Mélange Travel & Lifestyle Magazine October 2018 | Page 684

Buck Island
The small island located 2.1 km north of St. Croix is uninhabited but attracts over 50,000
visitors annually. In 1961, U.S. President John F. Kennedy named it the first U.S. underwater
national monument . The Buck Island Reef National Monument consists of 19,000 acres of
protected area, most of which lies under water. This marine sanctuary includes a 4,554-acre
reef which is a haven for snorkelers. In order to protect the ecosystem, only guided tours are
allowed.