Salt River Bay National Historical Park and Ecological Preserve

Virgin Islands (US) / Saint Croix / Christiansted /

park, nature conservation park / area

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www.nps.gov/sari/

Columbus Landing Site.

In 1493 a fleet of seventeen Spanish ships anchored outside of Salt River Bay, ¼ miles to west. The fleet’s admiral, Christopher Columbus, named the island Santa Cruz (Holy Cross).

The Spanish considered this land unexplored territory, yet other cultures had been living here for many centuries. According to eyewitness accounts, Spaniards in the flagship’s longboat skirmished with several Carib Indians in a dugout canoe. This marked the first documented hostile encounter between Europeans and Native Americans.

Wikipedia article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salt_River_Bay_National_Historical_Park_and_Ecological_Preserve

Nearby cities:

Coordinates: 17°46'32"N 64°45'22"W

Buck Island Reef National Monument 11 km
El Yunque National Forest 139 km
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Río Abajo State Forest 220 km
Guánica State Forest 229 km
Maricao State Forest 249 km
Guadeloupe National Park 358 km
Morne Trois Pitons National Park 453 km
Los Roques Archipelago 688 km
Main Ridge Forest Reserve 841 km

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St. Croix, USVI Hovensa Oil Refinery United States Virgin Islands Yabucoa Maritime Zone Maunabo Maritime Zone Patillas Maritime Zone Arroyo Maritime Zone Palmas Pitahaya Guayama Maritime Zone