Snorkeling with sergeant majors under Frederiksted Pier in St. Croix

Frederiksted Pier Snorkeling Guide [Rated + Reviewed]

by Nichole | Last updated Aug 16, 2025 | St. Croix, Best Snorkeling Caribbean

My husband and I have snorkeled in some incredible places around the world, from the Maldives and Rangiroa to Indonesia and Bonaire, so trust us when we say Frederiksted Pier is easily our favorite snorkel spot in St. Croix. It’s become one of our must-do activities anytime we’re on the island.

If you’ve never snorkeled around a pier before, it’s a totally different vibe. Part eerie, part magical, and lots of marine life. Here’s our firsthand scoop on how to find the pier, the best snorkel areas, and the amazing sea creatures you might encounter.

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Table of Contents

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St. Croix Snorkeling Rating System

My husband and I explore the world, always searching for snorkeling spots that really stand out including Frederiksted Pier. Then we rate them.

Please see the rating key below.

OVERALL SNORKEL RATING KEY

🤿 🤿 🤿 🤿 🤿 = World-class snorkeling and worth traveling just for the snorkeling alone!

🤿 🤿 🤿 🤿 = Incredible snorkeling and should be on your list of top things to do!

🤿 🤿 🤿 = Decent snorkeling and worth the effort!

🤿 🤿 = Worth consideration if you are running out of things to do!

🤿 = Not worth it!

As serious snorkeling fans, we made it our mission to hit all the best spots in St. Croix.

These 5 snorkeling sites made the cut and deserve a spot on your list.

Snorkeling Map of St. Croix USVI

Frederiksted Pier Snorkeling

Beautifully coral coated pylon at Frederiksted Pier St Croix USVI

Beautiful coral coated pylon at Frederiksted Pier in St. Croix USVI

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Rating: 🤿 🤿 🤿 🤿

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How to Get There

You’ll find Frederiksted Pier right in the heart of Frederiksted town, just off Strand Street on the island’s west side.

There are plenty of parking spaces along the street. We parked near Polly’s At the Pier and took a quick, easy stroll over.

One tip from our experience: car break-ins can happen, so use common sense and avoid leaving valuables in your vehicle.

Parking at Frederiksted Pier in St Croix USVI

There are plenty of parking spaces along the boardwalk next to Frederiksted Pier.

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Snorkeling Map

Snorkeling map of Frederiksted Pier in St. Croix USVI

The 1,526-foot Frederiksted Pier is one of the coolest and most unique places my husband and I have snorkeled, and we’ve snorkeled a lot! It quickly became our top pick out of all the snorkeling sites we visited in St. Croix.

Navigating the area is super easy: just snorkel along the pier between the pylons, exploring as you go.

If you have extra time, head to the left side (facing the pier) along the rocky shoreline.

Check the snorkeling map above to see exactly where.

Make sure to bring your own snorkeling gear!

After years of testing gear in reefs worldwide, here’s the exact snorkeling equipment my husband and I swear by on every single trip.

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Entry

Getting into the water was a bit tricky for us since the main entrance to Frederiksted Pier was closed during our visit.

Normally, if the entrance is open, your best bet is to enter from the small sandy beach just to the left of the pier, accessible via a short staircase off the sidewalk.

Since that option was blocked off, we ended up walking around to the right side of the pier and carefully entering from the rocky area instead. It wasn’t ideal, but doable.

Just watch your step!

Frederiksted Pier Snorkeling Entry Point

We walked to the right of the pier along the path.

Snorkeling Entry Point at Frederiksted Pier St Croix USVI

And then walked along the rocks until we found the best entry point.

This is not ideal. The rocks were slippery and a little challenging to navigate! Always watch out for sea urchins.

We wore dive booties with our open-heel snorkeling fins.

Alternatively, you could jump off the Pier at designated areas that have ladders.

As you can see from the photo below, those ladders would be tough to climb back up with snorkeling gear with all the slippery barnacles.

I passed on that option.

My preference was to slip into the water.

Ladder up Frederiksted Pier St Croix USVI

Ladder at the Frederiksted Pier (see all the barnacles?)

Do not snorkel when there are cruise ships or a bunch of boats. They may not see you. Safety first!

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St. Croix Fish Sightings

We spotted plenty of colorful marine life, especially blue tang and sergeant majors darting all around us.

The concrete pylons themselves were vibrant, covered in bright red, orange, and yellow corals, sponges, and tiny brittle stars. All of our underwater photos were captured with my go-to underwater camera.

The pier area is known for seahorses and even the occasional eagle ray, though we didn’t have luck spotting either on our visit.

However, we did see a turtle, a barracuda cruising by, an incredible bait ball, a large school of blue tang, and a huge shoal of squid hanging out to the left side of the pier as you face the water.

If you’re a diver, you might also come across octopus, batfish, scorpionfish, eels, and lobster here, and from what we heard, the night dives under the pier are pretty epic.

Snorkeling with sergeant majors at Frederiksted Pier

Snorkeling with a school of blue tang at Frederiksted Pier

Bait ball at Frederiksted Pier St Croix USVI

Bait ball at Frederiksted Pier in St. Croix USVI

Decorator crab at Frederiksted Pier

Snorkeling with multiple squid at Frederiksted Pier

Final Thoughts

We loved Frederiksted Pier!

I was amazed by the brightly-colored coral all stuck to the pylons. Keep your eyes peeled because you never know what sea creature you might find like a decorator crab, seahorse, or even an octopus.

If you are looking for additional easy snorkeling sites, check out nearby Dorsch Beach.

And if you love turtles, head over to Cane Bay (my favorite place to stay in St. Croix!).

Another fantastic pier snorkeling experience in the Caribbean is Salt Pier in Bonaire.

Happy snorkeling!

I’m Nichole, the author of all the blog posts on Enriching Pursuits. Think of me as your geeky discerning travel friend who dives deep (Google Page 20, forums, travel groups deep!) to uncover the best ways to enjoy exceptional outdoor adventures and foodie experiences.

My husband and I are experienced snorkelers, day hikers, and casual cyclists who also love delicious street food, an incredible glass of wine, and the occasional Michelin-starred meal.

Balancing full-time careers, we cherish every second of our vacation days and love sharing tips to help you do the same. If this sounds like your kind of travel, subscribe below or drop me a note with any questions. I’d love to hear from you!