Apply well in advance. For some reason last April, it took multiple telephone calls and e-mail exchanges to get our approval, right up to the day before we anchored, even though we started weeks earlier. There was (is?) only one person who could authorize the permit, and he was frequently unavailable.

After two nights at Buck, we spent two more at St Croix Marine Center. It looked nothing like the web picture in April, with many docks not yet in use. However, they were very accommodating, and the end of a T-dock seemed like a better alternative to searching for an anchorage (no balls anywhere in April).

The marina is an easy 3-4 minute dinghy ride to the Christiansted boardwalk. Lots of good restaurants, a brewery, etc. We loved Fort Christiansvaern, a National Historic Site. Well worth an hour or so your time. Don't miss the "Hamilton" room.