SAFE BOATING IN VIRGIN ISLANDS NATIONAL PARK

Here at Ocean Runner, we believe the perfect day on the water starts and ends with safe boating practices. We have two National Parks to explore by boat in St. John. There is Virgin Islands National Park, and Virgin Islands Coral Reef National Monument. These two protected areas are rich with marine life, and gorgeous, delicate, potentially dangerous coral reefs. The video below shares some of our best practices that follow Virgin Islands National Park’s guidelines for safe boating.

Whether you are out with an Ocean Runner captain, bareboating, or snorkeling one of the many beautiful reefs in the National Park, you can use this video to learn helpful tips on safe boating in your National Park. You will also gain important information about protecting our coral reefs, and hear helpful advice on choosing your swim stops.

Making the video was a lot of fun! First, we met with two Park Rangers to plan out the content for the video. Ranger Corinne manages volunteer activities in the park. She played an instrumental role in directing the video and its contents. Ranger Dave patrols the Park’s waters. He was on the water for the whole video shoot helping to guide and direct the shots. We hope to have captured some of his navigational wisdom and keen observations for safe boating in the video for you! With the Rangers’ guidance, we went out to shoot along the north shore of St. John, following the Park’s boundary lines.

Of course, our Ocean Runner staff did not hesitate to join the volunteer team. We really appreciate Captain Eric for demonstrating the Park’s boating guidelines by captaining one of our boats that day. Also, special thanks to local photographer Nicole with Aqueous Life Photography for her work aboard as camerawoman/crew. The youngest member of our volunteer team is K’Lon, a 6th Grader from St. Thomas. K’Lon showed his island pride by volunteering to narrate the video. Captain Jay’s daughters got involved too! Avery helped steer the camera dinghy, and Kaylee got the perfect underwater shots with her GoPro while jumping off the bow of one of our PowerPlays! Lastly, Tonia, of the Beautiful Nation Project, edited the video. Together, we showed our commitment to protecting Virgin Island National Park while enjoying its beauty.

We hope you will enjoy the video! Come enjoy a day out on the water with Ocean Runner, book online for your next trip. We will show you the best of the Virgin Islands, including your National Park’s treasured beaches and coves!