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St Thomas and St John

Ferry-linked Caribbean reefs, St John park snorkeling and local day-boat diving

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Research Sources

Destination Guide Sources For St Thomas and St John

Reference links used to build and maintain this guide.

45 sources • Updated Oct 29, 2026

Written by DiveJourney. Built from public sources and local operator knowledge. Last updated Oct 29, 2026.

National Park Service: Snorkeling in Virgin Islands National Park - Official park site-by-site St John shore snorkeling guidance, including reef boundaries, Waterlemon Cay current, turtle habitat, trail and road access; page last updated 2022. Check current alerts.
National Park Service: 2026 superintendent compendium - Operative NPS park and marine restrictions, special-use permissions, boat exclusion and channel restrictions, moorings and Trunk Bay access; compendium updated October 2026.
National Park Service: Fees and Passes - No general park entrance fee; Trunk Bay $5 adult amenity charge, cashless from October 1 2026; overnight boat mooring fees.
National Park Service: Boating Information - NPS mooring and designated anchorage procedures, environmental practices and payment guidance.
National Park Service: Getting Around St John - Roads, parking, taxi planning and access limits within the park.
National Park Service: St John Hiking - Official walking and hiking guidance, historical routes and trail conditions.
National Park Service: Salt Pond Bay and Ram Head - Salt Pond and Ram Head walking route and sun-exposure planning.
National Park Service: Nature and Weather - Trade winds, seasonal rainfall, winter north swell and tropical storm exposure.
National Hurricane Center: Tropical Cyclone Climatology - Official June 1 to November 30 Atlantic hurricane season and late-summer or early-autumn climatological peak.
National Weather Service San Juan: Marine Forecasts - Operational marine forecasts and advisories must be checked near departure; source is not a permanent site-safety rating.
USVI Port Authority: Ferry and Cargo Schedules - Official Red Hook to Cruz Bay ferry advisory, fares and schedules, temporary July 26 through October 31 2026 timetable; car barge procedures.
USVI Port Authority: Cyril E. King Airport - Primary St Thomas arrival airport STT, airport authority notices and airport logistics.
USVI Department of Tourism: Getting to St John - Ferry travel links, St Thomas to St John transfer overview; reconfirm schedules directly with operators.
USVI Department of Tourism: St Thomas Flights - Route and airline orientation for Cyril E. King Airport; schedules and availability variable.
USVI Department of Tourism: Travel Tips FAQ - US territory travel rules, documents, driving and practicalities; entry always subject to CBP.
USVI Department of Tourism: Water Activities - Rechecked originally unavailable tourism page; island-specific scuba, snorkeling, kayaking and mixed water activities. Marketing descriptions are not safety endorsement.
USVI Department of Tourism: St Thomas Scuba - Illustrative St Thomas wreck, reef and rock dive sites; site depths and classifications require operator validation.
USVI Department of Tourism: St John Scuba - Illustrative St John local boat dive areas and experience variation; operator and access claims need current verification.
USVI Department of Tourism: St Thomas Snorkeling - St Thomas snorkeling options and tourism-reported April to June generally calmer water; actual surf varies daily.
USVI Department of Tourism: St Thomas Beaches - Beach access, beach facilities and options such as Coki, Secret Harbour, Brewers and Magens Bay.
USVI Department of Tourism: Historic Sites - Charlotte Amalie history, Fort Christian, 99 Steps and related cultural sites; confirm site opening.
USVI Department of Tourism: St John - St John geography, local visitor orientation and sunscreen chemical restrictions.
Low Key Watersports: St John Scuba - Cruz Bay scuba, training, day boats and operator services as advertised; confirm schedules and actual spaces.
Low Key Watersports: Afternoon Dives - Explicit operator mixed certified dive and snorkeler participation option, subject to conditions and booking.
Low Key Watersports: Daily Dives - Published dive-trip formats and indicative pricing used for budget analysis; prices may change.
Red Hook Dive Center: Official Site - Red Hook local day-boat scuba, training, rental and conditions-dependent site selection; verify operating days.
Red Hook Dive Center: Dive Sites - Operator-described Cow and Calf, Carval Rock, wrecks, reefs and other boat destinations.
Aqua Action Dive Center: Scuba - St Thomas Secret Harbour shore and boat scuba, introductory and certified options as advertised.
Aqua Action Dive Center: Freediving - Operator advertises PADI freediver training with confined and open-water components; instructor, schedule and certification requirements must be confirmed.
Coki Dive Center: Closure/Transfer Notice - Former Coki operation states it is no longer operating at Coki Beach and sold business assets to Aqua Action; do not list it as active.
Department of Planning and Natural Resources: Beach Advisory - Local coastal water-quality advisories and sampling notices; no sample should not be interpreted as clean water.
National Park Service: Marine Hazards - Reef and water hazards, sea urchins, jellyfish and fragile marine life.
National Park Service: Turtle Monitoring - Hawksbill nesting monitoring on St John, generally late summer and autumn; sighting not guaranteed.
Schneider Regional Medical Center: Myrah Keating Smith - St John emergency-capable health center and contact details; confirm current 24-hour emergency response.
Schneider Regional Medical Center: Roy Lester Schneider - St Thomas hospital and emergency referral; not proof of available local hyperbaric treatment.
Divers Alert Network: Emergency Assistance - Emergency care and dive accident triage; contact DAN for coordinated evacuation, not an assumed local chamber.
Divers Alert Network: Contact DAN - DAN 24-hour emergency line +1 919 684 9111.
Divers Alert Network: Chamber Availability - Public chamber lists are unreliable for emergency routing; verify treatment capability via qualified emergency services.
US Coast Guard Sector San Juan: Contact - Marine SAR contact and VHF channel 16 context.
BVI Government: Entry Passport Requirements - BVI is a separate border and jurisdiction from the USVI; passports and rules differ.
BVI Government: Arrival and Departure Card - Separate BVI immigration arrival/departure process. BVI islands excluded from this guide.
USVI Bureau of Internal Revenue: Tax Forms - Official hotel room tax form listing at 12.5%; actual lodging quote and additional fees must be checked.
Electrical Safety First: US Virgin Islands - A/B sockets and 60 Hz electrical guidance.
Destination hero photo by Rennett Stowe from USA (historical) - Trunk Bay, St. John, US Virgin Islands. Photo: Rennett Stowe from USA / Wikimedia Commons. CC BY 2.0: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0. Cropped and resized.
Destination hero photo by Karl Callwood - Unsplash License. Photographer profile: https://unsplash.com/@climatechangevi | Location: Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas, Virgin Islands, USA