The Annaly Bay Tide Pools

On St. Croix's roadless northwest coast, the sea has cut natural rock pools you can float in. These are the Annaly Bay tide pools. You walk in from the Carambola resort at the end of the North Shore road, or ride over the ridge with a jeep tour. The walk takes about an hour each way, and it's at its best on a calm morning.

Annaly Bay in brief

What the tide pools are

At the far western end of a rocky beach, past the point where most people would stop walking, the shoreline turns into a shelf of rock with pools cut into it. The biggest are 4 to 6 feet deep. Waves come up against the outer rock and spill over it, and the rock acts as a breakwater, so the water inside stays far calmer than the open sea a few yards away. On a good day you can float in the pool with the spray going up behind you and look out at nothing but ocean.

Bring a mask if you have one, because the pools are suitable for snorkeling, and take care with hands and feet around the sharp edges.

The rock itself has a long story. The USGS describes the high northwest corner of St. Croix as the Mount Eagle Group, strongly folded deep-water rock from the Late Cretaceous. Its lowest layer is the Caledonia Formation, made of mudstone, sandstone and more, with an estimated 4,200 feet of it up here. Those tilted layers are what the waves have been working on all this time. The steep coast is also why you can't walk here along the shore, and why every route crosses the ridge.

Where to park at the Carambola trailhead

You'll set out from the Carambola Beach Resort at Davis Bay, where the North Shore road ends. Stop at the entry gate and tell the guard you've come for the pools. They'll tell you where to park. Signs mark the start of the trail from there.

You're using the resort's courtesy, so park exactly where you're asked and arrive early. It helps to leave valuables at your villa and keep the car's seats bare, as you would at any trailhead. Search for the "Annaly/Carambola Tidal Pools Trailhead" in a maps app and it should bring you to the right part of the coast, but the guard's directions are the ones to follow on the day.

How far is the hike?

Everyone who measures this trail gets a different answer, because they start in different places and wander different amounts at the end.

For planning, assume about five miles there and back, with an hour or so each way at an easy pace. Add an hour or two at the pools. A half day is the right size for this outing, and you'll still have the afternoon for a beach or a nap by your pool.

The walk, stretch by stretch

Through the forest

The first part climbs through rainforest, with big trees overhead and tree roots across the path. It's steep and uneven in places, and shady, which makes this the pleasant part of the morning. The path can be hard to follow in spots, so look for the worn line on the ground and the trail markings. Keep an eye out for ant nests too, and step around them.

Over the ridge and into the open

The trail crests and opens up into grassy areas. Here the path turns rough, rocky or muddy depending on the week's weather, and you've got sun on your shoulders for the first time. You'll start to get views of the coast, and it's a great spot to stop and look at the water, for a reason we'll get to below.

Down to the beach

The path drops to a beach of rocks and pebbles at Annaly Bay. It's a wild and lovely place to sit, though the surf can be rough here and it's no place for a swim. Have a drink of water and carry on.

The last climb over the rocks

Where the beach runs out to the west, you climb over the rocks to reach the pools. Take your time with this last bit, because the rock is sharp, wet and slippery. Keep your hands free and your phone in a dry bag. Then, there they are.

The swim check

This is the one thing that decides your day. On a flat sea the pools are a joy, and they're no place to be when big waves are breaking over the rim. So before anyone gets in, sit on the rocks above the pools and watch for ten or fifteen minutes. Waves come in sets, with quiet spells between them, and a quick look can fool you. If the rim stays dry and the water in the pool only rises and falls gently, in you go. If waves are washing over the rim and into the pool, enjoy the show from up top and save your swim for another day.

You can start reading the water before you've walked far. From the ridge and the first views of the coast, white water bursting on the rocks is all the answer you need. Check wind and sea conditions the evening before, and the guides will happily tell you what they're seeing.

Low tide is the usual advice, and it's fine if it suits your morning. But tides move very little here. NOAA's numbers for Christiansted Harbor put the average range at 0.69 feet, a matter of inches. A couple of feet of north swell will change the pools far more than the tide can. So look at the sea first and the tide table second. A low tide on a calm morning is ideal, and a calm morning at any tide is good.

North swell is likeliest in winter, when cold fronts over the Atlantic push it south. It can show up on a sunny, windless day. Trips still work in winter, and you'll get the best of them by watching the forecast and going on the first calm day of your stay.

What to wear and bring

• Shoes with grip. The rock at the pools is sharp, wet and slippery, so skip the sandals. Trail shoes for the walk and water shoes for the pools work well if you're happy to carry both.
• More water than you think. There's nowhere to refill once you leave the resort.
• Sun protection. The pools have very little shade. Pack a hat and a mineral sunscreen, as the territory limits several common chemical ones.
• A snack or lunch. Sitting by the pools with a sandwich is half the fun.
• A dry bag. For your phone or camera. Leave anything valuable at home.
• Mask and snorkel, if you've got them.
• A bag for your trash. There are no facilities or bins, so everything you carry in comes back with you.

Start in the morning. It's cooler, and it leaves plenty of time to get back before dark, since the trail has no lights. Your phone won't have a signal once you've left the resort area, so tell someone at your villa where you've gone and when you plan to be back.

Going with a guide

For a first visit, we think a guide is the best way to go, and so does the island's tourism guide. You get someone who knows the path, who walked it recently and who'll make the swim call for you.

BushTribe Eco Adventures charges $50 per person for its guided hike to the pools, starting at 8 a.m. from the Renaissance Carambola Resort, in a group of no more than eight. Plan on three-plus hours, expect to get wet, and book on its website or call (340) 277-2503. It rates the walk as strenuous, so it's worth reading the trip notes before you commit a group.

The jeep alternative

If the walk isn't for your group, you can ride. Tan Tan Tours takes open jeeps over the ridge and down to the coast, and the off-road drive is a good part of the fun. It has three trips that include the pools:

Each jeep needs at least three people. Two can go as a private tour for $100 more. Trips leave from 33 Queen Cross Street in Christiansted or from The Domino Club. Call 340-773-7041 to book. A jeep gets you close, and you'll still pick your way over shoreline rock at the end, so the same shoes apply.

How hard is it?

Ratings run from "moderate" on the territory's tourism site to "strenuous" on BushTribe's trip page, and both are fair. The climb isn't huge, at about 350 feet, but you do it twice, because the ridge lies between the resort and the sea. The footing is the real work: roots in the forest, rough ground in the open, and sharp wet rock at the end. If you hike a couple of times a month at home and you've got the right shoes, you'll be fine. If you've got sore knees, or you're carrying a toddler, take the jeep.

A morning at the pools, hour by hour

Times are a rough guide for a steady pace. BushTribe's guided hike starts at 8 a.m. for much the same reasons.

If the pools aren't swimmable

It happens, and the morning isn't wasted. The waves bursting on the rocks are a fine sight from a safe seat above them, and the walk through the forest stands on its own. Have your snack up high, take your photos, and swim on the way home instead. Davis Bay is at the resort where you parked, and calmer water is usually an easy drive away on the west end at Rainbow Beach. If you've got a few days left, simply try again on the next calm morning. That's the great thing about staying on an island for a week.

Photographers: the best pictures of green water come on calm days after a dry spell, since rain and swell can both cloud the pools for a while. Keep your camera in a dry bag until you're settled, and stay well back from the edge of the rim when you're framing a shot of the sea.

Bringing the family

The walk and the swim are two separate questions. Kids who've hiked before and like a bit of scrambling tend to love the walk, as long as you carry enough water and don't rush them. The swim is for confident swimmers, and only on a day when the rim stays dry. If your children are younger, the jeep tour gets them there without the long walk, and it's the ride they'll talk about afterward. For easier outings, see traveling with kids.

What's nearby

You'll pass good swimming on the way home, which is handy if the pools weren't swimmable or you want a sandy beach after all those rocks. Davis Bay is right at the resort, and Cane Bay is a short drive east along Route 80, with lunch and a cold drink waiting at the beach bar.

Farther west along the same wild coast, the Ham's Bluff lighthouse has its own walk, and the Maroon Ridge heights above hold a big part of the island's history. For how this walk compares with the others on the island, see hiking St. Croix. The Domino Club, where some of the jeep tours start, is a fine place for lunch on any rainforest day.

Staying close to the trailhead

Sunset Sea-Clusion, on the west end, is nearest to Carambola of the homes we look after, around four miles by map, so the first calm morning of your week is yours. Hook 'em on Paradise and Toes in the Sand are next closest, along the north side. All our homes are on one rentals page. Whichever you pick, plan to give the pools two chances in your week: the first calm day and a backup.

Questions guests ask

Where do I start the walk to the pools?

Carambola Beach Resort, on Davis Bay. Stop at the entry gate and say where you're headed, and you'll be directed to parking. Signs mark the start of the trail.

Are the Annaly Bay and Carambola tide pools the same place?

Yes. People use both names, and map apps often show the route as the Trumbull Trail. All of them end at the pools, past the far end of Annaly Bay's rocky beach.

How long does the walk take?

Published figures run from 3.9 to 5 miles round trip, depending on where you start counting. Plan on about an hour each way at an easy pace, and an hour or two at the pools. BushTribe's guided trip runs three-plus hours in all.

Can I drive there?

Not in your own car. Tan Tan Tours takes guests in open jeeps from $200 per person, with a minimum of three people per jeep, or two with a $100 supplement. You'll still walk the last part over the rocks.

Do I need a guide?

You don't have to have one, since anyone can walk the trail from the resort, but we'd suggest one on your first visit. The path can be hard to follow, and a guide will make the swim call for you. BushTribe charges $50 per person.

Is swimming safe?

On a calm day with the rim staying dry, it's a wonderful swim. When waves are coming over the rim, stay out, however good a swimmer you are. Give it a good ten minutes' watching first, since waves arrive in sets.

Which months are best?

A calm morning, whatever the month. Morning is cooler and leaves you plenty of time to get back before dark. Winter is the most likely time for north swell, so if you're coming then, watch the forecast and go on your first calm day.

Does the tide matter?

Less than you'd think. NOAA's figures for Christiansted Harbor show an average tidal range of only 0.69 feet. Swell makes the bigger difference, so check the sea first. A low tide on a calm morning is the ideal.

Can I buy water out there?

No. You won't find facilities or bins at the pools, and no phone signal once you leave the resort. Bring water, food and something to carry your trash home in.

What should I wear on my feet?

Something with real grip, such as trail shoes or water socks. You'll cross roots, mud and sharp wet rock. Flip-flops make for a long day.