Buck Island Reef National Monument

Buck Island Reef National Monument is primarily an underwater park featuring the coral reef surrounding much of Buck Island. The island itself is part of the Monument, but to get there you either need your own boat or ride with one of the Park Service vendors offering trips to the island. We chose the latter.

Our trip offered a snorkeling experience at the reef, though beforehand, it stopped at a beach on the western side of the island where we could walk a bit on the island and try out snorkeling. I discovered that snorkeling and I did not get along, so I passed on the actual reef snorkeling. I still enjoyed the boat ride, the great weather, the great scenery, and the barbeque lunch we received before heading back to town.

Coral reefs around the world are struggling to survive right now. The reef at Buck Island is no exception. As it is truly “living rock”, it is suffering an infection that is killing it. The Park Service is actually providing medicine to the reef to try and combat the infection. The hardest part is telling the reef to take two pills and call them in the morning. Time will tell if their efforts are successful.

I’d love to have more time to spend on Buck Island as a few trails lead to supposedly excellent views. Such a trip, though, would require a boat of my own or a rental for the day. Plus, another flight to the islands. I certainly would not object to that last requirement, I just don’t know if I will have the opportunity to make a return trip someday.

After our return to Christiansted, we made another try for literature and Passport stamps for the three park units on this island. After asking a park employee doing some maintenance at the fort, we found someone in the administration building across the street (the door was locked but he told us to just knock). We were able to get all three stamps and brochures, too.

I hope someday that the Park Service is able to give these three parks the attention they deserve. Clearly, Buck Island is popular given the number of tours there each day (and ours was full) not to mention the many small boats moored off the beach. The fort at Christiansted had a small but steady stream of visitors – more than I saw at a few stateside units. Salt River Bay suffers from being distant from the city (by only a few miles) without an active visitor station or even access to the park lands.

Perhaps if they get Salt River Bay’s visitor center open I will use it as an excuse to return to St. Croix! For now, we will enjoy an “off day” to wander the town before heading to St. Thomas on the way to Virgin Island National Park on St. John.

Steve