Waters

Whether for a crewed or uncrewed charter, for a day or a week, we offer some of the world’s finest sailing grounds. Lush, steep islands perch in blue waters, edged by hidden harbors. Drop anchor for lunch or for the night — the islands are so close your destination will always be in sight.

Join a dive outing to one of our many near-shore shipwrecks, explore the national marine preserves off St. John and St. Croix, or just wade in and marvel at the ocean life around our reefs. You’re likely to see schools of blue tangs, pink squirrel fish peeking out of holes, and parrot and angel fish of every hue flitting about. Sightings of young sea turtles are common, and seahorses are known to shelter among the Frederiksted Pier’s pilings.

Snorkeling is an easily accessible window into our surrounding underwater world. Glass-like water means snorkeling off any beach is rewarding, with schools of fish darting among rocks and around our beautiful, protected reefs. With supervision, even non-swimmers can don a life jacket and peek into the water to join in the adventure.

At Coral World Ocean Park on St. Thomas, try Snuba — a snorkeling/scuba-diving hybrid — or Sea Trek, where visitors walk among fish on the ocean floor while wearing a helmet that looks like something from the movie 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea.

Some of our calmest, most paddle-friendly waters are found in the Cas Cay-Mangrove Lagoon Marine Reserve & Wildlife Sanctuary off St. Thomas, the protected bays of St. John, and the mangrove forests of St. Croix’s Salt River Bay National Historical Park and Ecological Preserve. Explore tunnels that wind through mangrove forests and see pelicans and egrets skimming the water. Peer down into the clear water and you’ll catch sight of colorful fish and other fascinating marine life.

St. Thomas’ location near an undersea canyon makes it one of the best places in the world to catch massive blue marlin, tuna and wahoo. Charter boats with cockpit fighting chairs and towering, whip-like outriggers lure and regularly land huge fish that weigh a whopping 350 pounds or more.