CUMULUS - St. Croix

Cumulus isn't your typical St. Croix dive, and we love that about it. This isn't a deep dive, not even close, topping out at a maximum of two metres. What it is, though, is a fantastic wreck for snorkelers and even freedivers looking to explore a piece of history right from the surface. The Cumulus, a motor vessel from 1959, went hard aground in 1977, carrying a cargo of construction equipment – think cranes, dump trucks, and a concrete pump. Today, those pieces of machinery are fused into a low-lying, broken-up hull. You'll see the skeletal remains of what was once a substantial ship. We particularly enjoy poking around the twisted metal, imagining the chaos as it settled. Schools of small grunts often shelter within the deeper pockets, and we've spotted some surprisingly colourful parrotfish grazing on the algae-covered structure. It's a shallow, sun-drenched site that’s perfect for a lazy afternoon; you can spend ages just floating above it, watching the light play on the rusting metal below. If you're looking for an easy, accessible wreck with a cool story, this is our pick.

Location: St. Croix, US Virgin Islands, Caribbean
Coordinates: 17.783375, -64.751470
Type: wreck
Maximum Depth: 2m

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)

Nearest Dive Centres to CUMULUS

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 CUMULUS

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