Great Saint James, island in the United States Virgin Islands
Great Saint James is a small Caribbean island near Saint Thomas covering roughly 165 acres with a triangular shape and white sandy beaches. Christmas Cove on the western side serves as the main anchoring area where boats gather, offering shallow water suitable for snorkeling over colorful fish and coral formations.
A Danish family purchased the island in the late 1970s and later divided it into multiple parcels for individual ownership. In 2004, American football player Jason Taylor acquired part of the island intending to build a private estate, but a prolonged court case lasting until 2013 delayed these plans significantly.
The name Christmas Cove reflects the island's role as a gathering place for boats seeking shelter and relaxation on the western shore. Visitors today experience the island mainly through water-based activities, anchoring boats and swimming rather than walking through inhabited settlements.
Access is by boat only, best arranged through yacht charters departing from nearby Saint Thomas just a quarter mile away. Boats can anchor on mooring balls at Christmas Cove where calm conditions provide safe overnight stays and water-based activities.
The island is surrounded by coral reefs and sea grass beds hosting protected species including the Virgin Islands tree boa and endangered corals closely monitored by government agencies. This ecological importance makes it a significant conservation area within the Caribbean.
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