Exploring St. John’s Yawzi Point

When asked for recommendations on must do’s around the island, I always encourage visitors to spend at least one day on the secluded south shore of St. John. Although a challenge to get to, the southern coastline really encapsulates the magic of St. John. Ruins from the Plantation days, interconnected hiking trails (including the well-known Reef Bay trail), and vibrant reefs make it one of my favorite areas of St. John. 

While many people think of Hawksnest, Trunk, or Maho Bay when it comes to snorkeling on St. John, I recommend venturing away from the crowds and off the beaten path this upcoming season. One of my favorite snorkeling spots on the south shore is Yawzi Point, the peninsula that divides Great Lameshur Bay and Little Lameshur. 

Getting to Yawzi Point and Lameshur Bay is not easy, therefore only 4-wheel drive vehicles are recommended for this trek. The rough, pothole-riddled dirt road to Lameshur is poorly maintained, and breaking down without cell service is not a great way to spend your day. Without a vehicle, Lameshur Bay is still accessible. Some other options are a bus that goes from Cruz Bay to Salt Pond a couple of times a day and taking the Reef Bay trail connection to the Lameshur Trail (1.5 miles).

If you do have a vehicle, it is about a 35-40 minute drive from Cruz Bay, you can either take Centerline, which would be a little quicker, or the scenic route along North Shore Road to Coral Bay. To prepare for the full day ahead, I recommend picking up sandwiches in Cruz Bay at Sam & Jack’s Deli or North Shore Deli. You can rent snorkel and beach gear for a good rate at several places in Cruz Bay too. 

When you get to the bottom of the hill on Route 10 (Centerline) and see the Coral Bay sign on your right, take that right (Route 107) into Coral Bay. There is a little shopping center you’ll pass on your right. There are a few of dining options here, offering everything from a slice of pizza to a saucy BBQ plate for you to enjoy afterwards. Continue along Route 107 past signs for Salt Pond and Lameshur Cottages. Lameshur Cottages has a helpful sign at their entrance that gives directions to Lameshur Bay and any other landmark nearby you’d like to stop at. At the very end of the road, you’ll see signs for Lameshur Bay. This is the end of the paved road. 

Although it’s only 2 miles to Little Lameshur, the closest sandy beach to Yawzi Point, the drive takes about 20 minutes due to the rough terrain, so proceed with caution. Once you arrive at Little Lameshur, you should find plenty of parking, which is rare during peak season. The beach itself is typically quiet and uncrowded.

There is a short trail called Yawzi Point trail to the left of the beach that has an access point for snorkeling the tiny peninsula. You can either swim from Little Lameshur beach to the Point or walk the Yawzi Point trail and take the short spur left of the trail to shorten swimming distance. Yawzi Point often has moderate waves therefore can be a difficult swim, so again proceed with caution here.

Once you make it to the Point, there will be underwater cave structures abundant with juvenile reef fish. A little further out from the Point and there is a meadow of sea fans. Vibrant, purple sea fans sway gently in the current, and it is truly mesmerizing. There are a variety of coral here – clusters of elkhorn, sea fans, and brain coral encompass the ocean floor and provide a home to many colorful reef fish. Most of the coral structures are along Yawzi Point and once past the point heading for Lameshur Bay, the ocean floor smooths out into a sandy canvas. This is a good turning around point. 

Did you know? According to the St. John Historical Society, Yawzi Point likely got its name from being used as a place to isolate those afflicted with yaws, a tropical infectious disease that primarily affected children under 15 during the 18th century.

While it requires a full day commitment and a bit of effort to reach, this spot offers a far better snorkeling experience than the more crowded areas. After snorkeling, relax on the sandy shore of Little Lameshur, and if you’re still feeling adventurous, be sure to explore the 1.5 mile Lameshur trail that connects to Reef Bay (ruins of the Reef Bay Great House and Par Force are on this trail) or the .5 mile trail that leads to the remote shores of Europa Bay.