Beaches are shoreline areas that are covered by
sand, stone, coralline rubble or other materials
that can come from the land or the sea. Beach
sediments are moved continuously by the natural
forces of wind, waves, currents, and tides. The
shape, size and even the location of any beach is
always changing. These same forces also sort
beach sediments. High wave action "washes
away" small, light particles, like sand grains.
Beaches with high wave energy are made up of
large, heavier materials while sandy beaches are
found in calmer, protected areas.
TYPES OF BEACHES IN THE V.I.
In the V.I. beach sediments come from many
sources, calcareous algal plates, coral particles
(mainly produced by parrotfish grazing on dead
coral), mineral grains (from erosion of quartz
and feldspar rocks on land), gravel and boulders.
While there is usually a mix of materials on any
beach, the dominant type determines how the
beach is classified.
Gravel/Rock beaches are made of minerals or
rocks that erode from cliffs and soils and are
transported to the shore by guts. Some gravel
may be washed ashore from sea floor deposits
by waves and currents. The "grain" sizes of
gravel beach sediments ranges from a few
millimeters to inches in diameter.
Coralline rubble or cobble is another common
beach material in the V.I. Storms cause
significant coral breakage and pieces of coral
skeleton are carried to shore and deposited by
wave, current, and tidal action.
Sandy beaches in the V.I. are made up of a
mixture of several materials. Coral particles,
shell and urchin fragments, and algal plates -- all
composed of calcium carbonate -- give the sand
its white color and fine texture. Natural forces
such as wave and current action break these
materials down into very fine particles. As the
small grains are easily washed away, sandy
beach stability depends on a constant supply of
new sand from offshore or upstream sources.
Man-made structures can interrupt movement of
the natural sand supply and cause beaches to
MORE THAN JUST SAND!
Organisms that live in and provide materials for
our sandy beaches include algae and many
invertebrates are important living components of
our beaches. Crabs, clams, worms, sea stars,
sand dollars, urchins and many others live in and
on sand both above and below the tide line.
Many salt tolerant plants are found along
beaches. These help to hold the sand in place
and prevent beach or shoreline erosion from
wind and waves.
Most sand beaches and vegetated back-beach
areas in the V.I. provide sea turtles with vitally
needed nesting areas. Terns, Oystercatchers,
Sandpipers, and other shorebirds feed and nest
WHY ARE BEACHES IMPORTANT?
Beaches are important to the organisms that live
and feed on and near them. They are also
important to people. Beaches:
* buffer coastal areas from storm energy.
Beaches can absorb high-energy wave action
due to their ability to change shape in response
to storm forces.
* provide easy and safe access to the sea.
* provide us with recreation areas for picnics,
parties, sunbathing, beachcombing, and for quiet
contemplation and appreciation of our islands'
* enhance our tourist-based economy. Visitors
are lured here by our beautiful beaches.
* act as filters for upland runoff, trapping soil
particles and preventing them from clouding our
coastal waters. This provides clear water for our
seagrass beds and coral reefs to grow.
KEEP OUR BEACHES BEAUTIFUL
* Always dispose of trash properly. If there are
no trash receptacles around, take your trash
home or to the nearest dumpster! Garbage on the
beach can be unsightly and unhealthy. Trash
also attracts rats and mongooses who will eat
bird and sea turtle hatchlings.
* Never remove sand from our beaches! It takes
nature many years to make sand to replace any
that is taken away.
* Discourage construction of man-made
structures on, or near (<50') beaches. Beach
sediments constantly move; anything that affects
that movement can forever damage our beaches.
* Protect reefs and seagrasses. Without them,
the sand supply for our beaches would disappear
and eventually, so would our beaches.
* Shield all light fixtures near beaches, or use
proper lights (low-pressure sodium) to prevent
turtle hatchlings from wandering away from the
sea to their deaths.
* Never drive on beaches! This will increase
beach erosion and can crush turtle and bird
nests. It is against the law.
* Report violations to DPNR's Division of
Environmental Enforcement. 340 773 5774 or
340 774 3320 ext. 5106
For more information on beaches and
other habitats, contact:
DPNR's Division of Fish and Wildlife
WHERE THE LAND MEETS
Department of Planning and
Division of Fish and Wildlife
6291 Estate Nazareth 101
St. Thomas, V.I. 00802
340 775 6762
45 Mars Hill,
Frederiksted, St. Croix,
340 772 1955
BEACHES OF THE VIRGINISLANDS
O 1 2 /
1. Cruz Bay 8. Turtle Bay 15. Trunk Bay 22. Francis Bay 29. Johnson's Bay 36. Cocoloba Beach
2. Salomon Bay 9. Hawksnest Caneel 16. Windswept Beach 23. Waterlemon Cay 30. John's Folly 37. Dittlif Beach
3. Honeymoon Bay 10. Skinny Beach 17. Peter Bay 24. Leinster Bay 31. Saltpond Bay 38. Hart Bay
4. Little Caneel 11. Public Hawksnest 18. Little Cinnamon 25. Brown Bay 32. Little Lameshur 39. Chocolate Hole
5. Caneel Beach 12. Private Hawksnest 19. Cinnamon Bay 26. Haulover Bay 33. Reef Bay 40. Great Cruz Bay
6. Scott Beach 13. Denis Bay 20.Big Maho Bay 27. Newfound Bay 34. Genti Bay 41. FrankBay
7. Paradise Beach 14. Jumby Bay 21. Little Maho Bay 28. Zootenvaal 35. Western Reef
1. West Cay 10. Penn Bay 19. Magen's Bay 28. Water Bay 37. "Bareass" Bay 46. Sprat Bay
2. Salt Cay 11. Neltjeberg Bay 20. Hans Lollick -Coconut Bay 29. Sugar Bay 38. Cowpet Bay 47. Honeymoon
3. Botany Bay 12. Inner Brass Sandy Bay 21. Hans Lollick Dry Bays 1-4 30. Lindquist Beach 39. Secret Harbor 48. Lindberg Bay
4. Bordeaux Bay 13. Inner Brass Hard Bay 22. Little Hans Lollick 31. Pelican Beach 40. Scott Beach 49. Brewer's Bay
5. Stumpy Bay 14. Dorothea Bay 23. Mandahl Bay 32. Sapphire Beach 41. Cas Cay 50. Preseverance Bay
6. Santa Maria Bay 15. Palm Bay 24. Tutu Bay 33. Skinny Beach 42. Bolongo Bay 51. Fortuna Bay
7. Hendricks Bay 16. Hull Bay 25. Sunsi Bay 34. Vessup Bay 43. Limetree Bay 52. Saba Bay
8. Sorgenfri Bay 17. Tara Bay 26. Spring Bay 35. Bluebeards Beach 44. Frenchman's Bay
9. Caret Bay 18. Barrett Bay 27. Coki Point 36. Turtle Cove 45. Momingstar
1. Sandy Point 10. Butler Bay 19. Judith Fancy 28. Prune 37. Isaac Bay 46. Halfpenny
2. Stony Ground 11. Ham's Bay 20. St. Croix By The Sea 29. Coakley 38. Jack Bay 47. Manchenil
3. Second Target 12. Maroon Hole 21. Pelican Cove 30. Tague Bay 39. Grapetree Bay 48. Canegarden Bay
4. Dorst 13. Davis Bay 22. Turgouise Bay 31. Buck Island 40. Turner Hole 49. Krause Lagoon
5. First Target 14. Northstar 23. Princesse 32. Smuggler's Cove 41. Rod Bay 50. Manning Bay
6. LaGrange 15. Cane Bay 24. Protestant Cay 33. Knight Bay 42. Robin Bay 51. Campo Rico
7. Prosperity 16. Rust-Op-Twist 25. New Fort 34. Boiler Bay 43. Great Bay 52. White Lady
8. Williams 17. Gentle Winds 26. Shoy's 35. Cramer's Park 44. Fareham Bay
9. Sprat Hall 18. Columbus Landing 27. Green Cay 36. East End Bay 45. Spring Bay
These maps show only major sand beaches around the Virgin Islands. Cobble/gravel beaches and very small
sand pocket beaches are not shown. Many beaches throughout the VI are continuous with different segments
having different names, making boundaries very uncertain.
These maps do not show the location of every natural pond in the U.S.V.I.
The ponds shown are the largest and most important, for wildlife and sediment reduction.