Quiet days. Quiet nights. Beautiful, uncrowded, sandy beaches. It does not get much better than this!

The fourth and smallest main island of the U.S. Virgin Islands is Water Island or, what has been called “the last virgin”. Water Island is small, only 491 acres. It has the look and feel of a very private island. In the summer full time residents number about 100. In the winter the number swells to 200!

A traffic jam consists of two or three golf carts being on the road at the same time. The roads are not in great shape and are only about 12 feet wide. That is why golf carts are the main mode of transportation.

Honeymoon Beach is the main attraction for both the handful of full time residents and visitors. The 1/4 mile white stretch of sand is perfect for laying in the sun, snorkeling or just floating in the crystal clear blue water. It is not uncommon to arrive at the beach and be the only ones there. Sitting on the beach and watching the fish jump and the Pelicans dive help relieve any stress you might have brought with you.

If you are looking for a place to stay on Water Island some of the homeowners rent their homes out when they are off island. Colorful Bananaquit birds, or also known locally as “Sugar Birds”, Iguamas and gorgeous Hibiscus and Bouganvilla complete the tropical setting.You can quickly see why first time visitors fall in love with the island and return every year.

Living here is not for everyone. The only commercial establishments on Water Island are a lunch wagon that serves lunch at Honeymoon Beach every day and dinner on Saturday nights, a small beach bar with tropical concoctions and a small restaurant that is open occasionally, no one seems to mind. All supplies must be brought over from nearby St. Thomas.

You can get to the island by either private boat or the regularly scheduled small ferry. If you have to bring a vehicle to the island or building supplies there is a barge service available.

There is a limited number of houses on Water Island and when one comes up for sale it usually sells very quickly. There are some building lots available and there has been some new construction over the last several years.

The Water Island Civic association, founded in the 1960′s takes care of most of the island with intermittent assistance from the Virgin Islands’ government. There is also a Water Island Search and rescue organization that takes care of medical emergencies and fires. They have an ambulance and a fire truck. Both organizations are made up by Water Island resident volunteers.

Initially used by the U.S. Government in the 1940s, they partially constructed an underground fort, Fort Segarra, as part of the U.S. defenses during WWII. Fort Segarra sits abandoned today but a lot of reidents and visitors visit it to enjoy the panoramic view of the Caribbean Sea and Atlantic Ocean.

Control of Water Island was transferred from the federal government to the territorial government on December 12, 1996, making Water Island the “Last Virgin”. In the late 1990′s the Department of the Interior began transferring Water Island land to the long-time residential leaseholders.