Tropical Storm Ernesto is bearing down on the U.S. Virgin Islands/NOAA

The approach of Tropical Storm Ernesto has placed the U.S. Virgin Islands under a tropical storm warning, prompting the National Park Service to begin to batten down Virgin Islands National Park and other park units in the islands for the storm.

Park staff on Monday opened Hurricane Hole for vessels seeking safe harbor from the storm, all permitted vessels have been contacted via e-mail from the Storm Permits Office.

Hurricane Hole is the only designated storm berth for Virgin Islands National Park and Virgin Islands Coral Reef National Monument. The storm berth chain system is designated by permit only. Vessels that have not been issued a permit for Hurricane Hole may shelter in Hurricane Hole by anchoring; keeping in mind not to hinder the chain system for vessels with storm berth permits.

As a reminder, no vessels should be tied off to shoreline vegetation, including mangroves, or other features (including rocks). Also, NPS day-use-only moorings in Hurricane Hole are prohibited from being used for any storm and effective Tuesday morning all NPS vessel moorings in the park and monument are closed for public use as well as all park piers, docks and bulkheads including Cruz Bay Visitor Center Finger Pier, Redhook Dock, and Caneel Bay Dock.

The park's facilities and amenities, such as bathrooms and trash cans, initiated closures Monday in some areas and others beginning Tuesday. Virgin Islands National Park facilities that will be closed Tuesday are: the visitor center and bookstore, Caneel Bay, Trunk Bay Fee Station, all bathrooms and trash cans. If you are using any of the areas that have closures of bathrooms and trash cans you need to be prepared to practice Leave No Trace (LNT) principles and pack out your waste materials. 

Concession operations that will close Tuesday include Trunk Bay Paradise Aqua Tours, Trunk Bay Snack Bar/Gift shop, and Caneel Bay Beach Club at Honeymoon. Cinnamon Bay Rain Tree Cafe will be open for breakfast and partial lunch service Tuesday. Cinnamon Bay Rain Tree Cafe and the watersports area will close at 12 p.m. Tuesday.

The tropical storm is expected to bring 4-6 inches of rain to the Virgin Islands and winds possibly gusting above 70 mph.

Christiansted National Historical Park on St. Croix also closed Monday due to the storm, as Buck Island Reef National Monument, and Salt River Bay National Historic Park and Ecological Preserve.