buck island cove

Best snorkeling ever with the BlackBeard snorkel company out of Christiansted to Buck Island. Rough waters made it a bit of a challenge, but the underwater and above the water scenery was spectacular.The crew was professional and helpful.

Its a must do but we were not impressed. We were expecting a lot more sea life. Not much to see while snorkeling. Maybe we went on a bad day

We used Caribbean Sea Adventures and loved the crew and the snorkeling. Buck island is beautiful , the water is green.

since hurricane Hugo, the island isn't the same in terms of looking at the reef. You can either book a half day without lunch (a hot dog) or a half day....go with the half day

Buck Island in St. Croix has a very nice Caribbean beach called Turtle Beach and a reef for snorkeling at a short boat ride. The beach is fantastic, with fine sand, calm, clear water and a few fishes swimming at shore.On the beach there is a hiking path but we were told that it has an overgrowth of plants with spikes that apparently the US National Park Services does not service well. I was told that they do not even clean the signs once posted underwater to explain marine life, so they are unreadable.Regarding snorkeling, though they say there are about 250 kinds of fishes, good luck to you if you see many. the water can be a bit rough and you need to be careful not to get hurt with coral in some areas.Unless you have your own boat, only 6 companies have a license to go to Buck Island. They mostly do the same thing, either half day mornings or afternoons for about $75.00 per person for 3 hours or what they call the full day which is only 5 hours for $95.00, no drinks, no food, or $105.00 with Big Beards that also stops at Coakley Bay beach on St. Croix and includes a late lunch with grilled hot dogs, hamburgers and Mahi fish. Big Beards leaves from the main dock at the boardwalk in Christiansted, Caribbean Sea Adventures is also in Christianested but near the King Christian hotel, in King's Wharf. Jolly Rogers leaves from the Harbour. Dragonfly and Teroro II instead are in Green Cay Marina, a bit east of town and then more east there is LLewellin at the Yacht Club. They all spend around 1 hour at the Buck Island beach, which is not fair because it is beautiful. Some of them also do private charters if you have 6 people (Llewellin, $75 per person, cash only), 9 people with Caribbean Sea for about $73 per person, 20 people with Big Beards ...You may like to know that if you care to go to Buck island just for the beach and spend a few hours there, Caribbean Sea Adventures does it only on Sundays for $25.00, but it is not advertised and you have to know and ask for it. The island government has not yet offered any public boat ride to Buck Island, though Americans pay taxes for that National Marine Park. So even if there is no fee to enter, it is expensive to get there and be able to enterThere are no facilities. Bring a waterproof bag if you do not want to leave your walled on the boat because the water can go up to your chest at shore. They do not tell you that when you make the reservation for the boat.If you need a ride to the dock to take the boat tour from where you stay or to go anywhere else, I recommend you call Warren at his cell 340-626-2767. He is the best driver you can find in ST. Croix, courteous, reliable and fair. He is licensed and he has a nice, clean van.

Some great snorkeling and sandy white beaches go for at least a half day tour. we used Big Beard's Adventure Tours and they were great.

Sandy, soft and beautifully breathtaking. Just swim, relax and enjoy. A world of it's own and one of a kind in it's beauty. A natural habitat for Sea turtles, birds and lots more. You deserve a tour of this island and especially the underwater trail with all kinds of cool coral, colorful fish, crustaceans and the occasional nurse shark, sea turtle or barracuda. A winner and a National Monument!

Took the big beards half day trip to buck island for snorkeling. Beautiful clear turquoise water. Saw fish and coral I've never seen before. Well organized. Great time.

What a great experience! We left Christenstad Harbor on one of Big Beard's Adventure Catamarans, with about 30 people aboard. The crew of 4 was very helpful, as some had never been snorkeling before. I recommend this Adventure highly.

So much hype to visit Isaac and Jacks Bays but not as great as everyone made it out to be. Makes for an interesting hike but make sure you have a backpack and plenty of water.

My most beautiful day in St. Croix, and by far the best beach I visited on the island. I was there in September 2014, not too crowded, the water was so clear and beautiful, it was a PERFECT beach day. The snorkeling off of this beach is not great, but it is idyllic for lounging in the sand and enjoying a great view.I would go on a day that there are no cruise ships coming in, because the cruise ship people frequently visit this beach so it can get crowded.There is also a great bar/restaurant across the street for easy access to food and drinks.

After so much hype about this being the #1 thing to do on St. Croix, we were very disappointed in the snorkeling. It was so choppy, the visibility was terrible, and Big Beard's really should not have taken people out that day. My partner and I were the only 2 people able to stay in the water the entire hour we were there, and most of our party didn't last 5 minutes. The coral is very disappointing; told that Hurricane Hugo (1989) moved the reef in 90 feet, and it is just a massive pile of dead coral. Very sad. Much better snorkeling on the West End beaches.

I will never forget Buck Island. The water is a gorgeous turquoise you'll have to see for yourself. Good snorkeling. It is so well protected, the sand is like powder and you kind of just sink into the sand and water. Unforgettable day trip here and hope to return again one day.

When the tour boat takes you out, they will first stop at the calm side, great for swimming but nothing to see while snorkeling. When you are moved to the other site, the water is choppy and there is no beach. The Natl Park requires snorkelers to wear a light weight buoyancy jacket which will comfortably keep you afloat. I didn't go into the choppy surf but my husband did. He said it was the best snorkeling he's experienced because he saw a lot of fish, a lobster, and beautiful coral. Another guest said that he saw a squid. The waters around the island are protected national park territory. Have fun!

Went there for a half day of snorkeling ...a sudden rain made the trip a fiasco...the reef variety is poor compared to Red Sea snorkeling ( Egyptian Red Sea resorts) Recommend using sail boat instead of Moyer boats. Sailing itself may be better than snorkeling.