Navy Barges - St. Thomas & St. John
The Navy Barges off St. Thomas are a mellow, rewarding dive. We’re talking about a collection of four sunken landing craft, the kind used in WWII, scattered across a sandy bottom at a comfortable 15 meters. It’s ideal for newer divers looking to get comfortable with wrecks, but frankly, we always enjoy a relaxed drift over these too. What we love here is the sheer amount of resident life that’s made these barges home. You’ll weave in and out of the open cargo bays, spotting schools of sergeant majors darting through the rusted frames. Look closely, and you’ll often find nurse sharks napping under the overhangs or a green moray peeking from a pipe. Our favourite part? The way the sunlight filters through the open decks, creating these shimmering shafts as you explore. It’s a calm, easy dive, usually with minimal current, letting you take your time examining the corals and sponges that have totally encrusted the metal. We’d suggest going early if you can, before any crowds, as the light is just beautiful then.
- Location
- St. Thomas & St. John, US Virgin Islands, Caribbean
- Coordinates
- 18.310000, -64.918000
- Type
- wreck
- Maximum Depth
- 15m
- Difficulty
- Beginner
Marine Protected Area: Buck Island
Best Time to Dive in St. Thomas & St. John
The warmest water temperatures in St. Thomas & St. John occur in January, averaging 27.1°C. The coolest conditions are in December at 27.1°C.
Monthly Water Temperatures
- January: 27.1°C (air: 25.0°C)
- February: 27.1°C (air: 24.6°C)
- March: 27.1°C (air: 24.7°C)
- April: 27.1°C (air: 25.2°C)
- May: 27.1°C (air: 26.3°C)
- June: 27.1°C (air: 27.0°C)
- July: 27.1°C (air: 27.3°C)
- August: 27.1°C (air: 27.5°C)
- September: 27.1°C (air: 27.7°C)
- October: 27.1°C (air: 27.5°C)
- November: 27.1°C (air: 26.6°C)
- December: 27.1°C (air: 25.8°C)
Nearby Dive Sites in St. Thomas & St. John
- Buck Island Point (Submarine Alley) - 18m
- Cabrita - 13m (reef)
- Cabrita Pinnacle - 15m (pinnacle)
- CARIDAD - 6m (wreck)
- Cartanser Sr. Wreck - 10-18m (wreck)
- CHARMAINE (?CHARMAINE II) - 35m (wreck)
- Christmas Cove - 10m (reef)
- Coki Point Beach - 14m
- Cow and Calf Rocks - 10-25m (pinnacle)
- Cow Rock - 14m
- DAISY - 23m (wreck)
- DIFFERENT DRUMMER - 2m (wreck)
- Dog Island - 14m
- Flag Pole Little St James - 11m
- French Cap Pinnacle - 22m (pinnacle)
Nearest Dive Centres to Navy Barges
Marine Life in St. Thomas & St. John
Home to 488 recorded species including 390 reef fish, 39 hard corals, 14 sharks & rays, 11 other, 7 whales & dolphins, 6 seagrass & algae.
Notable Species
- Mustard hill coral (Porites astreoides) - Hard Corals
- Massive Starlet Coral (Siderastrea siderea) - Hard Corals
- Gutong (Sparisoma aurofrenatum) - Reef Fish
- Parrotfish (Thalassoma bifasciatum) - Reef Fish
- Great star coral (Montastraea cavernosa) - Hard Corals
- Yellowhead Wrasse (Halichoeres garnoti) - Reef Fish
- Blue Doctor (Acanthurus coeruleus) - Reef Fish
- Finger Coral (Porites porites) - Hard Corals
- Gutong (Scarus iseri) - Reef Fish
- Barber (Acanthurus bahianus) - Reef Fish
- Lettuce Coral (Agaricia agaricites) - Hard Corals
- Bicolor Damselfish (Stegastes partitus) - Reef Fish
- Dark Green Parrotfish (Sparisoma viride) - Reef Fish
- Sammy Johnson (Scarus taeniopterus) - Reef Fish
- French grunt (Haemulon flavolineatum) - Reef Fish
- Sharpnose Pufferfish (Canthigaster rostrata) - Reef Fish
- Butterfly (Chaetodon capistratus) - Reef Fish
- Longspine Squirrelfish (Holocentrus rufus) - Reef Fish
- Cola (Ocyurus chrysurus) - Reef Fish
- Barred Hamlet (Hypoplectrus puella) - Reef Fish
Recommended Packing List for Navy Barges
Based on average water temperature of 27.1°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