How deep is Buck Island Reef?

Buck Island Reef ranges from 1 to 12.2 metres deep (3–40 feet). It is a saltwater site. Depths vary across the site, so plan your profile to your training and verify conditions locally.

Is Buck Island Reef a shore dive or a boat dive?

Buck Island Reef is a boat dive — access is by boat rather than from shore. The entry area is recorded as moderately exposed to surge. No facilities are recorded at the site, and cell service is recorded as good. Entry details and parking notes, where known, are listed in the access section of this page.

When is the best time to dive Buck Island Reef?

Best on settled trade-wind days with good visibility and low swell; check NPS alerts and operator conditions before departure. Conditions vary, so check the latest reports and forecasts on the dive site page before your trip.

What will I see at Buck Island Reef?

Divers at Buck Island Reef in United States commonly report sightings of hawksbill sea turtle, Elkhorn coral, Spotted eagle ray, Green sea turtle, and tropical reef fish. Elkhorn coral and tropical reef fish are recorded as common sightings, while hawksbill sea turtle, Spotted eagle ray, and Green sea turtle are reported only occasionally. Marine life varies by season and conditions—check the site page for recent diver observations and photos.

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Boat entry

Buck Island Reef

U.S. Virgin Islands - St. Croix, United States

Open Water suggested1–12 m depthBoat entryRash guard or 2mm shorty typical

Boat dive — see Entry & access.

Buck Island Reef at a glance

Buck Island Reef is a boat dive site in U.S. Virgin Islands - St. Croix, United States with depths of 1–12.2 m (3–40 ft). Typically most favorable Sep · from 3 years of archive data. Divers commonly see hawksbill sea turtle, Elkhorn coral, and Spotted eagle ray. Recent reports put the water around 30°C (85°F). Check the latest conditions and entry details before you go.

Marine model · graded 14h ago

1.4 mwaves — about a meter and a half expected

Tap a factor for its source and model point · Forecast 30°C · seasonal avg 30°C

Site hazards: Fragile elkhorn coral, protected no-take rules, boat traffic, sun/heat exposure, shallow reef surge, sharp coral/urchins, and limited facilities away from the boat. Snorkel trail is closed from sunset to sunrise.

Read the full hazards ↓

Dive windows this week

Best: Mon

Fri7:00–19:00

Sat7:00–19:00

Sun7:00–19:00

Mon7:00–19:00

Tue7:00–19:00

Wed7:00–16:00

Thu7:00–16:00

Favorable windowModerate window— no window

First light 5:44 · Sunrise 6:05 · Sunset 18:24

Source: Open-Meteo marine · model point 0.6 km from site · graded 14h ago

Forecast only — always assess conditions on site.

Forecast · NOAA tide model

Tide & slack timing

Recent diver reports

Dated firsthand observations from divers — not current conditions.

No diver reports for this site yet. — one dated observation helps every diver after you.

Dived here today — did the forecast match?

What Divers Say

Known for: Elkhorn coral, tropical reef fish

Best time: Best on settled trade-wind days with good visibility and low swell; check NPS alerts and operator conditions before departure.

Based on community reviews and site data. Conditions vary — always verify before diving.

Best months, historically

What conditions have historically been typical at this site, month by month — not a forecast.

Jan32%27°C1.6 m
Feb38%27°C1.6 m
Mar63%27°C1.4 m
Apr59%27°C1.4 m
May77%28°C1.2 m
Jun43%29°C1.4 m
Jul38%29°C1.6 m
Aug53%30°C1.4 m
Sep83%30°C1.2 m
Oct74%30°C1.3 m
Nov53%29°C1.4 m
Dec39%28°C1.6 m

September hastypically had the largest share of favorable days here. Conditions vary year to year — this is historical context, not a forecast.

Based on 3 years of archive data. Bar height shows the share of days each month whose conditions have historically scored favorably.

Marine life recorded at this site, by month

Recorded observations — evidence of past sightings, not a promise of what you’ll encounter.

Species seen here

Epinephelus marginatus recorded here Jun (1 record)
most recent 1995

Counts are occurrence records near this site from public biodiversity datasets (GBIF), grouped by calendar month across all sampled years. Sightings vary — past records are context, not a prediction.

The underwater calendar

When these animals are most recorded around Caribbean & Bahamas — from open sighting data, not a promise.

Green sea turtleMar–May

Watch the whole year animate on the Migrations map

Fills & rentals nearby

No dive shops mapped within 25 km. Know one? Add it to the map.

Data updated July 2026

Site details

Buck Island Reef is an NPS marine protected area off St. Croix with a marked underwater snorkel trail, elkhorn coral formations, and two designated shallow scuba moorings. Most visitors access it by permitted tour boat or private boat rather than by shore. Treat it as a protected reef experience first: no collecting, no coral contact, and use only legal anchoring/mooring areas.

boatreef

Fragile elkhorn coral, protected no-take rules, boat traffic, sun/heat exposure, shallow reef surge, sharp coral/urchins, and limited facilities away from the boat. Snorkel trail is closed from sunset to sunrise.

Reviews

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