About
Protestant Cay is a tiny island off the coast of Christiansted, at Christiansted Harbor. Now, before you ask why you should go to an island when you’re already on the island of St. Croix, hear me out. This is a special place that—unbelievably—almost surpasses some parts of St. Croix itself in terms of natural beauty. The area that I’m talking about is Cay Beach, on the southwest part of the island. This beach is so calm and inviting, it’s like Gilligan’s Island, except you can see the “mainland” of St Croix in the distance.
Also, there are lots of boats all around, so you know you’re not exactly stranded. Still, this is a great getaway from St. Croix for a day trip. Protestant Cay is only about four acres big, so one long day will be long enough to see everything. I went there in hopes of seeing some wildlife and, of course, to enjoy the beach. I didn’t see the famous St. Croix ground lizards that I’d heard people talk about, but I did get to have my beach excursion. Plus, I spied two big sea turtles near my cabana. I tried to get a good shot, but honestly, they were camouflaged in the grass so the pictures won’t win any awards. Interestingly, Cay Beach is the nearest beach to Christiansted, which is odd since you have to ride a ferry to get there.
Getting There & Parking
Unless you have a boat, you’ll need to take a ferry to reach Protestant Cay. You can pick it up near King Christian Hotel in downtown Christiansted. There’s a sign that will point you in the right direction. Don’t be worried about motion sickness; the ride is only two minutes each way. The ferry just goes back and forth all day from 7 in the morning to midnight. You can pick one up about every ten minutes. The cost is $5, round trip, until 4 PM. After that, it’s free. There’s a little ticket booth at the dock near the boardwalk where you pay.
Don’t be weirded out if you’re the only passenger, or there aren’t many people going. I’m told it does get busier during the holidays, but generally speaking, the ferry's rarely full. I opted to go in the morning, because I wanted to make sure I had plenty of time to scout around. Turns out I had more than enough time and I ended up heading back to my St. Croix vacation rental around 4:00, so I could have time to change and go back out for dinner. There’s no parking on the island, by the way. This is a walking trip, or you could bring your bicycle.
Activities
The ferry deposits you near a gorgeous strip of sandy beach, where you can rent a cabana and chair for very little money. When I was there during high season, the chair rental was $10 and the cabana was another $10. That might seem a lot, but you’re going to want both. It’s so relaxing to just hang out sitting in your chair and watching the water in the shade. Without the shade, you’re definitely going to run the risk of sunburn. The shade from the sparse palm trees is few and far between. Also, a word to the wise, don’t think you can get away with bringing your own umbrella, chair and cooler, because they won’t allow it on the ferry.
You can bring your own snorkeling gear, though, which I recommend. The water is so clear and inviting and you can see so far in the distance underwater. I’m not a scuba person, but I love to snorkel in calm waters and this was idyllic. I wore my t-shirt while snorkeling to prevent getting a sunburn on my back, and I suggest you do something similar. Because once you get out there in the water, you’re probably going to be mesmerized like I was and lose track of time. There’s so much to see, from fish to turtles, to crabs to coral. I don’t know the names of everything I saw, but many of them were just so colorful and exotic-looking.
There’s a small bar/restaurant right on the beach, and you can order food and drinks from your chair. But they tend to prioritize the indoor guests, so it can take a while to be served. I just walked up and got my first round for my friends and I and then made sure to time my next order from the beach “waiter” so we wouldn’t have to be without refreshments for too long.
Beach Rules & Info
As I mentioned, there are indigenous St. Croix ground lizards and seat turtles on and around Protestant Cay. Therefore, it’s highly advised to use chemical-laden sunscreen. Whenever possible, choose a natural sunscreen, such as zinc oxide or just wear a coverup. Those chemicals are not only bad for the island creatures, but bad for the marine life, as well.