I was perusing AIS data in the USVI/BVI and by chance noticed that Cuvee (from CYOA) was at Mouillage Cove, Buck Island today, which is a small island about 3 miles south of St. Thomas.

We've never visited Buck Island but have sailed by it many times!

We'll be chartering Cuvee next month, and this got me wondering if Buck Island was worth the stop?

There's a lot of mooring balls there, some decent snorkeling. Fills up fast with daytrippers when cruise ships are in town, I think; but otherwise plenty of room.

We took a sailing, and snorkeling excursion to Buck Island on our honeymoon 25 years ago. I have killed a lot of brain cells since then, but I recall some good snorkeling, and a fairly calm anchorage. Cheers,

Its a fun little spot good for a swim/snorkel. There is a small wreck. I've had challenges getting to a mooring ball when the bay is full of day-trip snorkelers and folks using those floating scuba tank/long-hose regulators. Its a nice lunch spot when its not crowded. Moorings are day-use and its a no anchor area.

Cheers, RickG

Thanks guys!
Always looking for a spot I've never been to before.

When my son worked for Top Sails they would take their guests to Turtle Cove which is the first cove on Buck Island. The second cove would be much calmer as the first one is pretty exposed. The snorkeling is primarily turtles and rays as it is a grass bottom.

The wreck in the cove is called the Cartanza Senora it was towed into this cove in July 1979 by the equipment that was in STT to refloat the burned cruise ship Angelina Lauro after a group of STT divers formed a campaign to move it there.

A nice description is here:

http://www.divingstthomas.com/catanzasenora.htm

Just to be clear, there is Buck Island with the National Wildlife Refuge just a couple miles south of STT. This is managed by the US Fish and Wildlife Service.

There is also, Buck Island Reef National Monument just north of St. Croix. This has world renowned snorkeling and is managed by the US National Park Service.

I believe we are all referencing STT

I should probably add that the AIS display I was looking at was over on Walker's BVI Pirate Site.
It's a cool little tool, and free of course.

http://forums.bvipirate.com/ais.php

Just took a look at it and I see that Blue Moon (a TTOL Site Sponsor) was transiting the south side of St. Thomas 3 hours ago, perhaps headed to Charlotte Amalie.

BEWARE!!! Turtle Cove is exposed and the "moorings" are very hit and miss...as in some are maintained and some are not. That said, we always try to stop there.