Shark Week Host Kinga Philipps Dives into St. Croix

5 Epic Days of Adventure and Ocean Conservation

When your friend is an Emmy-winning journalist, an inducted member of the exclusive “Explorers Club“, Shark Week host, and all-around badass adventurer who’s got a few days between shoots, you make room in your calendar!

In late February 2025, my friend Kinga Philipps messaged that she had a break between filming in the Bahamas and a USVI Tourism hosted dive trip, it was a no-brainer — she was heading to St. Croix to meet up with me for five days of shark diving, reef exploration, and island adventures.

And if you’re thinking, “Wait, isn’t Kinga the one I’ve seen wrangling sharks on Discovery Channel?” — yes, that’s the one! We first met a decade ago when she came to film REAL: St Croix for Travel Channel, and I had the exciting role as Associate Producer. Since then, we’ve shared a love for ocean and animal conservation, nerdy science and history, storytelling, and global travel. This time, we packed as much St. Croix magic into five days as humanly (and marinely?) possible.

Here’s a recap of what we coined “Kinga & Cindy’s Excellent Adventure” ala Bill & Ted but make it sharks (without the time travel).

Welcome to St Croix

Kinga’s JetBlue flight from Fort Lauderdale landed just after sunset. She had been diving with sharks in the Bahamas, visiting friends in Florida, and then traveling. So, we settled her into her historic accommodations at Chateau Mount St Mary, a stunning vacation bungalow perched just a block from my home in downtown Christiansted. That night was all about reconnecting, watching the stars come out, and planning our adventure of epic dives, nature excursions, and St. Croix’s best eats.

Day 1: Coral Reefs, Sea Turtles & Glowing Waters

We kicked things off with a Half-Day Snorkel Tour to Buck Island with Caribbean Sea Adventures. Our first stop was the white sands of Turtle Beach on the Western side of Buck Island to explore. Then it was a short motor over to the East side coral reef alive with parrotfish, rays, and the occasional sea turtle cruising through the iconic underwater trail.

We worked up an appetite with our snorkel excursion, so a quick lunch was in order with scenic views of Christiansted Harbor.

After lunch at BrewSTX on the Christiansted Boardwalk, we headed to the The Nature Conservancy Estate Little Princesse Coral Lab for a private tour with marine biologist Macallan Durkin-Smith. As conservationists and ocean advocates, we were both so excited to learn more about the lab. We had the honor of diving the first coral out plantings off of Cane Bay 10 years prior with marine scientist and St Croix native, Kemit-Amon Lewis, during filming for REAL: St Croix. It was thrilling to learn about continuing efforts and more groundbreaking coral restoration happening right here on our island. Mac is also a tiger shark lover, like Kinga, so there was a lot to chat about. In fact, in 2021, Kinga became the first female host of Shark Week in 33 years with her first Discovery SHARK WEEK show —Tiger Queen.

To cap the day, we kayaked through the glowing waters of Salt River Bay’s Bioluminescent Bay with the amazing folks at Sea-Thru Kayaks. We waved our hands in the water to churn up the glow, watched bio-illuminated fish swim by, and even got to touch a harmless comb jellyfish to see it light up. Paddling through shimmering trails of dinoflagellates was like floating through a sea of stardust. Our favorite part was paddling really fast across the bay in our sea-thru kayak and looking down at our feet, which made the bioluminescence look like a scene from Star Wars. Magical!

Day 2: Real-Life Shark Week

For Kinga’s second full day, we dove headfirst (literally) with a 2-tank boat dive with SCUBA off Salt River, where blacktip reef sharks glided past us like ghostly torpedoes. SCUBA aka St Croix Ultimate Bluewater Adventures is one of several PADI 5-Star Dive Centers on the island.

But nothing could prepare us for what came next …

… strange things were afoot offshore.

While we were on the dive boat after finishing our second dive, I checked my phone and had a message from our new friend Macallan. She shared a Facebook video that had just been posted of a dead humpback whale floating just a few miles from our location. I had a hunch that it had been spotted by my friend, professional fisherman, Captain Ryan Higby while he was out on a morning deep-sea fishing charter for Lioness Sportfishing. That hunch was right.

As we came into Christiansted Harbor, we learned that Lioness had motored in just before us. So, I suggested to Kinga that we walk over and chat with Ryan about what he saw. Because with dead whales come – feeding sharks – and there was what looked like a tiger shark feeding on the whale in the video.

We made our way over to their dock, and as luck would have it, they were going back out with friends and family. So, we were invited to join the gang on a private expedition and stumbled upon that once-in-a-lifetime sight: a dead humpback whale floating offshore.

Over the next few hours, we observed an estimated 30+ Tiger Sharks, a Blue Shark, and even an Oceanic White Tip Shark feeding in the open water. It was a raw, humbling, thrilling, and awe-inspiring display of nature. The circle of life. It was quite literally like being in our own episode of Shark Week. Joining us on board were underwater videographer and diver Jerry Merten, Kinga, Macallan, Captain Ryan Higby with his wife, and animal advocate Jennifer Olah of Cruzan Cowgirls . Also aboard were a few other seasoned sport fishermen, friends, and family.

Even for Kinga, who’s spent her career highlighting shark conservation around the world, this was a dream (and documentary) moment.

As we finally departed and made our way back to St Croix, we all said prayers of thanks to the sacrifice of the humpback whale. Because, while we were all thrilled to have witnessed the natural cycle of life in the ocean, we simultaneously mourned the loss of the whale.

It was impossible to know the cause of death as it had been dead for what appeared to be several days (at times the smell was overwhelming), though we theorized based on some visible evidence that it could have been attacked by a transient pod of killer whales that had been seen offshore sporadically. We guestimated based on its size that it was likely a juvenile whale, and it was the tail-end of Humpback Whale migration season.

Important Note: As this was a last-minute, happenstance outing that we had not prepared for with gear and professional safety divers – NO ONE got into the water. All underwater photos and videos were taken with pole cameras! It would have been completely unsafe and extremely dangerous for anyone to have gotten into the rough waters with so many feeding sharks.

That evening, we decompressed with a little wine tasting at St Croix Cellars and an incredible multi-course tasting dinner at 1756 Grotto, hosted by celebrity chef Stephen Coe.

Captain Ryan and Jennifer joined us for the feast. Jennifer got to know Kinga 10 years ago as well, when she was a part of the REAL episode, taking Kinga horseback riding in the ocean. It was the perfect opportunity for the four of us to relive the adventure we had just been on. We dined on the freshest local fish (Ryan supplies the restaurant with fresh catch), the most amazing gluten-free conch fritters and ceviche, house-made pasta, filet, and delicious craft cocktails. Sharing it all with unforgettable company made for the perfect close to an extraordinary day.

Day 3: North Shore Dive Day + Beach Bliss

Next up: Another 2-tank dive, this time with Cane Bay Dive Shop along St. Croix’s Northshore. The conditions on the Northshore were still sporty with some sizeable offshore swell, but the boat was comfortable and the ride from their Columbus Cove launch was shorter to the dive sites.

We explored the legendary Rust Op Twist offshore reefs and the stunning walls of Salt River Canyon, where reef sharks once again made an appearance. Each dive was followed by delicious fresh pineapple and homemade cookies!

After diving, we headed to Sandy Point National Wildlife Refuge, a pristine beach where we reenacted the final scene from Shawshank Redemption (because, why not?) and soaked in the dreamy blue Caribbean Sea. Sandy Point is only open from September through March (we caught the very last day!) on the weekends. It is a critical nesting habitat for the leatherback sea turtle, and it is theirs through the summer months.

As Sandy Point wrapped up for the season at 4 pm, Kinga and I (both professional beach bums) dusted off at the car and made ourselves presentable for our next adventure. A perfectly blissful and relaxing sunset sail aboard Lyric Sails while being serenaded by island favorite, Steve Katz. Think sunset skies as pink and sweet as the rum punch. This is an island must-do. Be sure to subscribe to my weekly St Croix Calendar email to find out more.

After the perfect sail, Dinner was a real treat at 69 Restaurant in Frederiksted, featuring a fully gluten-free menu that had both Kinga and me singing its praises. I’ve been gluten-free for the past decade – you can find my list of gluten-free friendly restaurants in our St Croix Restaurant Guide.

Day 4: Wrecks, Drift Dives & Pizza

Another day of Adventure! We started the day with a hike out to Jack & Isaac’s Bay, one of St. Croix’s hidden gems, followed by another 2-tank dive with Cane Bay Dive Shop.

This time, we left from the Frederiksted Pier to drop into some calmer waters. Here we experienced two unforgettable dives:

• Armageddon: a dramatic deep wreck dive among the ruins of the old Frederiksted Pier. You’ll often find Caribbean Reef Sharks out here, and we did!
• Cables: a relaxing drift near Butler Bay that featured so many vibrant tropical fish along the way.

By the time we were done, we were chilly (it was a bit overcast with some drizzle). So, we wrapped the evening with gluten-free pizza and craft seltzer at Leatherback Brewery, swapping stories and already plotting our next adventures.

Kinga was headed off the next morning to St Thomas to join up with the USVI Tourism Dive Trip. But, it wasn’t yet goodbye! She would be back to dive on Thursday.

Day 5: Saying Goodbye with a Splash

I got to spend Kinga’s last full day with the group as she wrapped up her time on St. Croix. We did one last 2-tank boat dive with Cane Bay Dive Shop. Our first dive was at one of my favorite sites off Sandy Point. Unfortunately, my ears were bothering me on that dive, so it would be my last for the week.

We grabbed lunch with the group at Rhythms at Rainbow Beach (where I took her for lunch the day she arrived on her first trip 10 years ago!)

Our final dinner was with USVI Tourism at the iconic Savant in downtown Christiansted, one of my all-time favorite restaurants — the perfect sendoff after a week that was equal parts adventure, advocacy, and island bliss.

Why St. Croix?

St. Croix offers world-class diving, untouched beaches, and one of the most vibrant marine ecosystems in the Caribbean.

It’s a haven for ocean lovers, conservationists, and curious explorers, just ask my friend Kinga. From tiger sharks to coral nurseries, from private chef tastings to underwater shipwrecks, this island continues to surprise even the most seasoned travelers.

Don’t take my word for it … Watch Kinga’s recap of her trip on KTLA’s “Travel Tuesday” segment below!

Ready to plan your own Excellent Adventure?

If you’re planning your own scuba adventure — or want to follow in Kinga’s (flippered) footsteps — check out our Places to Stay Guide, Things to Do Guide, St Croix Restaurant Guide, and sign up for our newsletter to stay in the know.

Epilogue: The Best Part?

We laid some groundwork for another exciting reason for her to return to St Croix in the not-so-distant future. Stay tuned!

In the meantime, don’t miss Kinga on three Discovery Channel Shark Week 2025 shows this year:

• Dancing with Sharks – Sunday, July 20 at 8 PM EST
• Caught! Sharks Strike Back – Thursday, July 24 at 9 PM EST
• Attack of the Devil Shark – Saturday, July 26 at 8 PM EST

Quick Trip Recap: Who We Recommend

These are the local St Croix businesses that made our Adventure most Excellent!