Location
Great Pond Bay is a possible anchorage for yacht charters on the south side of St Croix island in the Caribbean and part of the U.S Virgin Islands. Seldom visited it offers a relaxing and unspoilt paradise to reconnect with nature. It is part of the St Croix East End Marine Park and is a significant wildlife area as well as home to one of the island’s few mangrove ecosystems.
Navigation
The anchorage is well protected by the coral reef but requires good visibility to access and enter. Inside depths range between 5-6m but shallower patches of less than 2m is also present. Reaching Great Pond Bay from the N side of the island requires a long detour of 20M so make sure you have all provisions and adequate fuel for the journey. Most yachters prefer the N anchorages on St Croix like Christiansted Harbor, Protestant Cay and Teague Bay.
General Information
The area is home to local fishermen and a small population of a couple of hundred people that take care of the beach and surrounding area. This is not a suitable provisioning shop and there are no tourist facilities for visitors. Great care is taken to ensure Great Pond Bay remains a healthy and thriving ecosystem so visitors should be careful to treat it with respect.
Things to Do
Bird Watching
The 64ha area is a designated Important Bird Area (IBA) by BirdLife International. Nesting shorebirds can be spotted on the mudflats and healthy populations of white-crowned pigeons, green-throated caribs, Antillean crested hummingbirds and Caribbean elenias are found in the area.
Hiking the Trails
There are various trails overlooking Great Pond Bay. The area can be muddy after it has rained and some parts are closed off to protect the birds depending on the season.
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