Ditleff Point Snorkeling

[madness]

Hello all! We are visiting St. John soon, have been several times, but we have never snorkeled near Ditleff Point. I'm confused about the access, so I am asking the experts! Is there public access? I do have the books by Pam Gaffin and Gerald Singer, but I still want to hear from others. Thanks!

[shoemak38]

flickr changed photo posting
now it's working again

stairs by SHOEMAK38, on Flickr
if the gate is open drive to stairs

http://www.flickr.com/photos/27134057@N04/4363981272/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/27134057@N ... /lightbox/

this is beach, when you get in water go left
http://www.flickr.com/photos/27134057@N04/8078450684/

[madness]

Thanks! Those look like some pretty fancy stairs!

[Lindy]

If the gate is closed you can also get there by swimming from Klein Bay beach, but it's a pretty good haul from there. The snorkeling isn't bad though once you swim over so that you're going parallel to Ditleff. Klein is a rocky beach though so I usually will wear water shoes until the water is deep enough to take them off and change to my fins. I carry a mesh bag on my wrist to put my shoes in. It's also not in the park, so if I find any decent shells they can go into the bag too!

[Exit Zero]

You are not allowed to remove or collect shells ANYWHERE in the USVI not just NPS beaches.

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KEEP THE VIRGIN ISLANDS BEAUTIFUL!
Residents and visitors appreciate the Virgin Islands for a number of reasons, but the gorgeous beaches and stunning underwater ecosystems definitely rank at the top of our list of favorite things about St. Croix, St. Thomas, and St. John. That’s why it’s important that we all keep our marine life healthy and safe. The Virgin Islands Network of Environmental Educators (VINE) has launched a new awareness campaign called “Leave Paradise in its Place” to tackle the problems we face in protecting our delicate ecosystems.

IT’S THE LAW!
All native plants and animals of the USVI are protected under the Indigenous Species Act. It is illegal to take, catch, possess, injure, harass, or kill any native animal, or plant. All fish (unless harvested for food), coral, shells, and other marine life are protected. This means no one is allowed to leave the territory with shells, corals or any other marine life in their possession, or to mail them off-island.

WHY SHOULD WE LEAVE PARADISE IN ITS PLACE?
Pieces of coral that wash up on the shore today will break down and help form the sandy white beaches of tomorrow. Please, do not remove anything other than trash from the beach.

CORAL, SAND, AND SHELLS ARE NOT GOOD SOUVENIRS!
Did you know that in the past two years alone, more than 1 ton of sand, coral and shells removed from St. Croix beaches have been confiscated by customs agents at Henry E. Rohlsen airport from visitors wanting to bring a piece of paradise home with them? Our famed white sand beaches are beautiful places to relax and hang out, but they are also living organisms that play an important part in the balance of our ecosystem as a whole. Sandy beaches are made of coral and shelled organisms whose remains erode into sand particles. Shells also serve as homes for hermit crabs and other sea creatures. By leaving the treasures of the beach in their place, you will be helping to keep our beaches beautiful so they can be enjoyed for years to come.

And here is the Dept. of Planning and Natural Resources statement:

http://www.dpnr.gov.vi/userfiles/NatResBroBbk2.pdf

So please don't remove anything from our beaches except TRASH. Thanks.

[Lindy]

I stand corrected!

[KTinTX]

We stayed once on Ditleff point back in June 2012. Snorkeling was pretty good, but the south swell in the summer kept us from going anywhere near the point. Maybe winter is better? Saw lots of young reef fish in the shallows, some really large Southern rays in the grass, and one nurse shark as well as more needlefish than I've seen anywhere else on island.

[shoemak38]

jokesmay by SHOEMAK38, on Flickr

[EagleRayLover]

Snorkeled Klein last week Vav and Ditleff today which was great. You need the code to access Ditleff as the gate is closed the majority of the time now.

[madness]

After driving by the huge gate to Ditleff Pt 3 times (I was looking for something similar to the small chained gate in an older version of 'Off the Beaten Path'), we went in from Klein bay and swam over. It is a long swim, but a great snorkel. We did see an eagle ray. I think the lovely stairs are on the other side of the gate! Thanks again

[toes in the sand]

Thanks for the report madness.

[EagleRayLover]

Glad you saw an eagle!!! It's a beautiful snorkel, long as you mentioned, when entering from Klein but Klein in itself has a lot to offer!!