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Whistling Cay Snorkel Map

The Whistling Cay Snorkel, especially around the rocks and underwater canyons on the western tip of the island is one of the best snorkels in St. John waters. The proximity to open waters, and the flow of water through the Fungi Passage and the Narrows attracts fish of many shapes, color and sizes. The underwater boulders, rock formations, canyons, steep grooves, arches and walls, covered with spectacularly colored corals, sponges and tunicates are fascinating to explore. My friend, Dan Silber, who came along on this snorkel along with his girlfriend Maddy, described the area as an underwater garden, I like to borrow from the Beatles and describe it as an octopus’s garden.

More about Whistling Cay:

SeeStJohn.com entry: Snorkeling Whistling Cay

Blog entry about the “Customs House” on Whistling Cay”

Whistling Cay

Google Maps satellite view of snorkeling area	Tarpon	Spanish Mackerel
Bar Jacks	Tarpon being cleaned by a Goby	Colorful Coral, Sponge and Tunicate covered walls

It has been said as well as written that the stone structure on Whistling Cay served as a customs house. As far I know this is supported by the supposition that the cay got is name from the Dutch word “wissel” meaning change. Actually I find it difficult to believe that this tiny cay ever served the function of Customs House.

Whistling Cay Aerial View – St. John USVI

Whistling Cay is a small island located just off Mary Point on St. John. If you’ve ever approached Whistling Cay on a small boat you would know how difficult of an entry it is. The shoreline is rocky and scattered with reef. The small gravel beach on the southeastern part of the island is the only possible landing point and there is no evidence that there was ever a dock there.

Stone Structure on Whistling Cay

If this were a customs house, than it would have to be manned by officials, who would need to be supplied with there food, water, and office supplies. There would have to have been communication with St. John or St. Thomas only accessible by boat. Arriving vessels would have to find a convenient place to anchor and then arrive in dinghies, fill out the forms and have their vessels inspected by the officials on the cay.

It seems very unlikely that this little stone structure on this hardly approachable island would serve such a purpose. Why not head over to Cruz Bay, Red Hook or Charlotte Amalie and clear customs there?

My guess is that the structure was constructed during that period between 1834 and 1848 when slavery was abolished in the British Virgin Islands, but continued on in the Danish West Indies, creating a temptation for slaves on St. John’s north coast to run away to Tortola lying just a few miles away. The building would supply some shelter for soldiers guarding the passage into the Narrows and the Sir Francis Drake Channel, discouraging escape attempts.

A similar guard house, equipped with cannons, can be found on the Johnny Horn Trail overlooking the Sir Francis Drake Channel.

So in my opinion, it makes a lot more sense for the building to have been constructed and served as a guardhouse and not a customs house. What do you think?

More information about Whistling Cay