USVI-On-Line

I was reading in this book that there are lemon and black tip sharks at ditliff point beach. They say the mom sharks use it as a nursery. Has anyone seen any there? I don't know about you guys, but I don't want to be seeing any lemon sharks up close!

Had shark sightings from time to time in various locations. Any of the mangrove areas will always serve as "nurseries" for all kinds of ocean species.

As long as you can see them, they can see you and I have never heard of any sharks (even the bigger ones) being aggressive. Just remember to get out of THEIR way if you can.

I think I would have a heart attack right then and there! No hanging around mangroves for me thanks!

For what it's worth, we snorkled in just about all of the diverse environments available on STJ last week, including mangroves, and didn't see a shark (and we'd like to have).

Don't let the remote chance of seeing a shark keep you out of the water!

Right on Augie!

Honestly, you have a greater risk of drowning than getting bitten by a shark.

Fear of drowning doesn't keep you from swimming does it?

We love swimming in the Mangroves. You get to see some of the most unusual creatures. It really is fun.

A friend of mine in the Audobon society, knowing that I loved to hike in the NorthEast, had said to me once if I saw one rattlesnake in my lifetime hiking I would be lucky. That same weekend my husband and I saw two on the trail in the hudson valley. Then we moved to Florida years later and saw another one on a trail we were hiking. Good side of it was that we're still here and it was kinda cool.

Well at least you won't have to worry about snakes on STJ

One phobia down!

I've seen smaller sharks when snorkeling before - pretty cool and they stayed away from us.

As far as the book, do they sell it at the dive shops on the island?

Naturegirl,

The sharks are on the other side of Ditliff Point in Fish Bay.It is an area where Lemon sharks come and have their young.Can make for some intense snorkeling.Not for the faint of heart.

Mike, do tell. Got any pictures or just tall (or long) stories, lol)!

Are you kidding?My wife has been trying to get me to snorkel there for years.No way.But then she also wants to hang glide too.Running up against a protective mamma shark does not interest me in the least.I might dive there someday when I have a little more protection with me.
This info comes from someone who has lived there a long time and I just chose to believe her.Check it out next time and report back.

neeners, St. John Spice has the book. So does the NPS center at the dock.

We've snorkeled at most spots on the island, and other than babies, I've never seen a shark on St. John (at least not one that John will confirm for me. I did see a nurse shark at Salt Pond a few years ago, but he did not see it so he insists it does not count as an "official" shark sighting. ).

Somebody on this forum (was it VickiH?) had a photo of a grown lemon shark they found at Waterlemon last year.

Thanks for the info, liamsaunt!