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This half day trip will take you from Cruz Bay, St. John to Reef Bay on the South Shore.

Reef Bay Trail - The easy way

We will moor our boat in Reef Bay and you will swim to the shore shore (we can provide paddleboard or fins) . From there it is a 20-30 minute hike up to see the Petroglyphs, the waterfall (which depending on recent rainfall could also just be a trickle) and the fresh water pools. It is a much easier hike them doing the full Reef Bay Trail from Centerline Road through steep rocky terrain with it's short but strenuous uphill sections.

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During the hike you will see rare plants and many different animals: land crabs, deer, bats, mongoose and the likes. As the trail nears leaves from the sea it passes through a low-lying marshy area. The holes in the earth are land crab holes. You will also see some huge termite nests in trees. After a bit of hiking comes a more flat are, which looks like a dense forest. If you are lucky, you will see deer there.

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Fresh Water Pools

The fresh water provides an environment for shrimp, frogs, small fish, dragonflies and hummingbirds. The different shades of green being reflected in the water look truly amazing

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Petroglyphs

The freshwater pools are surrounded by large, smooth rocks onto which dozens of drawings and symbols have been carved. There is no exact way to confirm they are authentic Taíno carvings but the most popular theory is that they are from pre-columbian inhabitants.

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 Waterfall

High above the pool a waterfall cascades down a forty-foot cliff. But don't be disappointed, depending on how much it has rained the days before, it might only be dripping.

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 Sugar Mill

From the waterfall & petroglyphs,  you will hike back down to the Sugar Mill ruins (which are still in very good condition). You will most likely encounter bats there.

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From the Sugar Mill it is only a short hike back to the beach and you will swim/paddle back to the boat. The next stops will be Tektites and Booby Rock

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Tektites

The Tektite snorkel is one of the absolute best snorkeling spots on the island of St. John. The name, Tektite, refers to a research project conducted at Beehive Bay a small cove on the southeastern tip of Great Lameshur Bay. The Tektite Project was conducted in 1969 in a cooperative effort by the U.S. Department of the Interior, the U.S. Navy, NASA and the General Electric Co. The purpose of the study was to investigate the effects on human beings of living and working underwater for prolonged periods of time. More information on the Tektite Project is here.

You will see a very wide variety of fish and amazing coral formations.

If you still have energy we can continue to

Booby Birds / Booby Rock

This is a great snorkeling spot on the south shore of St John. It is a small solid rock formation is popular with the Booby Birds, thus the name. You might see Eagle Rays, Sea Turtles and Nurse Sharks as well many different interesting coral formations.

Logistics of Reef Bay & Petroglyphs Half Day Trip

The trip is typically about 4 hours. We will provide you with water and ice and will have some snorkeling gear on board which you can use for free. But we cannot guarantee we will have every odd size, so to ensure correct fit, you might want to bring your own or rent. It is also advised to bring a waterproof bag, if you don't have one you can rent one at Beach Bum, right across from the ferry dock (next to St. John Spice)

There are not really any bars or restaurants to stop at on this route, so you might want to bring your own lunch, which we can store in our large cool box. Alternatively, we can  pick up some food for you at a local Deli.

Note: This trip is possible weather permitting (hike not too muddy, waves not to strong)

Ready to go?

Book your Reef Bay Trip here

You can use our online booking or send us an email to rockhoppinusvi(at)gmail.com and we can put in a reservation for you.

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