St. Croix · U.S. Virgin Islands · Reef · Coral garden
Buck Island
One of only three marked underwater trails in the United States
Photo: Jaro Nemčok · CC BY-SA 3.0
Two thirds of Buck Island is ringed by an elkhorn coral barrier reef holding over 250 fish species, and a marked underwater trail runs off the eastern tip — one of only three in the United States. The island has been protected since 1948, and visits are run by authorised concessioners or under a National Park Service permit.
Also known as Buck Island Reef National Monument.
Where it is and how deep
17.7869° N, 64.6192° WPublished position for this site.
The dive
The reef is the reason to come. An elkhorn coral barrier reef wraps two thirds of the island and supports over 250 fish species, and on the eastern tip the National Park Service maintains a marked underwater trail — one of only three underwater trails in the country. Guides take six visitors at a time along it, the water in the grottoes is no more than 4 m (12 ft) deep, and the trail is closed from sunset to sunrise.
Scuba is allowed in the monument only at two designated moorings, where 30 to 40 foot (up to 12 m) dives run through haystack formations of elkhorn coral. Beyond the reef fish, the monument holds spotted eagle rays, nurse sharks and lemon sharks, and juvenile blacktip and whitetip reef sharks use the shallows around the coral. Turtles come ashore to nest on the beach: endangered leatherbacks in spring, greens and hawksbills through the summer.
Access is managed throughout. You come with an authorised concessioner on a guided tour, or under a National Park Service permit if you arrive on a private vessel carrying no paying customers. Visitors are asked to wear non-toxic reef-safe sunscreen or a rash guard in the water, and snorkellers to stay in front of moored boats and always to swim with a buddy.
Background
The U.S. Government first protected Buck Island in 1948, with the stated intention of preserving "one of the finest marine gardens in the Caribbean Sea". John F. Kennedy made it a National Monument in 1961, and Bill Clinton greatly expanded it in 2001, over the opposition of local fishermen. It is managed as a strict nature reserve, and access is controlled through concessioners and permits.
Marine life and season
- Reef sharks
- Lemon sharks
- Eagle rays
- Sea turtles
- Reef fish swarms
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Good | Good | Fair | Fair | Fair | Good | Prime |
Season follows St. Croix: Nov–Jun is calmest and clearest; Aug–Oct is hurricane season, though the pier and shore walls stay divable in most weather.
Photos from Buck Island
SNORKELINGDIVES.COM · CC BY 2.0
SNORKELINGDIVES.COM · CC BY 2.0
NPS staff · Public domain
Dive videos
Scuba Diving in the Virgin Islands | Buck Island · Salty Locs on YouTube
SCUBA Dive Buck Island Reef, St. Croix · peanutstx on YouTube
Questions divers ask
Do you need a permit to dive Buck Island?+
The National Park Service requires all visitors either to use an authorised concessioner running guided tours, or to hold a permit if they arrive on a private vessel without paying customers. Scuba is allowed only at two designated moorings inside the monument.
How deep is the diving at Buck Island?+
Shallow. The Park Service describes 30 to 40 foot (up to 12 m) dives through haystack formations of elkhorn coral at the two designated scuba moorings, roughly 9 to 12 m, and the water in the snorkel-trail grottoes is no more than 4 m (12 ft) deep.
Sources
- Buck Island Reef National Monument — Wikipedia
- Buck Island Reef National Monument — Outdoor Activities — National Park Service
Photo credits
- A stoplight parrotfish grazing on coral at Buck Island Reef by Jaro Nemčok, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- A dense school of blue tang gathered along the reef at Buck Island by SNORKELINGDIVES.COM, CC BY 2.0, via Openverse
- A queen angelfish and blue tang tucked among coral heads at Buck Island by SNORKELINGDIVES.COM, CC BY 2.0, via Openverse
- Reef fish weaving through a black coral sea fan at Buck Island Reef National Monument by NPS staff, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
In The Logbook
- Where to see reef sharks on your first divesBig animals · 14 min read
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