St. Thomas Magazine April 2026-Welcome to Island Adventure!

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MAGAZINE

THE WHAT, WHERE, WHEN OF CARNIVAL AND HOW YOU CAN JOIN THE FUN!

A new flavor is coming to Charlotte Amalie KK's Kitchen opens its doors on Wednesday, April 1st at 5:30PM in the back alley next to Taphus and the menu is worth the find. Think soul-food meets Caribbean fusion: jerk BBQ chicken, crab stuffed blackened salmon, rosemary butter shrimp, braised turkey wing and saltfish fritters, all served with your choice of two sides and cornbread. Signature cocktails, great music and the kind of homegrown cooking that makes you want to come back the following week. DM for orders @KK’s Kitchen on Facebook! • THEY’RE BACK!

OUR LOOK AT THE LOSS AND RETURN OF THE CARIBBEAN FLAMINGOS

AQUA ACTION

50 YEARS UNDER THE DURFACE AND WHY SHOULD DIVE TODAY!

GRAND OPENING OF KK’S KITCHEN!

Table of Contents

08 April Upcoming Events

What’s going on this month on island...

Your Don’t Miss List!

11 St. Thomas Carnival 2026

Your complete guide to the best island celebration all year!

18 Escape to Anegada

We take a look at how to spend 3 gorgeous days on one of BVI’s most pristine islands.

23 They’re Back...

The return of the beloved Caribbean Flamingos to the Virgin Islands.

29

32

48 Beach Guide

We highlight our most popular beaches and when to plan your visit!

50 Years Under the Surface

In depth feature on one of the longest operating dive shops on island, Aqua Action!

37 St. Thomas Dining Guide

Restaurants listed by area of island to keep you satisfied from breakfast to dinner and even late night fun!

Thank You to Businesses and Upcoming Topics

Appreciation to St. Thomas businesses and see what’s next for May 2026!

T E S

Welcome to the April 2026 issue of St Thomas Magazine and if you've been paying attention to the STJ chatter lately, you already know why flamingos are our wildlife feature this month!

A few weeks ago, reader Nancy Fowler and her husband were hiking from Reef Bay to Lameshur Beach on St John when they decided to follow a rumor Word had gotten out that flamingos had been spotted near Coral Bay Road and Nancy wanted to see for herself. As they came down the hill and rounded a corner, there they were...64 flamingos in the salt pond, moving their S-curved necks through the water, completely unbothered, completely magnificent. Nancy had never seen one in the wild She has now seen 64 at once That story is the heart of this issue. Our wildlife feature dives deep into the return of Caribbean Flamingos to the Virgin Islands.

E D I T O R

This issue also takes you underwater with Aqua Action Dive Center at Secret Harbour Beach...one of the oldest dive operations in the USVI and a shop that has spent fifty years introducing people to what lives below the surface of these islands If you've never dove here before, their story will make you want to change that immediately.

We escape to Anegada...the flattest, quietest and most deliciously remote island in the British Virgin Islands for a full travel feature on why this place deserves more than a day trip. Lobster on the beach, flamingos at the pond, world-class bonefishing and a Moke with nowhere to be Yes, really

And Carnival 2026 is HERE. April 26 through May 2. J'ouvert at 5:30 in the morning, the Food Fair at Crown Bay, Village Nights every evening and the Adult Parade closing it all out on Main Street. Our complete guide to the season starts on page 18 read it, save it and come ready to dance

As always, this magazine exists because this island keeps giving us things worth writing about. We hope it gives you something worth doing.

With Island Energy, April M Idlett

Editor, St. Thomas Magazine

UPCOMING EVENTS April 2026

Wednesday, April 1 7:00pm-11pm st

APR 1 Full Moon Party at Sapphire Beach

Friday, April 3 5:50pm-11pm rd

APR 3 First Friday Downtown Charlotte Amalie

Join visitors and residents for First Friday benefitting local organizations. A fun local event raising money with food, drinks, live music and shops that stay open later and give a portion of proceeds to help local island organizations

Sunday, April 5 12:00pm-3pm th

APR 5 Easter Brunch at The Westin/Frenchman’s Reef

Easter celebration at The Westin St. Thomas, where festive flavors and island vibes come together for one unforgettable brunch! Enjoy stunning views overlooking Charlotte Amalie and cool air-conditioning as you indulge in a brunch spread worth celebrating

Saturday, April 11 starting at 1:00pm th

APR 11 Easter Eggs-travaganza and Parade

Easter Glow-Party and Parade starting at Emancipation Garden adn ending at Emile Griffith Ball Park.

Saturday, April 18 10:30am-12noon th

APR 18 Spring Fling & Pilates Things @Yacht Haven Grande

Join us for Spring Fling & Pilates Things, a 60-minute special event designed to celebrate movement, mindfulness, and the magic of a fresh season. This isn't your average workout it’s a high-energy, feel-good Fusion Class that brings together the very best of both worlds.

Saturday, Apriil 25 5:00pm th

APR 25

Fish Fry Fundraiser @Emancipation Gardens

Supporting Fashion Stargate’s fundraiser is an investment in education, empowerment, and opportunity for the people of the U.S. Virgin Islands. Funds raised will support the Fashion Scholarship Program

Sunday, April 26 - May 2 Downtown & Waterfront th nd

APR 26 St. Thomas Carnival 2026 and Village Nights

St Thomas Carnival 2026 kicks off with the boat races and Panorama on April 26 , Village Nights from 4/27-5/2, Food Fair on 4/29, J’ouvert on 4/30, Children’s Parade on 5/1 and Adults Parade & Fireworks on May 2nd! th

Let's get something straight right up front. St. Thomas Carnival is not a tourist event that happens to include islanders. It's a COMMUNITY celebration that happens to welcome visitors. There's a difference and understanding that difference is the most important thing you can do before you show up

Now in its 74th year, Carnival brings together the local community, the Virgin Islands diaspora and visitors from around the world for something that is equal parts reunion, cultural showcase and the best party in the Caribbean.

"The streets pulse. The costumes stop traffic. The food alone is worth the flight."

THE MAJOR EVENTS KICK OFF APRIL 26TH. THAT'S WHEN YOU WANT TO BE HERE. HERE'S WHAT TO PUT ON YOUR CALENDAR.

APRIL 26TH

PANORAMA & THE BOAT RACE

Start at the Waterfront Apron in the morning for the Boat Race...a beloved tradition that draws serious competitors and serious crowds to the Charlotte Amalie harbor.

Then come back for Panorama at Carnival Village. Steel pan is the heartbeat of Caribbean music and Panorama is where you hear it performed at its absolute highest level.

11AM BOAT RACE 6PM

APRIL 26TH

VILLAGE NIGHTS

Carnival Village is the anchor of the entire celebration. Free nightly performances soca, calypso, reggae and everything in between. The food vendors are out, the energy builds as the week goes on and by the final nights the crowd is enormous.

FIRST-TIMER TIP

Go early in the week to get your bearings By the final weekend you'll feel like a regular. Dress code: the more color the better.

7PM VILLAGE NIGHTS - CARNIVAL VILLAGE - FORT CHRISTIAN LOT - FREE

A FEW THINGS WORTH KNOWING BEFORE YOU GO

Traffic around Charlotte Amalie during Carnival week is a different animal...build extra time into everything. Carnival Village is at the Fort Christian Lot, walkable from the waterfront. The good news: Village Nights, J'ouvert and both parades are FREE. The Food Fair is vendor pricing only, so bring cash. Most importantly: come with respect and come with joy. This celebration belongs to this community and the energy you bring in is the energy you get back. For full event details visit usvifestivals.vi or visitusvi.com

APRIL 26TH

FOOD FAIR

Do NOT miss this. The most important eating event of the entire Carnival calendar. Local vendors serve traditional USVI cuisine pates, johnny cakes, saltfish, barbecued meats and local pastries. Recipes passed down through generations, made once a year.

PRO MOVE

Get there early. Lines form fast and the best vendors sell out. Bring cash. Come hungry and pace yourself

10AM - FOOD FAIR - CROWN BAY

J’OUVERT - 5:30AM - WATERFRONT

Yes. 5:30 IN THE MORNING. And yes you absolutely should go. J'ouvert is the event that first-timers are most curious about and most uncertain about and it is EXACTLY as good as everyone says. Beginning at sunrise crowds gather for a lively street dance featuring paint, powder and music from bands performing on trucks. The Waterfront Apron fills with people dancing through the streets as the sun comes up over the harbor and the music does not stop.

Wear clothes you do not mind ruining. White is traditional...the paint and powder find everything. Leave your jewelry and your phone anxiety at home. Bring your dancing shoes and your good attitude and just let the morning happen. J'ouvert is one of those experiences that is genuinely hard to describe to someone who hasn't been. The closest thing is this: imagine the entire island deciding collectively that 5:30 AM is actually the perfect time to celebrate being alive. And somehow they are completely right.

CHILDREN’S PARADE • MAY 1 • 10AM • MAIN STREET ST

Hundreds of children in elaborate handcrafted costumes make their way down Main Street in Charlotte Amalie and the craftsmanship on display is extraordinary...these costumes are works of art built by families who take this tradition seriously.

ADULT PARADE & FIREWORKS • 10AM/9PM • MAIN STREET/WATERFRONT

The Adult Parade is everything Carnival has been building toward...weeks of preparation, thousands of hours of costume construction and the full collective energy of the island poured into one spectacular procession down Main Street. 9 PM on the Waterfront...fireworks over the harbor. The perfect punctuation mark on one of the Caribbean's greatest annual celebrations.

SOPER’SHOLE

WHITEBAY

BIG LIST ROADTOWN BVI BVI CANEGARDENBAY

ANEGADA Let’sEscapeto

Anegada sits at the top of the British Virgin Islands chain, almost hidden from view but worth the trip. Here's why you need more than a day.

THE ISLAND THAT TIME FORGOT

TO COMPLICATE

Anegada doesn't announce itself. Literally. When you're sailing toward it you can't see the island until you're a mile or two away. It sits barely eight meters above sea level, a flat coral atoll in a chain of dramatic volcanic peaks, like someone forgot to add the mountains. The Spanish named it "the drowned island" and the name still fits.

What Anegada lacks in elevation it makes up for in everything else. Miles of lyrical white-sand beaches line the northern and western ends of the island, the interior is a protected habitat for roughly 2,000 wild goats, donkeys and cattle and the surrounding reef has been feeding fishing families here for generations. There is one town. One road that loops the island. And a pace of life that will make you wonder why you were ever in a hurry

This is not a day trip. Anegada rewards the people who stay.

RENT A MOKE AND GO NOWHERE IN PARTICULAR

The first thing you do when you get to Anegada is rent a Moke. From British classic to Caribbean icon, the Moke has become a symbol of fun in the sun...perfect for getting around the sandy island. MAKE A

You'll know you've arrived when you hear the music before you see the bar. Tipsy’s by Ann sits right on the sand at Cow Wreck Bay on Anegada's north shore and it is exactly the kind of place that makes you cancel your afternoon plans. Family-run by the beloved "Anegada Ann" and rated among the best beach bars in the entire BVI, Tipsy’s delivers conch fritters, curry lobster, jerk wings and rum punch that earns its name all served barefoot, beach games optional. Cornhole, limbo, a pool table and a gift shop round out the experience. Plan a few hours. You won't regret it Open daily from 10am. Seasonal closure mid-July through mid-October plan accordingly.

They seat four, they have no doors, the wind is constant and the roads are flat enough that even the most directionally challenged traveler will feel like they've figured out the whole island by noon Which is kind of the point

At Setting Point you can rent bikes, scooters, Mokes and jeeps and the Anegada Reef Hotel works with Out & About Rentals for vehicle hire as well. Book in advance during peak season because inventory is small and these things go fast.

Lobster on the Beach at Loblolly

Bay

Anegada is the lobster capital of the BVI, celebrating its famous catch yearly with the Anegada Lobster Festival in November. But you don't need a festival to eat well here. What you need is a table in the sand at Loblolly Bay and enough patience to wait for the sun to go down

Big Bamboo and Flash of Beauty are the two anchor beach bars on this stretch and both serve the island's signature spiny lobster fresh...grilled over a wood fire, served on a plate, feet in the sand, Caribbean Sea directly in front of you. This is the Anegada experience in its purest form and no amount of describing it does it justice You just have to go

A note for planners: lobster here is ordered earlier in the day and prepared for dinner. Tell your beach bar in the morning what you want that evening. That's not inefficiency. That's how fresh it is.

The Flamingos at

Flamingo Pond

Flamingo Pond is where Anegada's pink flamingos live and it's one of the most popular attractions on the island. The BVI National Parks Trust re-established the flamingo colony here decades ago and the flock has thrived in the salt pond habitat ever since the same ecological conditions that once supported flamingo populations across the entire Caribbean before hunting and habitat loss wiped them out.

If you've read our feature on the return of flamingos to St. John elsewhere in this issue you'll understand immediately why this stop matters Anegada's colony is living proof that these birds come back when the habitat is right and the people protect it. The wildlife here also includes rare rock iguanas native to the island and the kind of birding that ornithologists make special trips for

The viewing point is on the north side of the pond. Bring binoculars. The flamingos keep their distance but the sight of pink against flat blue sky and still water is one of those images you carry home with you.

Horseshoe Reef — Where the Island's

History

Lives Underwater

The Horseshoe Reef is the largest barrier reef in the Caribbean and the fourth largest on earth It wraps around Anegada like a protective arm and it has been doing two things simultaneously for centuries: feeding the island and sinking ships.

Over 300 vessels have gone down on Horseshoe Reef over the years drawn in by the same flat horizon that makes Anegada invisible until you're already on top of it. Located on Anegada's northern shore, Loblolly Bay offers some of the best shore-entry snorkeling in the Caribbean with visibility that can exceed 100 feet on a calm day. Local operators run snorkel and dive tours out to the reef and to the wreck sites Sherwin's Sea Adventures is consistently one of the most recommended on the island, known for combining reef history, conch education and fresh ceviche made right on the boat. This is not resort snorkeling. It's the real thing.

The Flats — Bonefishing at the End of the Earth

Most visitors to the BVI never make it to Anegada. Most anglers who make it to Anegada never leave without booking a return trip.

Anegada offers some of the world's best bonefishing with miles and miles of untouched flats and bonefish averaging between 6 and 8 pounds in schools with singles and pairs going well into double digits. The flat coral topography that makes Anegada look unremarkable from a distance creates the perfect shallow water habitat for bonefish and the island has been quietly earning a reputation among serious fly fishermen for decades.

The fishing community on this isolated island is reminiscent of Hemingway's Bimini in the 1930s

Danny Vanterpool of Danny's Bonefishing is a wellknown local guide whose family has worked these waters for generations. If you're an angler and Anegada isn't already on your list it belongs there now

Getting There

From St. Thomas the most direct route is by ferry to Road Town, Tortola followed by the ferry to Anegada. The Tortola Fast Ferry runs between Road Town and Anegada on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays with morning and afternoon departures. Charter flights also operate directly into Anegada's small airport (NGD) from Beef Island, Tortola and from STT worth it if you're coming for more than a night and want to maximize your time on island. Plan for at least two nights. Three is better. One is a tease.

Editor's Note: Information on Anegada ferries, moke and jeep rentals, and local guide services was sourced from BVI Tourism, Anegada Reef Hotel, Danny's Bonefishing and UC Yacht Charters Snorkeling tour information sourced from Tripadvisor and operator listings current as of early 2026. Always confirm schedules and availability directly with operators before travel.

The Caribbean Flamingo was gone from these islands for decades. Here's how they found their way home.

T hey’ B

They Were Here Before We Were.

Flamingos lived in these islands in the tens of thousands. Then we hunted them to extinction. Then two Category 5 hurricanes hit. And miraculously...they're back.

"The pink is not who they are. It's what they've eaten. It's proof that the ecosystem is working."

Here's something most people don't know about the Caribbean flamingo. That iconic pink color? Completely diet-dependent. A flamingo raised without access to brine shrimp, algae and the microscopic crustaceans of a healthy salt pond will fade to white. The pink is not who they are. It's what they've eaten. It's proof that the ecosystem is working. Which makes the story of their disappearance from the Virgin Islands...and their slow, beautiful return about a lot more than birds

An Ancient Bird in Ancient Islands

The Caribbean flamingo (Phoenicopterus ruber) is one of the oldest bird families on earth. Fossil records trace them back at least 10 million years. They were filtering brine shrimp through their specialized bills long before humans showed up with nets and feathered hats.

In the Virgin Islands, they were here in extraordinary numbers. When German-born naturalist Sir Robert Hermann Schomburgk visited the region in 1830, he described the salt ponds of Anegada as a sea of pink Flamingos filled the sky when startled into flight The sounds, he wrote, were remarkable. The sheer volume of them was almost unbelievable.

He also noted, almost as an aside, that their numbers were already declining. That observation turned out to be the beginning of the end of Act One

Why Salt Ponds? Why Here?

Before we get to the collapse, it helps to understand what makes the Virgin Islands so specifically right for flamingos in the first place. Flamingos aren't grazers or tree-dwellers. They are extreme specialists. Their entire biology is built around one thing: shallow, saline water loaded with tiny food. Brine shrimp. Algae. Insect larvae. Aquatic invertebrates small enough to filter through the comb-like structures called lamellae...inside their curved bills.

The salt ponds scattered across the Virgin Islands and the wider Caribbean are essentially custom-built flamingo habitat. Shallow enough to wade. Saline enough to support brine shrimp populations. Warm enough year-round to keep the food chain running. Protected from deep-water wave action. The flamingo's body is even engineered for the chemistry of it all; they have specialized kidneys, salt glands and a lower GI tract that work together to manage the extreme salt concentrations that would kill most other birds. It is not a coincidence that the islands with the best salt pond systems historically had the largest flamingo populations. Anegada...flat, low-lying, essentially one big salt pond system with beaches around the edges was once ground zero.

How We Lost Them

The decline Schomburgk noticed in 1830 accelerated through the rest of the 19th century and into the 20th. The causes were straightforward and ugly: hunting for meat, hunting for the spectacular plumage used to adorn women's hats and the disruption of nesting habitat as development pushed into the ponds. Flamingos are not particularly fast breeders. A breeding pair raises one chick per year. They don't reach breeding maturity for several years A population that takes decades to build can be dismantled in a single generation of over-hunting. By the 1960s, the flamingos of Anegada were down to a few elderly birds They didn't form a functional breeding colony. They eventually died or flew away. And that was it. The salt ponds remained. The brine shrimp remained. The habitat that had supported tens of thousands of flamingos for millions of years sat quiet.

The Long Road Back

The comeback story starts in the early 1980s with a conservationist named Dr. James (Skip) Lazell, president of The Conservation Agency, who looked at the salt ponds of Anegada and saw what they still were: perfect flamingo habitat. Empty, but perfect. He spent over a decade working through the bureaucracy, the logistics and the funding to make a reintroduction happen. He later described the project honestly: "I did not know how difficult and expensive this would be, or that it would take over a decade to accomplish."

In 1992, working with the Bermuda Aquarium Museum and Zoo, the BVI National Parks Trust and the Guana Island Wildlife Sanctuary, the team transported 22 flamingos to Anegada and 8 more to Guana Island.

Dr. James “Skip” Lazell

"By the 1960s the flamingos of Anegada were down to a few elderly birds. They didn't form a functional breeding colony. They eventually died or flew away. And that was it."

By private jet from Bermuda. Through customs. By boat to the salt ponds. The birds were wrapped in cheesecloth for the journey. When the enclosure was finally opened the next morning, they balked... tiptoed... and then ran to the middle of Manhead Pond.

It worked. Slowly, then more confidently, the flock grew. Sir Richard Branson introduced flamingos to Necker Island. Necker's population climbed toward 300 birds with successful breeding seasons. Flocks were spotted flying between Necker and Anegada, ranging to Tortola, occasionally turning up with reports from the USVI and as far as Puerto Rico.

By January of a recent bird count on Anegada, observers tallied 868 individual birds 387 of them were flamingos.

Then Irma Hit.

September 6, 2017 Hurricane Irma's northern eyewall passed directly over Anegada a flat island barely 28 feet above sea level at its highest point, with sustained winds exceeding 185 miles per hour. The BVI government had recommended full evacuation. About 180 people stayed.

The flamingos had no choice at all. 58 birds died in the immediate aftermath of Irma across the BVI flock. On Necker Island, Richard Branson documented the horror directly: around 150 chicks had just hatched and were too young to fly Along with their parents, they had to face the storm on the ground Meanwhile, on Cuba's northern coast, early reports indicated several hundred flamingos killed by the same storm, with some estimates reaching into the thousands

But the physical death toll was only part of it.

Here's the ecological mechanic that most people don't understand: salt ponds are extraordinarily fragile ecosystems. A Category 5 hurricane doesn't just damage the birds...it destabilizes the entire food chain they depend on In a shallow salt pond, hurricane-force winds push surface water to one side of the basin. Oxygen-depleted water from the bottom rises to fill the space carrying sediment, decomposing organic matter and anaerobic bacteria. Those bacteria then consume what little oxygen remains, essentially suffocating the upper water column in a process called a "turnover." The salinity balance that brine shrimp depend on gets obliterated. The algae the shrimp eat gets smothered under sediment. The whole system that makes a salt pond a flamingo's paradise goes dark

Scientific research on hurricane impacts to coastal wetlands confirms what common sense suggests: recovery is slow. Only about 16% of damaged wetland habitat showed recovery within six months of a major storm. Some pond systems converted to open water by a hurricane maintain that changed state for DECADES.

No brine shrimp No pink No reason to stay

True to pattern, the BVI flamingos skipped their December 2017 breeding season entirely. Wildlife managers believed they were simply too traumatized.

And Then, Slowly, the Ponds Came Back.

The thing about salt ponds is that they are also resilient in ways that are hard to predict Given time and freedom from human disturbance, the salinity re-balances. The algae returns. The brine shrimp populations rebuild. The food chain quietly restarts.

Conservation and Fisheries in the BVI noted something worth holding onto: "Flamingos are a native species to the Caribbean and are adapted to surviving hurricanes. While numbers are down, a few successful breeding seasons should restore losses and the population's continued growth." They were right. The flock rebuilt. And then it did something even more interesting. It expanded. In early 2023, a flamboyance of flamingos which is the actual collective noun and yes, it is perfect showed up at Salt Pond on St. John. A retired park ranger explained what was likely happening: the Anegada and Necker populations had grown large enough that birds were ranging outward, following the food, exploring salt ponds they hadn't visited in living memory.

By November 2024 they were back on St. John again. By May 2025 more than 20 flamingos were calling Francis Bay home By October 2025 they had returned to Francis Bay after a brief drought-driven absence.

They are here. Right now. In these waters.

Flamingo at Salt Pond, STJ

Nancy Fowler

That moment appears to be arriving.

It took 30 years of careful conservation work. It took surviving two Category 5 hurricanes. It took salt ponds slowly healing themselves in the quiet years when no one was watching. And it took the birds themselves ancient, stubborn, irreversibly pink deciding the food was good enough to stay.

The flamingos didn't come back because we made it easy for them. They came back because the ecosystem still works well enough to support them and because a handful of people decades ago decided that an island without flamingos was an island missing something essential.

Next time you're near a salt pond at dusk, take a look. You might just see exactly what Sir Robert Schomburgk saw in 1830. A sea of pink.

What It Means

Conservationists who have tracked the BVI flock since the 1992 reintroduction have described what they believe happens next: once the combined populations on Anegada and Necker reach many thousands, feeding flocks will visit all islands in the region as a matter of course. The Virgin Islands will have flamingos the way they had flamingos when Schomburgk crossed the Atlantic in 1830 and couldn't believe what he was looking at.

SAPPHIRE BEACH

Sapphire has the full package and then some. The beach bar and grill handles lunch, cocktails and rum punches. Beach Buzz covers your morning coffee and breakfast sandwiches. Paradise Pizza takes care of dinner if you decide you're not ready to leave Chair and cabana rentals are available through Naia Boutique along with snorkel gear. The snorkeling off the eastern rocky point is genuinely excellent and of course, we can’t forget live music on Sundays and Full Moon parties!

SECRET HARBOUR

Secret Harbour gets everything right without making a fuss about it The protected cove keeps the water calm year-round and the reef just off the beach regularly delivers turtles, spotted drum and soft corals. Aqua Action Dive Center is right on the beach for gear rentals and guided dives and the resort restaurant has you covered for food and drinks with a patio looking directly over the water. No cruise ship crowds, no entry fee and one of the best sunset views on the island.

MAGENS BAY

The most famous beach in the USVI and it fully earns it. The mile-long arc of calm protected water backed by lush green hills is genuinely hard to argue with. Amenities cover everything you need: beach chairs, umbrellas, cabanas, kayaks, paddleboards, snorkel gear, lifeguards and a beachside restaurant and bar serving local food and cold drinks. Small entry fee applies upon arrival.

These top 4 beaches have literally everything you need...just make sure you check the cruise ship schedule first!

LEARN TO

Book Now

What’s Included dive now!

Certified dive instructor/guide

Dive and snorkel gear

Shorty wetsuit

Water, soda, light snacks. FUN!

The captains Rum Punch.. if he likes you and decides to share once you’re done diving!

What to Bring

swimwear, sun protection (sunshirt/rashguard, hat, sunglasses, reef safe sunscreen) towels or other creature comforts for the boat ride personal snack or drink if you have specific dietary needs

Gratuity for the crew whom you’re guaranteed to love!

50 years under the surface

Aqua Action Dive Center Aqua Action Dive Center has outlasted trends, has outlasted trends, hurricanes and four different owners. hurricanes and four different owners.

What hasn't changed is the water. What hasn't changed is the water.

St. Thomas Magazine interviewed the team at Aqua Action Dive Center at Secret Harbour Beach to talk about what it means to steward one of the oldest dive operations in the USVI and where they're taking it next.

There is a dive shop on Secret Harbour Beach that has been there longer than most of its customers have been alive Not in a different location Not in a bigger building somewhere down the road Right there. On that beach. For more than fifty years, Aqua Action Dive Center has been the first thing divers see when they walk toward the water on the far end of Secret Harbour...and the last thing they talk about over dinner when the day is done. It started as a beach shack. It has changed hands exactly four times in half a century. It has survived storms, recessions and the kind of institutional forgetting that claims most small businesses within a decade And today, under its current owners, it is doing more than it has ever done.

The team behind aqua action

The current ownership trio brings a genuinely unlikely combination of backgrounds to a Caribbean dive shop. Captain Hunter...a USCG licensed captain and PADI Rescue Diver with 36 years of diving experience, spent three decades before St. Thomas as an architect and real estate developer, building properties for Disney, Marriott, MGM Resorts and Mandarin Oriental. His wife and co-owner Elena comes from concierge and travel consulting, with a sharp eye for retail that has shaped what the shop has become on the surface as much as below it.

Together they have called St Thomas home since 2016. The third owner is Captain Arnoldo and his story is the one that grounds everything else. He started his relationship with the ocean as a commercial and salvage diver in Patagonia, Argentina, then moved to St Thomas in 1976 to become a PADI instructor and boat captain. He has been diving these waters for nearly fifty years. He refers to himself as an ambassador of the Caribbean waters. It doesn't sound like a stretch.

Owner, Hunter Clayton grilling during lionfish and

Rounding out the crew: Jack, the Master Scuba Diver Trainer and General Manager, who found his love for diving in Colorado's alpine lakes. Ryan "Squid" Berry, Chief Dive Officer and globe-diving PADI and SSI award winner. Captain Gary rounds out the dive crew as a Senior Dive Master with great knowledge of all of our 40+ dive sites Captain Lenroy, born and raised on St. Thomas with the local water knowledge that no certification replaces. Chad keeps the beach operation running with the kind of quiet competence that makes everything else look easy, while Denise in the office makes sure everything goes smoothly and has been for 6 years!

what makes the vi special?

The water temperature runs 79 to 84 degrees yearround Visibility regularly exceeds 100 feet The islands sit on a geological shelf that keeps most dive sites between 35 and 60 feet...genuinely accessible at every experience level without sacrificing what you came to see. The reefs are healthy The marine life is abundant The current is minimal. And the wrecks are real. The signature sites tell that story well. The Ledges at Little St. James are nothing but spectacle underwater. Cow and Calf offers world-class swimthroughs and caves that work for beginners and seasoned divers alike.

Buck Island has multiple dive profiles including the Cartanza Señora...a wreck sitting at 40 feet in a calm bay, accessible to strong snorkelers and compelling to certified divers And Packet Rock holds lost artifacts from the HMS Warwick, a cargo ship that ran aground there in the 1800s, still resting undisturbed in the shallows of a Caribbean reef.

When guests are doing multiple dives, Aqua Action rotates sites deliberately. Every tank dive is unique. The same reef twice in a day is not something they do.

The State of the Reef

What has changed in these waters over the decades you've been diving them?

Lionfish are the most visible challenge. Native to the Pacific and introduced to the Atlantic and Caribbean through the aquarium trade, they have no natural predators here and consume reef fish populations with startling efficiency Aqua Action has built lionfish removal directly into the dive experience...guests can participate in spearing them, with instruction on safe practices and, if interested, guidance on how to clean and cook what they catch Conservation that tastes good On the coral side the picture is more encouraging. CEBA, CWORI and the University of the Virgin Islands all maintain active programs surveying, maintaining and outplanting corals across the USVI. The reef is not static It is being actively tended

If you have no experience...

What do you tell someone who has never been underwater with a tank?

Walk before you run. Start with a Discover Scuba Diving course in a calm bay...Secret Harbour, right outside the shop door, is as good an introduction to the underwater world as exists anywhere. Once you know you love it, move to certification. Don't skip steps to save time. The steps are the point. Be honest with your instructor about how you're feeling They are there to help And go slow diving is not a race. The faster you swim the faster you breathe through your tank and the less time you spend somewhere most people never get to see.

On responsible practices the message is equally direct: never dive alone, always dive with a buddy and leave only bubbles. Divers get to see places most people never will. The responsibility that comes with that access is to leave those places exactly as you found them.

BOOK A DIVE WITH AQUA ACTION

Aqua Action offers everything from Discover Scuba for first-timers to full certification courses, multi-dive excursions, lionfish and lobster hunting experiences, freediving, private charters, snorkeling, fishing and more — all departing right from Secret Harbour Beach.

Whether you're slipping on a mask for the first time or you've logged hundreds of dives, there's a trip on the water with your name on it.

online at aadivers.com or call (340) 775-6285

Walk into Aqua Action expecting a dive shop and you will find one. Walk in expecting only a dive shop and you will be surprised. The facility has expanded significantly under the current ownership...drying decks, gear setup tables, a green wall covered gazebo, updated scuba equipment, kayaks and paddleboards. Plus, the boutique carries local artist work, apparel, accessories and the sundries a travelling guest quietly needs without having to drive somewhere. Regulars have taken to calling it the convenience store on the beach. The team takes it as a compliment

The fleet runs three vessels. The Marianna is a newly spec'd custom dive boat built and delivered specifically for how Aqua Action runs dives. The Ocean Express is the two-decade workhorse that has earned its reputation the hard way. And Sugar's Tide...a 37-foot Boston Whaler freshly powered with triple V10s serves as the premium private charter for fishing, island hopping and snorkeling

One detail worth noting: Aqua Action also maintains and installs all the dive moorings around St. Thomas and St. John. They are not just using the infrastructure of USVI diving They are building it.

Not many businesses make it to fifty years anywhere. On a small Caribbean island, in an industry this weather-dependent and operationally complex, it is remarkable. The beach shack is long gone. What replaced it is still on the same beach, doing the same essential thing.

The ocean has been here a lot longer than we have. Aqua Action has spent fifty years making sure people actually get to see it.

I L 2 0 2 6

ST. THOMAS DINING GUIDE

No matter where you ’ re staying on island, we have you covered from sunrise to late night fun!

Northside

Northside Grind $

Breakfast, lunch, coffee and drinks! Open from 7am-3pm

Island View Steakhouse $$$

Killer views and a five star menu featuring filet, lobster and more.

Old Stone Farmhouse $$$

Fine dining, intimate setting and fantastic menu

Fish Bar $$$

Dinner on top of the world!

Gorgeous date night with fresh catch and craft cocktails

East End

Lattes in Paradise $

Coffee, breakfast and lunch overlooking the marina. Red Hook.

Sunset Grille

$$$

Beautiful sunset views, beachfront and high end menu at Secret Harbour

Iggie’s Beach Bar & Grill $$

Island favorite offering lunch, dinner and live music on the beachfront!

Three Palms $$$

New Orleans meets Caribbean overlooking the marina AYH

Pangea Terra Table $$$

A fairy tale setting with a fresh catch menu and beautiful views.

Sangria’s Beachside Bistro $$

Breakfast, lunch and dinner served beachfront with friendly vibes

XO Bistro $$

Lunch, dinner and intimate cocktail setting. Late night fun and local favorite Halloween parties this month!

Southside

Barefoot Buddha $

Coffee-shop, healthy breakfast bowls and more in Havensight

Cutlass & Cane $$$

Waterfront views of the marina with steaks, seafood and craft cocktails

Prime at Paradise Point $$$

One of the best sunsets on island with filet, lobster and cocktails.

Amalia Cafe

Spanish-Mediterranean in the heart of Palm Passage Intimate and tasty

Box Bar

Outdoor favorite in YHG with great drinks and live music Friendly staff

West End

Frenchtown Deli & Coffee $

Local favorite serving breakfast, lunch and dinner

Twisted Cork Cafe

Ultra fresh seafood, herbs and meats served in an intimate setting in Frenchtown

Petite Pump Room $$

Breakfast and lunch, local fare and great views of the harbour

Cuveé $$$

Waterfront setting with intimate vibe, excellent food perfect date night

Emerald Beach Resort

Multiple food options including beach bar and dinner vibes

Beachfront, casual dress.

The Westin St. Thomas

Easter Brunch Buffet for $75/pp, $15/bottomless mimosas

The Tuck Shop Downtown

Local Caribbean Brunch Buffett with saltfish, lamb, vegetables and drink specials.

Emerald Beach Resort

Easter Buffett at Caribbean Fusion and Egg Hunt on the beach. $65pp/adults, $35pp/kids.

Where to Stay STT

Stone Cottage Hideaway www.stonecottage-virginislands.com

West End

Mango Cove Villa www.mangocovevilla.com

Island View Guesthouse www.islandviewstthomas.com

Villa Milagro St. Thomas www.vrbo.com/1035172

Bella Fortuna www.airbnb.com/h/bellafortunastt

Cuvée, French Quarter Bistro University of Virgin Islands Botany Bay Stumpy Bay Water Island Ferry @Crown Bay

Southside

Frenchman’s Reef www.frenchmansreefstthomas.com

Limetree Beach Resort www.clubwyndham.com

Bluebeard’s St. Thomas www.bluebeards.com

Olga’s Fancy in Frenchtown www.olgasfancy.com

Getaway Girlfriend

Charlotte Amalie/Waterfront

Palm Passage VI

Havensight/Yacht Haven Grande

Cafe Amalia, Greenhouse, Virgilio’s

Skyride to Paradise Point

Children’s Museum/Pirate Museum

Bolongo Bay Resort & Restaurant

BE YOUR OWN CAPTAIN GOMOJO GOMOJO

from STT to STJ

PAWS FOR A CAUSE

BEACH WALKS FOR PUPS

Add meaning to your island getaway by spending time with the adoptable animals at the Humane Society of St. Thomas. Whether it’s a beachside dog walk, a quick cuddle or just some playful company; I’ve never seen anything put a smile on an animal’s face as quick as quality time..

Excursions & Activities

Ocean Surfari www oceansurfari com

Stormy Pirates www stormypirates com

EcoTours www.viecotours.com

Phoenix Charters www.charterphoenix.com

OceanRunner www oceanrunnerusvi com

Visit USVI and USVI Festivals

Aqua Marine Dive www.diveaquamarine.com

GoMojo Tender Rentals www gomojovi com

NOVA Luxury Charters www.novachartersvi.com

St. Thomas Historical Trust www.stthomashistoricaltrust.org

Restaurants & Bars

Northside Grind www.northsidegrind.com

Mim’s Seaside Bistro www mimsseaside com

Barefoot Buddha www barefootbuddhavi com

Sangria’s www.sangrasvi.com

Tarpon’s Table www tarponstable com

Fish Bar www.fishbarvi.com

The Shack at Hull Bay www.theshackhullbay.com

Oasis at Bolongo Bay www bolongobay com

Cutlass & Cane www.cutlassandcanevi.com

Cariga’s Island Cafe: Find Cariga’s on Facebook

Duffy’s Love Shack www duffysloveshack com

Island Time Pub: Find ITP on Facebook

Latte’s In Paradise www lattes vi Cuvée www cuveevi com

Bernie’s Bar & Grill: Follow on FB

Restaurants & Bars cont.

Lodging and Resorts

Salt Shack at Buoy Haus www frenchmansreef com

Mim’s Seaside Bistro www mimsseaside com

Box Bar www.boxbarvi.com

Prime at Paradise Point www.primeusvi.com

Oceana www oceanavi com

Emerald Beach Resort www.emeraldbeach.com

Two Tickets to Paradise Cottage www.twotickets.vi

Virgin View Villas www.virginviewvillas.com

Hideaway at Hull Bay www hideawayhullbay com

Stone Cottage Hideaway www.stonecottage-virgin-islands.com

Sapphire Beach Resort www.sbrmbookings.com

Secret Harbour Resort www secretharbourvi com

Ritz-Carlton St. Thomas www.ritzcarlton.com

Margaritaville St Thomas www margaritavilleresorts com

Belle Vie at Sapphire Beach www sunsweptvi com

Emerald Beach Resort www.emeraldbeach.com

Mango Cove Villa www mangocovevilla com

Island View Guesthouse www islandviewstthomas com

Villa Milagro St. Thomas www.vrbo.com/1035172

Bella Fortuna www.airbnb.com/h/bellafortunastt

Morningstar Buoy Haus at Frenchman’s Reef www frenchmansreef com

Bolongo Bay Beach Resort (All Inclusive) www.bolongobay.com

Bluebeard’s St. Thomas www.bluebeards.com

Olga’s Fancy www olgasfancy com

Frenchman’s Reef www frenchmansreefstthomas com

Limetree Resort www.clubwyndham.wyndhamdestinations.com

Villa Tryst Vacation Rental www searenaproperties com

Special thanks to our in house travel planner, Getaway Girlfriend. Complimentary services for those visiting the Virgin Islands www.getawaygirlfriend.com

• Best places to stay for summer deals

• on, in and near the water-activities

• sea turtle nesting season

• up close with island businesses

For information on St. Thomas Magazine, send inquiries to:

info@stthomasmagazine.com