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St. John · U.S. Virgin Islands · Wall · Reef

Congo Cay

Plate corals below the wall off the south-eastern tip of Congo Point

Congo Cay is an islet about half a mile outside the Virgin Islands National Park boundary off St. John. Its inside western edge has lush reef in shallow water, while the south-eastern tip of Congo Point drops as a wall into heavy coral growth. Divers come for the plate corals on the deeper section and for eagle rays passing in the blue.

Also known as Congo Point.

Where it is and how deep

Depth profile of Congo Cay: typical dive 6–27 m (20–90 ft) 18 m · Open Water30 m · Advanced40 m · Recreational limit6 m27 mtypical dive
Depths on a shared scale to 40 m (130 ft); dashed lines mark common certification limits.

18.3679° N, 64.8026° WApproximate position — the dashed circle shows where the site lies; your operator's briefing has the mooring.

The dive

Two routes share the cay. Along the inside western portion, lush reef sits between 6 and 11 m (20 and 35 ft), the gentler option on the island. Off the south-eastern tip of Congo Point the rock falls as a wall-like drop from the surface to about 11 m (35 ft); below that, heavy coral growth with large plate corals carries on to 27 m (90 ft). A squadron of spotted eagle rays has been seen winging by out in the blue off the point.

Marine life and season

  • Eagle rays
Month-by-month season rating for Congo Cay
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
GoodGoodPrimePrimeGoodGoodFairFairFairFairFairGood

Season follows St. John: Diving is good any time of year; tarpon school at Carval Rock in spring and early summer, and May to November is the rainy season.

Know before you go

  • Tidal currents run along the western end, around Congo Point and along the inside edge of the cay.

Dive videos

Scuba Diving @ Congo Cay St. John USVI · Ryan Mackie on YouTube

Patagon - Diving with tarpon off Congo Cay · Patagon Dive Center on YouTube

Sources

  1. Virgin Islands National Park dive sites (NPS Submerged Resources) — National Park Service

More dive sites in St. John

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