Please come visit me!

People often ask me when is the best time to go to St. Croix. My usual response is anytime when the weather at your home is poor. I say this because the weather in the US Virgin Islands is always, AAHHH!! Warm! The sun shines daily year-round with an average temperature of 80° during the day and around 70° most evenings. Of course the summer being a little warmer. Trade winds coming from the East blow across the island keeping the humidity low. When it rains, the showers are usually brief.

My favorite time to be in paradise is in the winter when you can watch the weather channel and see blizzards at home. My second favorite time is the summer because the water is two degrees warmer (82 to 83) and the sea is calmer making the snorkeling and scuba diving all the easier and the visibility better as well.

Our family and friends recently returned from our summer vacation, where the diving was easy and the sharks where out in full force. Actually, two kinds of sharks. We had nonstop card shark action at the games table where the nurse shark in the mural looks over the players' hands. Simultaneously, I was out at one of my favorite diving and snorkeling hangouts called Lobster's Ledges. Every day we had groups of three to four large resting nurse sharks lying under the ledges just waiting for me to come out and visit them. There was also Father Time, the barnacle encrusted turtle, who likewise enjoyed my visits. This dive is only in 25 feet of water and as with most dives we have complete directions to the entry and maps of the sights.

It is not too late to enjoy the summer calmness. Contact Dave now to make your reservations for your time in paradise!

June 10th, 2003

Here is a spectacular letter I would like to share with you from one of 2DIVE4's repeat customers.

"Dave,

We had a great time!!!!!! Thanks for providing such a wonderful home to stay in. My wife and I got to know Phillip a bit better this trip.  He's quite a person. We also met Agnes. You have a couple of gems there. I caught a 43lb Dolphin fish....that was exciting! Next time we come down I think it will just be myself and my wife.  We are ready to enjoy the place by ourselves.

Here are a couple of pictures of the fish I caught.  We fished with Mile Mark.  Bill, the older gentleman, really knows fishing.  He told me there was a male with this one that he estimated went around 70lbs.Missed him because he had the other baits running at different depths.  It took me about 15 minutes to land this one.  Boy...were my arms tired!! I also am including a shot of the house from the boat.  Yes...we could see the villa. Not in as close as the picture we took, but we could see it from where we caught the fish.  I caught the fish right around where the photo was taken.  My brother, Jeff also caught a 10lb barracuda there.

Last year I went for 4 hours. This year I went out for 6, but both times the fish were caught in the 1st hour and the rest of the time we didn't get any hits. Also both times we were fishing it was a full moon and Bill said the fish feed at night instead of daytime.  He also said there is a Wahoo tourney in November. Would love to go out with him, but we are going to Bonaire in July and that will be the last time I can get away this year.  I tried booking a trip when I was in Mexico the end of last year, but kept getting canceled because of the rough seas. Bill told me that the marlin fishing off the Yucatan is outstanding.  Thanks again Dave, I'll be in touch.

Jim Bougher
Wheeling, West Virginia"

Whether you like to fish, snorkel or just plain have fun in the sun...come stay at the 2DIVE4 villa!  Make your reservations today.

May 12, 2003

During my recent trip to 2dive4, I was lucky enough to have professional photographer Andy Wagner and his family as my personal guests. Aside from having as much fun as possible, Andy was charged with getting me some great shots of the villa and the fun things to do on St. Croix.

One of our adventures took7 us to the nearby town of Christiansted for the always exciting and sometimes lucrative soldier crab races. The races are held there twice a week and provide fun and thrills for young and old alike. For the mere price of $2.00 per crab "crab groupies" , as Tito and Sue call them, get to pick a crab, give it a name and enter it in the races.

After two circles are drawn using string, chalk and with the assistance of a young "race track technician's" foot, we are ready to race. The unwilling contestants are gently dumped into the center of the race track and then do what nature tells them to do. Get away! With names on masking tape on their backs, they make for the finish line with Tito calling the race with the same enthusiasm as if it were the Kentucky Derby. After several eliminations, the winners are determined and prizes are given out. All children are guaranteed a prize. Entrants can win prizes ranging from a trip on the seaplane to a free drink at the bar. It just so happens that Andy's son won the seaplane trip (first prize). Dad then traded it for the second and third place prizes, a sailing trip to Buck Island and a kayaking trip. Needless to say we all had a great time.

When you visit St. Croix be sure to make it to Tito and Sue's crab races. For tips on this and other fun things to do while a guest at 2dive4 check out my top 10 things to do on St. Croix list.

I look forward to hearing from you to make your reservation in paradise.

February 2nd, 2003

The cold weather and cloudy skies have caused me to breakout some photos from our recent trip and remember the warm sunny days at 2dive4. Aside from diving on a daily basis in the "back yard", I spent a lot of time getting my PADI dive master certification. Dave from Cane Bay Dive Shop was very helpful. He even taught me how to use "the wheel." My father loves to fish so we went to the pier in Fredericksted at dusk and tried our luck. Suffice it to say that if we had to depend on our angling skills to survive I would not be writing this now. After all, that is why they have restaurants. In Fredericksted I suggest dining at the Sunset Grill. The food there is great. Spear fishing is always a highlight for me. Phillip, Nelson and I actually got several snapper that made the effort worthwhile and fun. A child's life is not complete unless they have been traumatized trying to fly a kite, including the usual crashes and line entanglements. As it turned out the moderate winds that make St. Croix such a comfortable place also make it a very easy place to fly a kite. Not to worry, I am sure I have made up for this trauma in other ways. When you are eager to get high, there is Blue Mountain just a short drive from 2dive4. This location for the island's radio towers also makes a great place for panoramic views. If cabin fever has you firmly in its grips, there is no better cure than planning a trip to 2dive4. Phillip and I will do everything in our power to make your stay the vacation that you have dreamed of. Check our calendar for dates available in April, May, and June.

January 20th, 2003

I just returned from a month in paradise. My 82 year old father and my 15 year old son accompanied Phillip and me on an intergenerational deep-sea fishing trip aboard the Fantasea. We boarded the boat in Christiansted and began our 6 hour cruise. The crew was very helpful and hopeful about our prospects for catching lots of big wahoo.  That was until they found out we had brought the dreaded banana on board for lunch.  Unbeknownst to us, this fruit is apparently the scourge of unlucky deep sea fisherman, and we learned this lesson the hard way.  Phillip caught a barracuda but that was it (apparently barracudas were never let in on the banana superstition).  Despite the lack of fish that day, we still had a good time just sharing the experience, the salt spray and the warm son.

2Dive4 and St. Croix are ready and waiting for you and your family to come and have fun making memories to last a lifetime. Please contact me today to reserve your place in the sun.

December 5th, 2002

As I write this it is sunny and 85 degrees on the North Shore of St. Croix at 2dive4. I just arrived on Tuesday and had my second dive today. After suiting up in the dive station. I used the beach entrance just 50 yards to the east of our "backyard". Typical for the winter, there is a bit of surf to contend with but I move through it quickly and head out on my adventure. As I proceed down a sand chute with coral spurs on either side, I see a familiar friend. It is Nelson the Nurse Shark who frequents this area. I have apparently startled him from his nap next to a small ledge. He motions with tail signals that he will see me later (not eat me later) as he decides to look for a quieter spot to continue his nap.

I head deeper, continuing down the sand chute to 100 feet when suddenly I can't believe my eyes. Straight in front of me, and closing fast, is the biggest Spotted Eagle Ray I have ever seen (of course the closer they are, the bigger they look). Unlike his nervous cousin who just left, this fellow is on a mission and isn't about to let me get in his way. I add a bit of air to my BC and hover motionless as this underwater flying beauty passes within 10 feet of me. I admire his majesty as he gracefully glides by without even giving me the once over. Wow, what a dive!

Next, I start heading East along the top of the spur and groove formation. Suddenly out of the corner of my eye I see a shadow close by off to my right. It is a 5 foot Great Barracuda. He is checking me out to see if I am doing any hunting that he might pick up the scraps from. He also has his entourage with him. A small school of Blue Runners follows to see where the action is. Barry the Barracuda follows for a while, but is disappointed to see that I am only looking today and determines that his time would be better spent elsewhere. I am down to 1500 PSI, so it is time to start heading back West again, but at a shallower depth. As I pass over numerous beautiful coral heads, I am pleasantly surprised to see a Hawk's Bill Turtle using his snout to try and extract something or someone from under a ledge. I pause to watch him. He suddenly sees me and we begin a staring game. I am not leaving unless he leaves and vise versa. Finally, I figure I will not beat this turtle at his breath holding game so I move on as my pressure gauge commands. As I head South toward shore, a moderate size school of curious Horse-eyed Jacks pass very close to check out my bubbles, then continue on their way.

As I proceed in under the waves that pass overhead, it is easy for me to remember why I so enjoy St. Croix, the sport of diving and staying at 2dive4.

November 2nd, 2002

"We had a wonderful trip. The house is breathtaking. The artwork is so unique. We saw most of the island -Point Udall, Christiansted, the Rum factory and the beer drinking pigs are among the memories we will carry home. Enjoyed Cane Bay beach and the full moon party. Philip was a great help and a very nice man to meet. Thank you for making this vacation a dream come true!" 
Sept 18 - 24th 
Ron & Cindy Hawranko 
Greensburg, PA

September 21st, 2002

On every trip I take to St. Croix I try to do at least one new activity so that I can share my experiences with our future guests. Most recently, Chris Boucher and I went on the moonlight kayaking trip at salt river.  We did this with Caribbean Adventure tours.

Our guide was Andy. He is the owner of the business and was extremely helpful and informative. We met at Salt River national park (a 10 minute drive from 2DIVE4) a half hour before dusk. After a brief paddling lesson we were off.  We learned about the rich history of the area. This included Christopher Columbus's landings here, stories about famous visitors to the island, local gossip (known to the islanders as melee) as well some very well told ghost stories. We also learned a lot about the natural aspects of St. Croix and the Salt River National Park. Do you know what a dinoflatulant is? I am not sure if I am spelling it correctly but it has nothing to do with smelly dinosaurs and everything to do with bioluminescence. As part of the fun Andy has a bit of a game show going where paddlers answer questions for high stakes prizes. You may win a bottle of rum or a car. If you study this page About St. Croix before hand you will have a good shot at the car. I highly recommend that you include this tour as part of your itinerary while on St. Croix. When you talk to Andy tell him Dave from 2DIVE4 sent you.