Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
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Trunk Bay
(St. John): The self-guided, 675-foot-long snorkeling trail here has large
underwater signs that identify species of coral and other marine life. Above water,
the beach's freshwater showers, changing rooms, equipment rentals, and lifeguards
make snorkeling downright convenient. See p. 130.
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Cane Bay
(St. Croix): One of the island's best diving and snorkeling sites is off this
breezy, north-shore beach. On a good day, you can swim out 450 feet to see the
Cane Bay Wall, which drops dramatically off to the deep waters below. Multicol-
ored fish, plus elkhorn and brain coral, flourish here. See p. 170.
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Buck Island
(off St. Croix): This tiny island, whose land and offshore waters
together are classified as a national monument, lies 2 miles off the north coast of
St. Croix. More than 250 recorded species of fish swim through its reef system. A
variety of sponges, corals, and crustaceans also inhabit the area. See p. 186.
THE
best
DIVE SITES
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Cow and Calf Rocks
(St. Thomas): This site, off the southeast end of St. Thomas
(about a 45-min. boat ride from Charlotte Amalie), is the island's best diving spot.
It's also a good bet for snorkeling. You'll discover a network of coral tunnels filled
with caves, reefs, and ancient boulders encrusted with coral. See p. 85.
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Frederiksted Pier
(St. Croix): Those in the know have designated this pier, located
in an old ramshackle town at the west end of St. Croix, the most interesting pier
dive in the Caribbean. Plunge into a world of exotic creatures, including sponges,
banded shrimp, plume worms, and sea horses. See p. 170.
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Buck Island
(off St. Croix): This is one of the major diving meccas in the Carib-
bean, with an underwater visibility of some 100 feet. There are labyrinths and
grottoes for more experienced divers, plus massive gardens of fiery coral inhabited
by black sea urchins, barracudas, stingrays, and other creatures. See p. 186.
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The Wreck of the HMS
Rhone
(off Salt Island): The
Rhone
wreck is the premier
dive site not only in the Virgin Islands, but also in the entire Caribbean. This royal
mail steamer, which went down in 1867, was featured in the murky film
The Deep.
See p. 216.
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Chikuzen
(off Tortola): Although it's not the
Rhone
(see above), this 269-foot steel-
hulled refrigerator ship, which sank off the island's east end in 1981, is one of the
British Virgin Islands' most fascinating dive sites. The hull—still intact under about
24m (79 ft.) of water—is now home to a vast array of tropical fish, including yel-
lowtail, barracuda, black-tip sharks, octopus, and drum fish. See p. 216.
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Alice in Wonderland
(Ginger Island, off Tortola): This brilliant coral wall, off the
shore of a tiny island, slopes from 12m (39 ft.) to a sandy bottom at 30m (98 ft.).
Divers often refer to the site as “a fantasy” because of its monstrous overhangs,
vibrant colors, gigantic mushroom-shaped corals, and wide variety of sea creatures—
everything from conch and garden eels to long-nose butterfly fish. See p. 216.
THE
best
NATURE WALKS
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The Annaberg Historic Trail
(St. John): This paved walk is only .25 miles long, but
it's a highlight of the 10,000-acre U.S. Virgin Islands National Park. The trail tra-
verses the ruins of what was once the most important sugar-cane plantation on the
island. Slaves' quarters, a windmill tower, and ballast-brick buildings are remnants
of a long-vanished era. Stunning views look toward Tortola, Great Thatch Island,
and Jost Van Dyke on the opposite side of Sir Francis Drake Passage. See p. 132.
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