Cow and Calf Ledge
Dive site
A pair of coral-encrusted pinnacles on the south St Croix shelf — the Cow rising to 12 metres, the Calf a smaller companion at 18 metres — ringed by ledges that nurse sharks treat as permanent home territory. Up to a dozen nurse sharks rest under the overhangs on any given dive. The surrounding rubble and hard bottom host spotted drums, golden coney, and schooling Creole wrasse in the thousands. Currents are generally mild here, making it accessible for intermediate divers comfortable in open water.
Conditions
Depth
12 to 25 m
Open water and up
Current
Variable
Can pick up on the edge
Visibility
12 to 20 m
Clearest in the calm season
Water
25 to 30°C
Shorty wetsuit
Month by month
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water (°C) | 25 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 29 | 29 | 28 | 27 | 26 |
| Vis (m) | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 12 | 12 | 10 | 10 | 12 | 15 | 15 |
| Current | Gentle | Gentle | Gentle | Gentle | calm | calm | calm | calm | Gentle | Gentle | Gentle | Gentle |
Your chances of seeing each animal
Nurse shark
Photo: Rafael de la Parra · CC BY-NC
Sometimes
About 1 in 3 dives
Spotted drum
Sometimes
About 1 in 3 dives
Creole wrasse
Sometimes
About 1 in 3 dives
Golden coney
Sometimes
About 1 in 3 dives
Field journal
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