Please give me your review of buck island?

[lonestarmikeb]

We are looking at going to buck island while we stop at St Croix. Is it as nice as everyone says? Did you do it through the ship or on you own? Just looking for any advice.

[thepeacha]

I am in fact looking at Buck while folding my laundry. Turtle Beach is glowing in the sun, and it's rather lovely. I've been with friends, private charter, and with Bigbeards, and I've never failed to enjoy Buck Island.

[lonestarmikeb]

Thank you, can you tell me how the snorkeling is.

[thepeacha]

The snorkeling is done on the far east side of the island, usually. There are markers there, some nice coral, and turtles are frequently- though not always!- seen. I have also snorkelled out on the Turtle Beach side; I walk to the northwest tip and paddle off, and always enjoy what I see.

 

If you walk along Turtle Beach and pass along the North side of the island, as far as you can walk, there are very shallow reefs at the end of the way. It is a fish nursery of sorts, and we frequently see small blacktip reef sharks there. We enjoy that alot, they are amazingly graceful.

[BroncosFan2010]

Thank you so much for these reviews! It is very helpful for me, planning to do the Buck Island Snorkel trail.

 

I was wondering if you can recommend a local or ship offered tour/tour company that would be best to do the snorkel trail through?

[airlink diva]

I am in fact looking at Buck while folding my laundry. Turtle Beach is glowing in the sun, and it's rather lovely. I've been with friends, private charter, and with Bigbeards, and I've never failed to enjoy Buck Island.

 

Lucky you to enjoy such a view!! The view that I have at home is just fences and rooftops.

 

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Now playing: Andy Snitzer - Passion Play

via FoxyTunes

[thepeacha]

Hello all- yes I am blessed with beauty, lol. Buck to the north, my horses to the south, either visible from my deck.

 

The cruise ships will surely offer a tour to Buck, or you could white- knuckle it and go on your own, depending on what suits you. There are several very good companies to take you to Buck, as far as I know they all stop at the snorkel trail on the East side, then nip over to the Turtle beach side, on the western shore. Check the gotostcroix site to look at your options, you can motor over or sail, and you'd be hard pressed not to enjoy yourself.

 

Please do remember Buck is a National Park, and protected nesting grounds for generations of turtles- leave no trash, leave with only photos and great memories. Keep my beloved view beautiful!

[thatcounts]

We did the Buck Island tour with Big Beards tour this past week. Sailed on AOS Aug 16th. The water was pretty rough, it was just after Hurricane Bill passed to the east, so snorkeling was tough. what I was able to see was beautiful with a lot of fish and corral. If the water is calm It would have been great. I did not go through the ship and when I got off and asked the people at the tourism table and asked them about trips out to Buck Island they told me since it was 10:15 and the last trip out t was 10:30 that I could not make it. We went into Christensted and saw the office for Big Beards and they told us they had a 3 hour excursion leaving at noon. My son and I signed up and had a good time.

[tlund]

thatcounts,

 

Do you know what the pricing was of your tour to Buck Island? Just checking the difference between the one you did on your own and the ship's excursion.

[thatcounts]

I think it was between $65 & $70 per person - We bought a Kodak instant camerea and some drinks to take on the boat and our total was $158 for two.

[sadie8]

There is a nice article in the CT&L magazine this month on St. Croix. They were very impressed with the beach on Buck Island, among other things.

[perlgirlnj]

I'm interested in a half-day snorkel trip but I have to admit that we have one very weak swimmer in our family of 5. (ages 49 & 51, 18, 18, & 16).

 

Is Buck Island a good or bad choice for us? Does one of the tour companies take smaller groups where there'd be more individual attention? Would we be better off at Cane Bay or elsewhere?

[thatcounts]

We went half day with ig Beards and the first side of Buck Island we stopped at ws beautiful and very calm - not a lot of sea life but very easy to snorkel. When we went around to the other side - with the reef barrier it was tough swimming - it was also just after Tropical Storm Bill had passed. One of the mates got in the water with a life preserver for anyone to hold onto while he took us on the mandated tour. He also offered to stay with anyone if they wanted him to. If you stayed right around the where the boat ties up it was pretty calm and still alot to see. I noticed a lot of people doing this for all the boats tied up. Hope this helps

[tlund]

thatcounts,

 

Thanks for the pricing info. We were trying to decide if the cost was worth it to venture out on our own or just book through the cruise line. Can't wait to see it.

[PVBcruisers]

We also went with Big Beard's snorkleing to Buck Island. Enjoyed every minute of it. Be careful of the taxi service from the dock to Christensted. Cab drivers argue with each other and do not give out any info during the trip like the taxi drivers do in St. Martin. The fare to Christensted and back is $24.00, paid infull when you leave the dock, make sure someone gives you a return ticket.