Anchorage· Buck Island (St Croix)· Virgin Islands (BVI, USVI and Spanish Virgins)
Buck Island Lagoon Moorings
17° 47.4′ N · 64° 36.8′ W
Day moorings inside the barrier reef at Buck Island's east end, the jumping-off point for the underwater trail. The water inside the reef is shallow and gin-clear over sand and coral patches.
Practical
Coordinate is the NPS 'Boat Cut Mooring' in the Superintendent's Compendium, Appendix A (17.789808 N, 64.613514 W). Rules: no anchoring in the lagoon or Marine Garden, moorings only, one boat per mooring, no rafting; vessels 42 ft (12.8 m) and over may not enter the lagoon; do not set an anchor while on an NPS mooring; vacate NPS moorings if winds of 40 mph or more are forecast; never modify a mooring. Day use only, 7 am to 5 pm. Snorkel along the reef crest and patch reefs, not in the boat channel, and stay well ahead of moored boats; fly a dive flag. The approach through the reef is shallow with coral heads: go in good overhead light with a bow lookout. Earlier NPS guidance asked private boats to get a permit for the lagoon moorings: confirm current requirements with the park (340-773-1460).
Best for
Mooring right at the snorkel trail
Season
Year-round day use; best on calm mornings before the concession boats arrive
Nearby
- Buck Island SCUBA Cut Mooring0.1 NM away
- Buck Island Underwater Trail0.1 NM away
- Buck Island Overlook Trail0.4 NM away
- Buck Island Reef National Monument0.4 NM away
- Turtle Beach (Buck Island)0.8 NM away
- Buck Island West Beach Anchorage1 NM away
- Duggan's Reef (Teague Bay)1.9 NM away
- Goat, Soup and Whiskey (Coakley Bay)2 NM away
Place data includes © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL).