Why The Annaly Bay Tide Pools Are One Of The Best St. Croix Beaches
Ah the Annaly Bay Tide Pools, one the the best St Croix beaches. With their crystal blue waters, it’s easy to see why every blog post mentions this unique bay. Volcanic rocks jutting out from the land formed these beautiful pools. And, as you climb them, you can see the waves crashing against the rocks. However, the pools are also difficult to get to. It takes work! Work that doesn’t end when you get there. So in this post we will talk about
- How to get to the pools (safely!)
- What to wear when visiting the pools
- What the pools are like when you get there (but you can take a little sneak peak by watching the YouTube video below)
How To Get To The Pools
Good things take work, and since the Annaly Bay tide pools are one of the best St Croix beaches, they are no exception. There are two ways to get the pools, hiking and driving.
Hiking
Hiking is a 5 mile round trip journey through hot and humid jungle with little cell reception. The trail begins at the Renaissance St. Croix Carambola Beach Resort and ends in the tide pools. We saw several groups making the trek. But, though I am (trying) to be more adventurous, starting off a beach vacation by hiking 5 miles in the heat is not my idea of a good time. So, we opted for driving down to the pools!
Driving
Now, I will tell you that driving down to the pools was one of the craziest things I have ever done. You MUST have a 4WD vehicle, like a Jeep. Not negotiable, and you will literally see rusted cars that didn’t make it on your way down. That is because you drive off the main road, down a pure dirt path with so many holes and ruts in it, it literally feels like you might flip your car.
I drove on the way down and I was white knuckled the whole time. It was like something out of Jurassic Park, I expected dinosaurs to come flying out at any moment. I was so nervous that my brother in law had to drive us back up (which was even worse!). With us frequently getting out of the car to try and identify the right tire line up. It is not a drive I will ever forget. And if you’re not a confident driver, or get nervous easily, then I highly recommend booking a tour with a local, such as Tan Tan Tours.
Unfortunately, due to the fact that I was hanging onto the wheel so hard, I did not get good footage of what the drive is like. However, Jordan from Jordan Outside has a great video on it! Check it out.
Travel Tip: I cannot tell you how many times on this trip I was thankful I had purchased extra travel insurance. Especially when making this drive. I just kept thinking, thank goodness the Jeep is covered! Trust me when I tell you, no one should ever travel without insurance.
What To Wear When Visiting The Pools
As I mentioned, the work doesn’t stop when you get to the pools. Again, since the pools are one of the best of the St Croix beaches, it will feel worth it! I promise! If you really want to have the full tide pool experience, you have to do some rock climbing. So you need really grippy shoes, as the rocks are super slippery! Even in tennis shoes I definitely fell (on my ass!) a couple of times!
On top of good shoes, you need a really strong bathing suit. You know, the kind that is going to hold everything in. The ladies know what I’m taking about. You have to hang on rocks with your hands and put your feet in weird places in order to climb. So it’s really important that you don’t have to worry about adjusting your swimsuit.
The final thing I would recommend is bringing one of those little plastic coverings for your phone, or a waterproof camera. It’s basically impossible not to get wet. And as my husband will tell you, even though phones are “splash proof” these days, all it takes is a drop of salt water in the wrong place to kill your phone. He for sure lost his phone on this trip… RIP phone.
What The Pools Are Like When You Get There
I know by this point I’ve sufficiently scared you, but trust me when I say it’s worth it! Of all the St Croix beaches that we visited, the Annaly Bay Tide Pools definitely had the best view. I mean is there anything better than being in a tropical paradise with lush jungle and blue skies while hearing the waves crash against rock? I don’t think so. Not only, do the pools come with great views, but there are all kinds of stuff going on inside the pools.
Some of the pools are big enough to lay down in and wait for the cools waves to come and lull you. There were all kinds of holes and crevices that made the water move in weird ways. There are little crabs that scuttle over your feet and little red and black sea urchins dotting the blue waters (yet another reason to wear good shoes). You may even see a pelican do a dive to catch a fish. All in all, a visit to the pools make for a great day. I highly recommend them. Just come prepared and enjoy!
Have you ever been on a terrifying car journey that you’ll never forget? Let me know in the comments! And don’t forget to follow along the adventure on Instagram @TheGlobetrottingAccountant.
