As the smallest and youngest of the U.S. Virgin Islands, Water Island gets little publicity and is rarely in the limelight, but that could soon change.
St. Thomas, St. Croix and St. John were purchased by the U.S. from Denmark in 1917, but Water Island was not bought until 19 June 1944, when it was acquired for US$10,000 to protect the U.S. submarine base on St. Thomas during World War II.
The 490-acre/200-hectare island, which sits a half-mile across the harbor from Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas, was turned over to the Department of the Interior in 1950 and leased out, primarily to residential tenants.
It officially became the fourth U.S. Virgin Island on 12 December 1996, when control was passed to the territorial government for US$25 million the same amount the federal government had paid for the three larger islands in 1917.
In 2005, there was talk of residential development on Water Island to deal with a housing shortage on St. Thomas.
Tourism didn't figure into the picture at the time, but it does now. U.S. Virgin Islands Gov. John de Jongh announced in July 2014 that the Water Island Development Co. had been selected to come up with plans for an upscale boutique resort of 100 rooms or less. No timeline or hotel brands have been revealed.
There was a hotel on the island in the 1970s called the Water Isle Hotel and Beach Club, but Hurricane Hugo destroyed it in 1989. It's remained vacant and abandoned since then. Another smaller property fell victim to Hurricane Marilyn in 1995.
However, with a number of private homes and some rental villas as well as the seven-tent Virgin Islands Campground offering accommodations, tourists are beginning to discover the island.
Self-guided tours and day trips are available to cruise passengers pulling into St. Thomas and to visitors who venture over on the ferry that departs frequently from the Crown Bay terminal on the waterfront in Charlotte Amalie.
After a 10-minute, US$10 roundtrip crossing, the 25-passenger ferry pulls up to Phillips Landing, a small dock near the island's welcome center that also doubles as the post office, souvenir shop and library.
Golf carts can be rented to tour the hilly terrain.
There are no guides as such on the island, and residents keep a close watch on the comings and goings of all visitors.
Honeymoon Beach in Druif Bay on the west end is Water Island's top attraction. It has public restrooms, kayaks, floats and Heidi's Honeymoon Grill, which is actually a large food truck that dispenses burgers and beer. Down the beach is Dinghy's Beach Bar and Grill.
From Water Island, kayak over to nearby Hassel Island, even smaller and less populated than Water Island but with hiking trails and the ruins of Fort Willoughby, a British outpost from the early 19th century.
For now, Water Island is idyllic, beautiful and unspoiled.
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