Overview
Gregerie Channel is a spectacular channel located in St Thomas Island. This beautiful island will undoubtedly attract your attention with its white beaches, delectable dishes, fishing and invigorating outdoor activities. Gregerie Channel offers you an opportunity to enjoy fishing for leisure, alternatively, you can indulge in snorkeling or kayaking if you are not a big fan of fishing. With numerous places of interest to visit, Gregerie Channel serves as an ideal destination for both short and long holidays.
Navigation
Vessels are advised to exercise caution when traversing the East Gregerie Channel since the area experiences frequent seaplane landings, and the typical buoyage direction changes at the Gregerie Junction Channel as well. You will have to take the buoy to starboard when transiting towards the West Gregerie Channel. On the other hand, you will have to take the buoy to port when transiting towards the East Gregerie Channel. There is a channel between Water Island and Lighted Buoy GC.
General Information
Gregerie Channel comprises two parts; East Gregerie Channel and West Gregerie Channel. The East Gregerie Channel stretches from Water Island to Hassel Island which has temporary anchorage situated to the West of the Island. This channel has an elevation of 0 feet or 0 meters and at the southwest entrance, you will notice a reef that uncovers, stretching nearly 80 yards into the cut raised from Hassel Island. The northwest part of the channel is adjoined by submerged and awash rocks. The West Gregerie Channel is situated between St. Thomas Island and Water Island and stretches from Mosquito Pt to Sandy Pt. The West of Sandy Pt hosts several anchored boats and lighted buoys.
History of Gregerie Channel
Gregerie Channel was created as a result of volcanic activity and the area was originally settled by the Ciboney people in 1500 BC. The Arawaks later replaced the Ciboney and were subsequently replaced by the Caribs. The Danes settled in St Thomas around 1672 as a minority of the population. The majority of the settlers were the Dutch, French, and English protestant settlers. In 1691, Charlotte Amalie was founded by the Danish West Indies, which soon turned out to be one of the main entrepots in the Caribbean. Slave dealers, pirates, and traders from all parts of the world visited this area to do business.
St Thomas was divided into plantations, which saw sugarcane production become the main economic activity. The high demand for labour resulted in the rise in slave labor and slave trade. The area progressively grew to become the largest spot for slave auctions globally.
St Thomas port was open to everyone and acted as a neutral zone. The end of warfare saw St Thomas enter a long decline following a steady drop in population. The Danes offered to sell their Caribbean possessions to the Americans from 1868. The Americans eventually accepted their offer in 1917. St Thomas later replaced St Croix as the USVI centre of government. The US government purchased the island for $25 million, in the form of gold. The purchase was a defensive strategy that sought to maintain control over the Panama Canal and the Caribbean during the First World War.
Tourism in the Gregerie Channel began to flourish in the post-war era. This was mainly instigated by the American embargo on Cuba and the cheap air travel. Consequently, the number of visitors frequenting this region increased significantly despite natural disasters like hurricanes. The growth of Gregerie Channel was further influenced by the increase in the number of hotels and the improvement of infrastructure, which facilitated the movement of visitors in the area.
Place of Interest
Crown Bay
Crown Bay is one of the finest places to consider visiting while on holiday in Gregerie Channel. The area hosts eye-catching mega yachts that will tempt you to extend your stay in a bid to have a feel of the cruising, racing, or sailing experience. Crown Bay is also close to the St. Thomas International Airport, which is a 10-minute drive. You can get to the airport via taxi.
Crown Bay also welcomes excursions in the form of round-trip transportation leading to the St. Thomas hotels. This area also serves as the departure point for several boat excursions in St. Thomas. Crown Bay also lets you enjoy on-site amenities including picnic tables, bike racks, and BBQ grills.
Sugar Reef
Sugar Reef is a unique bay that offers an opportunity to enjoy a cool breeze. A quay with a fuel dock exists is present here, specifically to the West of Haulover Cut. You will get the chance to see deeper draught boats on this platform. Sugar Reef also offers a richly authentic island experience on a large beachfront coconut plantation.
The restaurants and hotels here enable you to live in sumptuous luxury, which is open to breezes and amazing views.
Lindbergh Bay
Lindbergh Bay is an anchorage situated East of the Cyril E. King Airport (STT). You can enjoy swimming at the luxurious hotel-restaurants with swimming pools, grab a quick snack, or have a healthy lunch.
Lindbergh also has tidy open-air beach-front bars, where you can enjoy the trade winds while relaxing with a refreshing drink of your choice. You can indulge in fun activities offered by the water sports booth including snorkelling, kayaks, paddleboats, diving, and windsurfing. There is also a small playground beside the beach for young children to play in.
Brewer’s Bay
Brewer’s Bay is a sheltered anchorage, with the airport runway’s seaward extension forming a protective barrier for the South-East part of the bay. You can easily access this destination since it is close to the airport. This anchorage has an expansive beach with lovely white sand and several natural shade trees. You can also enjoy snorkeling as you interact with the sea turtles.
