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Meridiela.

Fort Segarra

An unfinished Second World War fort on Water Island, with tunnels cut into the hill.

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Typeunfinished fort
WhereSaint Thomas
Nearest cityCharlotte Amalie
Best seasonDecember to April
Time to allowTwo hours
Getting thereOn Water Island; ferry from Crown Bay then walk or golf cart
EntryFree; interior unsafe

Fort Segarra was begun on Water Island in 1944 to guard the approaches to the harbour, planned as an underground gun position with tunnels cut through the hill, and it was abandoned unfinished when the threat receded. What is left is concrete bunkers, gun mountings and tunnel mouths in the scrub, with the island's quiet lanes running past them. Water Island itself holds only a few hundred residents.

What you actually see

  • The tunnel mouths - the cut entrances into the hillside.
  • The concrete works - bunkers and gun mountings left unfinished.
  • The scrub setting - the fort taken back by vegetation.
  • The island lanes - Water Island's quiet roads running past the site.

When to go

December to April is the dry season. Ferries to Water Island run on a set schedule. Mornings are cooler for walking the island.

Honest expectations

The tunnels are unlit, flooded in places and genuinely unsafe; going in is unwise. There is no interpretation on site. Getting there means a ferry and then a walk or a hired cart.

Nearby

Honeymoon Beach is on the same island, and Charlotte Amalie is across the water.

What to pack for Fort Segarra

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Opening times, ticket prices and seasonal closures change - check the official source before you go: official site.

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