Wye Reef - St. Thomas & St. John
Wye Reef sits comfortably at 18 meters, a relaxed depth that makes it an easy choice for newer divers or those looking for a laid-back afternoon dip. We often find it a good spot to just drift and watch the reef's daily rhythm. You’ll typically see schools of sergeant majors weaving through the gorgonians, and it’s a reliable place to spot a turtle munching on seagrass. It’s not a site that will blow your hair back with huge pelagics, but it delivers a consistently pleasant dive.
- Location
- St. Thomas & St. John, US Virgin Islands, Caribbean
- Coordinates
- 18.274400, -64.897100
- Type
- reef
- Maximum Depth
- 18m
- 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 Wye Reef
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 Wye Reef
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