Buck Island, St. Croix

Imagine 100 ft. visibility and an average depth of 13 ft. while snorkeling one of only three underwater trails in the US – that is what Buck Island is all about. Buck Island has been a protected area since 1948 due to the fact that it is home to an amazing underwater ecosystem. It is a small island surrounded by an Elkhorn coral barrier reef and attracts over 250 species of fish, rays, sharks and sea turtles. The entire reef itself is 4,554 acres long and should be enough to keep any snorkeler busy for the majority of the day. In fact the underwater trail on the eastern part of the island, is marked with plaques describing the amazing coral structures and underwater life that is dependent on the coral. In 1961 President John F. Kennedy created the US National Monument on Buck Island that was later expanded in 2001 by President Bill Clinton. Today the majority of the National Monument lies underwater.

In addition to having a fantastic underwater setting, on the western end of the island is Turtle Beach. National Geographic considers Turtle Beach one of the most beautiful beaches in the world. Don’t be surprised if you see turtles on the beach from spring through summer. Leatherback turtles nest on the soft white sand in the spring followed by green and hawksbill turtles in the summer.

By Sebastien Tobler

Colliding Continents