• Trunk Bay Beach, considered one of the 10 best beaches in the world is home to the underwater trail.

    Virgin Islands

    National Park Virgin Islands

Elkhorn Coral

living Elkhorn Coral colony with sunlight
STATION A: Look how lovely the Elkhorn Coral (Acropora palmata) looks as sunlight shines down on it through the shallow water.  Don't swim too close.  You might accidentally break off a piece of coral that took many, many years to grow!
Caroline Rogers
 
Want to see another kind of coral? Swim over to Station B.

Did You Know?

Fruits from the Machineel tree that grows along the coastine on St. John.

The Machineel tree, found along the coast, produces crab apple-like fruit that is poisonous. While the fruit is deadly [as Columbus’ men reportedly found out in 1493 when visiting the island], even sap from the Machineel tree can cause an irritating skin rash. The tree is also called Death Apple.