Dive· St John· Virgin Islands (BVI, USVI and Spanish Virgins)
Tektite Reef (Beehive Cove, Great Lameshur Bay)
18° 18.4′ N · 64° 43.2′ W
The reef around the cove on the east side of Great Lameshur Bay where NASA and the Navy sank the Tektite underwater habitat in 1969, now a celebrated snorkel and dive among cup-coral caves and rock-walled chambers.
Practical
Position is the GNIS point for Tektite Bay. The Tektite habitat sat in 43 ft of water in Great Lameshur Bay; Tektite I (February to April 1969) and Tektite II (April to November 1970) missions lived there, and the habitat was removed and dismantled in 1991 (Wikipedia). See St John calls the Tektite snorkel one of the island's best: reach it from the southern end of Great Lameshur beach, past Donkey Bight, with a rock scramble; the best snorkeling is near Beehive Cove, with a small cave and two rock-walled chambers lined with colourful cup coral and sponges; go on calm days with good visibility. The island guide warns of rough water at Yawzi Point and coral very close to shore, fire coral and urchins. From the boat: take a Great Lameshur NPS mooring (anchoring prohibited) and dinghy over, using a dinghy tether or red scuba mooring where provided (day use). No lifeguard; the VIERS camp and Tektite museum are ashore.
Best for
Historic reef snorkel or shore dive from Great Lameshur
Season
Calm days; rough in southerly swell
Nearby
- Cabritte Horn Fishing Moorings0.2 NM away
- Great Lameshur Bay Moorings0.6 NM away
- Salt Pond Bay Moorings0.6 NM away
- Booby Rock (Salt Pond Bay)0.7 NM away
- Europa Bay & White Cliffs0.8 NM away
- Little Lameshur Bay Moorings0.8 NM away
- VIERS & Tektite Museum (Lameshur)0.8 NM away
- Yawzi Point & Tektite Trail0.8 NM away
Place data includes © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL).