definitely a spot for divers who appreciate dramatic topography and don't mind a bit of depth.
- Location
- St. Croix, US Virgin Islands, Caribbean
- Coordinates
- 17.770000, -64.810000
- Type
- wall
- Maximum Depth
- 10-40m
- Difficulty
- Intermediate
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
- Alien Nation - 23m
- Armageddon - 26m
- Butler Bay Wrecks - 10-30m (wreck)
- Cables - 19m
- CUMULUS - 2m (wreck)
- Emerald Gardens St Croix USVI - 23m (reef)
- Frederiksted Pier - 3-12m (muck)
- King’s Alley - 19m
- King’s Corner - 23m
- North Star - 25m
- Shallow Wrecks at Butler Bay - 21m (wreck)
- Sprat Hole - 16m
- The Aquarium in St Croix - 15m
- Tres Amigos - 21m
- Triton’s Anchor - 15m
Nearest Dive Centres to Cane Bay Wall
- Nep2une Scuba Diving
- St. Croix Ultimate Bluewater Adventures - ["PADI"]
- Sweet Bottom Dive Center - ["PADI"]
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
- Mustard hill coral (Porites astreoides) - Hard Corals
- Gutong (Sparisoma aurofrenatum) - Reef Fish
- Parrotfish (Thalassoma bifasciatum) - Reef Fish
- Barber (Acanthurus bahianus) - Reef Fish
- Yellowhead Wrasse (Halichoeres garnoti) - Reef Fish
- Bicolor Damselfish (Stegastes partitus) - Reef Fish
- Blue Doctor (Acanthurus coeruleus) - Reef Fish
- Massive Starlet Coral (Siderastrea siderea) - Hard Corals
- Dark Green Parrotfish (Sparisoma viride) - Reef Fish
- Slippery Dick (Halichoeres bivittatus) - Reef Fish
- Great star coral (Montastraea cavernosa) - Hard Corals
- Sammy Johnson (Scarus taeniopterus) - Reef Fish
- Lettuce Coral (Agaricia agaricites) - Hard Corals
- Gutong (Scarus iseri) - Reef Fish
- French grunt (Haemulon flavolineatum) - Reef Fish
- Finger Coral (Porites porites) - Hard Corals
- Butterfly (Chaetodon capistratus) - Reef Fish
- Coney (Cephalopholis fulva) - Reef Fish
- Longspine Squirrelfish (Holocentrus rufus) - Reef Fish
- Sharpnose Pufferfish (Canthigaster rostrata) - Reef Fish
Recommended Packing List for Cane Bay Wall
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