And at least I had professional guidance this time. This wasn’t just an aimless kayaking trip—it was an honest-to-goodness tour of the bay, courtesy of the good people at Anchor Dive Center. And, thankfully, the dive center was situated on the banks of a still, quiet inlet, where we could pile into our kayaks (five of them in all) with relative ease before paddling our way out towards the open water of the bay.

Our guide, Mike, was a very jolly fellow. Calling us to a halt, he explained that he would be shouting out questions periodically. Correct answers would get us "rum points," which would go towards the noble cause of getting us wasted once we got back. (For the kiddies, it was "soda points.") With such an incentive, the competition was brisk as we struggled to answer his questions on the history and ecology of the area.

The history part turned out to be more interesting than I would have guessed: not only is Salt River Bay the only documented site where Christopher Columbus landed on U.S. soil (and here I’d thought there was no justification at all for his status as an American hero!); it’s also the site of the first-ever skirmish between Native Americans and Europeans, in 1493.

As we continued out into the bay, Mike pointed out other interesting sights, such as a scattering of damaged boats that had been moldering here ever since their owners abandoned them in the wake of Hurricane Hugo in 1989. I couldn’t believe they were still sitting there after 15 years.

Then we paddled into another quiet lagoon surrounded by mangrove trees. Mike explained that these trees were integral to the bay’s ecosystem because their roots, which extended into the water, gave juvenile fish a protected environment in which to mature. We paddled around the edges of the lagoon admiring the flora and fauna—some of our more exciting finds were an iguana and a jellyfish. The jellyfish was a non-stinging kind, so Mike actually picked it up out of the water so that we could all touch it (eww, slimy!).

But for me, the best part of the whole tour was that my kayaking nightmare wasn’t repeated—Salt River Bay turned out to be wonderfully calm and protected. That makes this bay a good choice for children and novice kayakers—and the tour guides at Anchor Dive Center ensure a good time for everyone else!

Extremely rough tides forced the cancellation of our scheduled tour, but owner Andrew Wartenburg and his wife met us at The Galleon for dinner, and the verbal picture he painted for our imaginations is likely only second to his actual on-the-spot narrations while conducting the tours.

Ecologically, the area contains wetlands and a dense growth of black, white, and red mangroves which provide crucial habitat for many migratory birds from the States which winter here. This annual event is just beginning to come back in its full glory after Hurricane Hugo's direct hit in '89 completely defoliated the island. But with the natural importance of Salt River Bay, it is the area's historical elements which all but make this a "must see" when visiting St. Croix.

The surrounding banks were once home to Carib Indians, and it was here that the first battle ever took place between the natives and European invaders. Eventually, pirates found the same obscure security within the bay and sugar plantations emerged around the waters' edges.

We were to have taken the two hour Moonlight Paddle, by kayaks, through this phosphorent bay where darkened waters glitter with the slightest of movements. The trip specialty is telling of legendary island folk and ghost tales regarding the area's past. And what was heard around the dinner table could only be magnified with the effect of sitting in a kayak in the bay, under the stars, for this tour which departs nightly at 6:00 p.m.; cost is $40 per person.

A pair of three hour daytime excursions are available, departing each day at 9:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. The kayak tour around the bay's calm waters, great for beginners, costs $45. The kayak and hike tour, priced at $50, includes taking in the Carib Indian burial ground, the Salt River jellyfish farm, and the barrier reef. Water and snacks are provided on all three excursions.

Make reservations at 340/773-4599. Credit cards are not accepted. Wear clothing and shoes you won't mind getting wet; water-proof cameras are recommended.