St. Croix in April - Anchor Off Frederiksted or Christiansted ?

[SkyPilot]

I plan on spending 3 days, in St Croix next month, and want to dive the pier and the wall, so I need to decide where to drop the hook as there is not one good place for both.

Frederisted would appear to offer a leeside shelter, but still pretty open. Christiansted looks like it can be a pretty congested harbor and nto sure how much protection it offers ( all is realtive

if you ahve expericne, appreciate your thougths.

[scubasteve]

I lived there for over a year and never seen many, if any boats, anchored off of Frederiksted for a long period of time. That part of the island is well protected from the trade winds but does not offer any other sort of protection.

Here are some options:
Christiansted Harbor: You'll be right in town, good restaurants and bars, shopping, access to public transportation. It can get crowded.

Green Caye/Tamarind Reef Marina: Nice marina and walking distance to the Tamarind Reef resort. Not sure if they have transient slips. This will put you 5mi or so further east of Christiansted.

Salt River: There is a small marina and area to moor but don't have any details. Pretty isolated.

East end: There is a big anchorage on the North side about 2 miles from Pt. Udall. Protected but you're a loooong way from Frederiksted.

[Rubikoop]

Scubasteve's advice is dead on. For just a three day stop I would go for Christiansted Harbor, more options within a dinghy ride. Easy access to ground transportation. There is a rental car place near the seaplane base and another I believe near Fort Chritstiansted. Taxis readily available along the waterfront.

[osirissail]

Last time I was there (last March) you could only anchor just north of the Marina in a little cove. The main anchorage off the downtown area is just too full of permanent boats. So your choices are the Marina (expensive) or the little cove just north of it. Don't miss a trip to see the "beer-drinking pig."

[CSY Man]

Salt River is a good place to hang out, but it can be tricky to enter.
The dive operation is right there with only a 5 minutte ride to the Wall, great diving.
The bar and restauarant closed last year, but the same managmant kept the marina open. The place is in a state of decay and never recovered 100% in the 21 years since hurricane Hugo hit.

Or anchor in Gallows Bay and use the dingy dock at the marina and restarant/bar with parking for a rental car.

[SIGMACHI]

Well presented answer! I llived on St. Croix for 4 years in the late 1990s.
Alan