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St. John · U.S. Virgin Islands · Pinnacle · Cave & cavern

Eagle Shoal

The Cathedral, an open coral chamber lit through a skylight

Eagle Shoal is a mound of coral on St. John's east end, between Ram Head and Leduck Island, that rises from deep water to within a couple of feet of the surface. It is rarely visited and lies outside the national park. Advanced divers go for The Cathedral, an open chamber with several entrances, and for the sharks and manta rays the open-ocean exposure brings.

Also known as Eagle Shoals.

Where it is and how deep

Depth profile of Eagle Shoal: typical dive to 15 m (to 50 ft) 18 m · Open Water30 m · Advanced40 m · Recreational limit15 mtypical dive
Depths on a shared scale to 40 m (130 ft); dashed lines mark common certification limits.

18.3041° N, 64.7036° WApproximate position — the dashed circle shows where the site lies; your operator's briefing has the mooring.

The dive

The shoal tops out a couple of feet below the surface, and the dive reaches about 15 m (50 ft). The main feature is The Cathedral, a large open chamber reached through multiple entryways, where streams of sunlight pour in from a skylight overhead. Because the shoal is exposed to the open ocean on all sides, it is one of the best places around St. John to see sharks and manta rays.

Marine life and season

  • Manta rays
Month-by-month season rating for Eagle Shoal
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

  • The prevailing south-east swells make this a tricky dive; the site is at its best when the seas are calm.

Dive videos

Adventures with LowKeyBob | Episode #2| Eagle Shoal! · St. John USVI on YouTube

Sources

  1. Virgin Islands National Park dive sites (NPS Submerged Resources) — National Park Service
  2. St. John Scuba Diving Experiences — US Virgin Islands tourism
  3. Scuba diving - St John Links — St John Links
  4. St John Scuba Diving - Saint John Island Guide — Saint John Island Guide

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