Buck Island Catamaran 2 Stop Sail & Snorkel

Booked this through X - love sailing to Turtle Cove at Buck Island on these catamarans. Just completed our 4th trip, this time on Stars & Stripes (previously 2x on Dancing Dolphin & 1x on Doubloon). Sailed (not motored) both out & back from the island! Great crew & knowledgeable in-water guides (a shout out to Anna), fascinating turtles! Don't frighten or try to touch the turtles while they are coming up for air! The shipwreck & the story behind it were interesting. We all enjoyed the 'Painkillers' on the return trip!:D

Is this a private excursion?

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Booked this through X - love sailing to Turtle Cove at Buck Island on these catamarans. Just completed our 4th trip, this time on Stars & Stripes (previously 2x on Dancing Dolphin & 1x on Doubloon). Sailed (not motored) both out & back from the island! Great crew & knowledgeable in-water guides (a shout out to Anna), fascinating turtles! Don't frighten or try to touch the turtles while they are coming up for air! The shipwreck & the story behind it were interesting. We all enjoyed the 'Painkillers' on the return trip!:D

Thanks for the info! I am trying to decide between this one and the champagne snorkel excursion to St John. I would like to go to St John and dd just wants to snorkel anywhere - but I was thinking this one has the turtle area she might like and I like that I can get her lunch on honeymoon beach (don't think anywhere to buy anything for lunch on the st john trip). And this one is cheaper which helps!

Can you tell me if the water was clear in the snorkel area? doesn't look very clear in some of the pics I see so am concerned about that. If I knew it was clear I'd probably do this one.

Is this a private excursion?

 

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It is a Carnival excurision.

The reef they take you to at Buck's Island is so barren, it's ridiculous. This is a prime example of dead reef. The turtle stop is not great either. We saw a small turtle and not much else. Plus you had to walk about 3/4 of a mile to the snorkel boat and the same back. It was not a good excursion at all, in my opinion. We have snorkeled everywhere and this was the worst I have ever seen. The guide was a National Geographic rep and she kept going on about what we were going to see and when I started to tell her about the reef condition, she changed her tune. It was quite apparent it was decimated. Just so you are prepared if you choose to go

The reef they take you to at Buck's Island is so barren, it's ridiculous. This is a prime example of dead reef. The turtle stop is not great either. We saw a small turtle and not much else. Plus you had to walk about 3/4 of a mile to the snorkel boat and the same back. It was not a good excursion at all, in my opinion. We have snorkeled everywhere and this was the worst I have ever seen. The guide was a National Geographic rep and she kept going on about what we were going to see and when I started to tell her about the reef condition, she changed her tune. It was quite apparent it was decimated. Just so you are prepared if you choose to go

So are there no good reefs at Buck Island any more? We'll be in St. Thomas in October and DH wants to go snorkeling there. He grew up on a sailboat in St. Thomas and is an experienced snorkeler who will want to see reefs and fish - he said he doesn't care much about turtles although he would admire one if it swam by. It's been 50 years since he lived there so he isn't sure if Buck Island is still a good place to go and your comment made me really wonder. Or do we just need to find a private tour instead of a ship's excursion (which we usually prefer anyway, for the smaller crowds and flexibility of where to go)?

He doesn't really want to go to St. John, especially not to Trunk Bay, because it's too touristy. He's a picky snorkeler.... ;)

You guys should just Google snorkeling in st Thomas. I personally think st John is ten times better and I think I told you what I am doing in April. I've done both as have other people but It's sounds like your husband is set on not going to st john.

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There is Buck Island and there is Turtle Cove which was once called Buck Island, but they take you to an area on the other side of Buck Island.

The Turtle Cove area has what many refer to as "turtle grass" because it's very tasty to the turtles. It grows in sandy sea bottoms. You're now pretty much guaranteed to see turtles in the wild feeding now that there's more awareness about protecting them.

There's a rocky area that is a very short swim from the grassy area. You'll see lots of colorful baby fish if you swim over to that area, but there's no reef on that side.