For many of the white continentals who had the good fortune to experience St. John in the 1970s, that time and place holds a special place in their hearts and souls. The St. John continentals of those days immersed themselves in the physical beauty and simple life style of St. John and became incorporated into the very fabric of St. John culture.

The fact that the uniqueness of this small subculture was something real and not just a satisfying self-perception was shared by none other than Edward A. O’Neill who wrote the book “The Rape of the American Virgins” in 1972.

This is a book was highly critical of greedy continental business interests and corrupt Virgin Islands government officials, resulting in a short-sighted development of the islands having unhealthy economic, ecological and social  consequences.

Moreover, Mr. O’Neill’s overall assessment of the Virgin Islands’ white continental residents  was, shall we say, unsympathetic.

Nonetheless, when the theme turned to the continentals of St. John his tone changed dramatically. In the chapter dealing with St. John, the author wrote:

“Up to now, development (on St. John) has produced little change in the island’s society. The small continental population, about 175 of the island’s present 1,700 residents, has had to become a real part of st. Johnian life – a not too difficult adjustment since the kind of people from the mainland who have settled on St. John came exactly because of the island’s isolation and simplicity, which they strongly want to preserve. Despite their small number, these relative newcomers (few have been here for more than twenty years) play an important local role. Unlike their fellow continentals on St. Thomas and St. Croix, whose attitude generally is “leave it to the natives,” these people, in their shorts and tennis shoes and shifts over bikinis, have been  vigorously working to preserve the unspoiled birthright St. John….”

After revisiting the reefs off of St. John’s Hawksnest Beach, my new opinion is that it is, if not the best, Hawksnest is one of the best “off the beach snorkels” on St. John. As I find more and more of what used to be vibrant and alive coral reefs succumbing to disease and high water temperatures, it seem that the elkhorn coral colony of Hawksnest Bay is still doing well. Although there are signs of coral bleaching and damage from high surf, there is what appears to be a forest of bright yellow elkhorns on the shallow reef.

Snorkelers should exercise caution approaching the shallow areas and avoid touching or, worse yet, standing on the reef, something potentially dangerous to both coral and snorkeler.

In addition to the elkhorns there’s also a great deal of life around the reef, such as lobsters, sea urchin, colorful sponges, several species of fish, tube worms, rays and turtles to name a few.

Underwater Hawksnest photos by Ray Armon

Angelfish	Elkhorn Coral	Sea Fan
Parrotfish	Coral	Sponge
Southern Sting Ray	Squid	Elkhorn Forest

The Prime Minister of the Caribbean nation of Antigua, Baldwin Spencer, yesterday re-christened the highest mountain in Antigua in honor of the US President. The celebration coincided with Mr. Obama’s 48th birthday.

The tree covered 1300 foot high mountain, formerly known as Boggy Peak, was renamed Mount Obama and will become a national park.

A stone sculpture at the base of the mountain supports a plaque reading, “Mount Obama, named in honor of the historical election on Nov. 4, 2008, of Barack Hussein Obama, the first black president of the United States of America, as a symbol of excellence, triumph, hope and dignity for all people.”

If you’ve been to Trunk Bay lately, you’ve probably noticed the that the ruins of the old Trunk Bay sugar mill have not only been cleared, but also are undergoing a stabilization project headed by the Virgin Islands National Park.

The Trunk Bay area was first claimed and settled by Adrian Runnels even before Denmark laid official claim to the island of St. John in 1718.

But Mr. Runnels and his enslaved entourage were not the first people to live on Trunk Bay. That honor belongs to descendants of indigenous Americans who first came to St. John around 1000 BC.

Archeological findings indicate that Trunk Bay was settled by these first Americans who called themselves Tainos around 700AD. Here they lived, planted yucca, fished, gathered fruit, fabricated pottery, tools and weapons and conducted their social and religious ceremonies until about 900 AD.

It seems that around that time these settlers left in a hurry, evidenced by the finding of cooking pots, which were still filled with food.

When Christopher Columbus sailed past the north shore of St. John on his second voyage, he either did not see, or at least did not report, any signs of the island being inhabited. This seems quite strange in that archeological evidence indicates several rather large villages along that coastline that existed until sometime around Columbus’ voyage.

The question is, what happened to the Tainos of St. John? Did they flee advancing Carib warriors? Were they in fact still on the island when Columbus passed by and were later wiped out by the depredations and diseases brought on by the European onslaught? Were they forced off the island by some natural disaster such as a hurricane earthquake or tsunami or did they just move on seeking greener pastures.

Perhaps the answer lies buried under the soil of St John waiting for an archeological discovery or perhaps we will never know what happened.

Turtle Point Trail Map

It’s always a pleasure to take a walk around the Caneel Bay grounds. Yesterday I brought my nephew, Ray, who was visiting from the big city, (NYC) to walk the Turtle Point Trail, which it seems that the powers that be in Caneel Bay have renamed “Mary’s Trail.”

Just getting to the trailhead was a rewarding experience. We saw deer and donkeys, flamboyant trees in full bloom and gourds hanging from calabash trees.

Ray says he wants to go back there and stay at the hotel as soon as he finds the right girlfriend to share the experience with.

The half-mile Turtle Point Trail, or should I say “Mary’s Trail,” runs between Turtle Bay on the north end of the Caneel Bay Resort and Caneel Hawksnest Beach. on the eastern side of Hawksnest Point.

You can pick up the Hawksnest Bay Trail from the southern end of the beach.

The trail follows the rocky shoreline of Hawksnest Point passing through dry forest and coastal terrain. Along the way you’ll enjoy refreshing tropical breezes and impressive views. The rugged natural setting of this area contrasting well with the manicured environment of the rest of the hotel grounds.

Bench on Turtle Point Trail

The best part of this trail, for me, are the strategically placed benches where you can sit, relax and appreciate the spectacular scenery made up of islands, cays, rocks and reefs lying within crystal-clear, multi-hued Atlantic waters.