Beach to Beach Power Swim 2008

The Caneel Bay Resort is offering a Dive into Relaxation Package for swimmers and spectators attending the ninth annual St. John Beach-to-Beach Power Swim. The event, sponsored by the Friends of the Virgin Islands National Park, will take place on Sunday, May 27,2012. There will be three options for swimmers: Maho Bay to Cinnamon Bay, one mile, Maho Bay to Trunk Bay, two and a quarter miles and Maho Bay to Hawksnest Bay, three and a half miles.

The Caneel Bay Resort Dive into Relaxation Package will include: 30% off room rates, breakfast for two per day, a complimentary Sunset Cocktail Cruise for two and a special welcome gift.

St. John South Shore

Good News From WAPA:

“Virgin Islands Water and Power Authority engineers and technicians completed repairs to gas turbine Unit #23 in St. Thomas’ Harley Power Plant last night and returned all feeders to service by 11:42 p.m. The feeder rotation schedule implemented on Monday and Tuesday has been discontinued.

“A wiring fault which occurred in the generator on Monday was repaired when subsequent troubleshooting determined that a computerized control card for the starting diesel component needed to be replaced. The part arrived from Puerto Rico Tuesday evening and was immediately installed.  After programming its software, the unit was returned to service before midnight.”

Westin St. John Rewards Guests Who Volunteer for Virgin Islands National Park Maintenance Program
“From now through December 31st, Westin St. John Resort & Villas is offering a $100 resort credit and transfers for guests who volunteer at nearby Virgin Islands National Park. With the Friends of the Virgin Islands National Park, visitors can participate in a one-day program to help maintain park trails and ruins, and remove debris from beaches and coastlines. All you have to do is show up at 8 a.m. any Tuesday or Thursday.”
By Karen Borsari for Shape.com

Diving Accident at Salomon Bay
A young New Bern man, described as the best of the best, was killed in a diving accident in Salomon Bay in St. John. James Alexander, 24, son of MERCI Clinic director Nancy Alexander and heart surgeon Dr. George Alexander, died Friday as he and his twin brother David were on a diving expedition in the U.S. Virgin Islands…. A National Park Service official said that Alexander was free diving with his brother. He ended up on the bottom at a depth of 30 feet. read article

Mayan Sun Circle on the Francis Bay Trail
Volunteers working for the Friends of the Virgin Islands National Park have extended the handicap access boardwalk that runs along the Francis Bay Pond, parallel to the beach, all the way from the road to the point on the trail by the big tamarind tree where the trail turns and leads up the hill to another viewing area and the remains of an old residence. At the end of the boardwalk, shaded by the old tamarind trees, there is now a really cool Mayan Sun Circle apparently made out of leftover lumber from the project.

Earthquake Felt on St. John
A relatively weak earthquake felt at 6:54 am with a 3.4 magnitude was close enough to St. John (the epicenter was only 23 miles away from the island) that you could feel the shake, which lasted just a few moments.

St. John Weather
The sky is still dusty due to the presence of dust from the Sahara Desert in Africa and volcanic ash from Montserrat in the Lesser Antilles
High Temperature: 85 degrees
Water temperature: 82 degrees
Sunset: 6:32 pm

St. John Live Music Schedule Wednesday March 28

Aqua Bistro – Rascio on Steel Pan – 5:30 – 8:30 – 776-5336
Castaways – Kenny Floyd – 8:00 – 777-3316
Coconut Coast Studios – St. John Flutes – 776-6944
Cruz Bay Prime – Samba Combo – 7:00 – 10:00 – 693 -8000
Driftwood Dave’s – Paradise People – 7:00 – 10:00 – 777-4015
High Tide – Chris Carsel – 6:00 – 9:00 – 714-6169
Sun Dog Cafe – Wednesday Night Jam – 7:30-10:00 – 244-9713

See Weekly Schedule

Friends of the Virgin Islands National Park February 2012 Seminar Series

Telephone: 340-779-4940
E-mail: info@friendsvinp.org
Friends of the Park Website

FULL MOON DRUM CIRCLE • Feb. 7, Tues. • 6:00pm – 8:00pm
Meet: Natl. Park Visitor Ctr.; Bring: A drum if you have one;
Seminar Fee: $25 Mem / $35 Non Mem • Max Group: 20

TREASURES OF THE VIRGIN ISLANDS I & II
Feb. 8, Wednesday • March 7, Wednesday • 1:00pm – 4:00pm
Meet: Charlotte Amalie Waterfront at R&J Latte’s;
Bring: Energy & creativity;
Seminar Fee: $55 Mem / $65 Non Mem • Max Group: 12

BOTANICAL & HISTORIC HIKE • Feb. 11, Sat. • 9:00am – 1:00pm
Meet: Annaberg parking lot;
Bring: Sunscreen, hat, lunch, water, & hiking shoes;
Seminar Fee: $45 Mem / $55 Non Mem • Max Group: 25

COASTAL ECOLOGY • Feb. 12, Sun. • 9:30am – 3:00pm
Meet: National Park Visitor Ctr.; Bring: Lunch, water, sunscreen, & snorkel gear;
Seminar Fee: $75 Mem / $85 Non Mem • Max Group: 18

BUILD GREEN • Feb. 18, Sat. • 10:00am – 12:00pm
Meet: Skinny Legs Restaurant to carpool;
Bring: Notebook, building plans, & ideas;
Seminar Fee: $35 Mem / $45 Non Mem • Max Group: 20

MARINE BIOLOGY SAIL • Feb. 19, Sun. • 9:00am – 3:00pm
Meet: Natl. Park Visitor Ctr. Dock;
Bring: Snorkel gear, lunch, water, towel, & sunscreen;
Seminar Fee: $85 Mem / $95 Non Mem • Max Group: 30

HERITAGE EXHIBIT TOUR • Feb. 22, Wed. • 10:00am – 12:00pm
Meet: Cinnamon Bay parking lot; Bring: Notebook;
Seminar Fee: $25 Mem / $35 Non Mem • Max Group: 30

KAYAK CANEEL BAY I & II
Feb. 24, Fri. • Apr. 15, Sun. • 10:00am – 1:00pm Meet: Caneel Bay parking lot;
Seminar Fee: $75 Mem / $85 Non Mem • Max Group: 15

LEAP YEAR STARS • Feb. 25, Sat.. • 7:30pm – 9:00pm
Meet: Estate Concordia Pavilion;
Bring: Blanket, flashlight, pillow, & binoculars (if you have them)
Seminar Fee: $35 Mem / $45 Non Mem • Max Group: 35

St. John Live Music Schedule for tonight, Wednesday, February 1

Aqua Bistro – Rascio on Steel Pan – 5:30 – 8:30 – 776-5336
Castaways – Kenny Floyd – 8:00 – 777-3316
Coconut Coast Studios – St. John Flutes – 5:30-7:00 – 776-6944
Driftwood Dave’s – Paradise People – 7:00 – 10:00 – 777-4015
High Tide – Chris Carsel – 6:00 – 9:00 – 714-6169
Sun Dog Cafe – Wednesday Night Jam – 7:30-10:00 – 244-9713

See the weekly schedule

Virgin Islands Cultureman: Mr. Justin Todman

Tyre Palm Brooms

Friends of the Virgin Islands National Park sponsored a tyre palm broom making exhibition with Virgin Islands culture man, Mr. Justin Todman from St. Thomas. After the demonstration, children were invited to ask questions:

“Mr. Justin,” asked one child, “what inspires you to make brooms?”

“It puts food on the table and it’s my art,” answered Mr. Justin.

St. John Music Schedule Friday March 18

Aqua Bistro – Mark Wallace – 5:30 – 8:30 – 776-5336
Beach Bar – Revisions – 9:00 – 777-4220
High Tide – John Lee – 7:00 – 10:00 – 714-6169
Island Blues – Mitch Woods – 3:00 – 6:00 – 776-6800
Morgan’s Mango - Lauren – 6:30 – 9:30 – 693-8141
Ocean Grill – Luba – 6:00 – 9:00 – 693 3304
Shipwreck Landing – Jimmi Prime Time Smith – 5:00 – 8:00 – 693-5640
Skinnylegs – Chris Carsel – 6:00 – 9:00 – 779-4982
Westin, Cruz Bay Prime – James Cobb – 6:30 – 10:00 – 693-8802

A word of caution: I’m doing the best I can to present an accurate music schedule, but to be sure, it would be a great idea to call the restaurant or bar beforehand to confirm.

Weekly Music Schedule

Virgin Islands Photo of the Day

Salt Island, BVI

Press Release
St. John, US Virgin Islands (USVI)

Tyre Palm Boom-Making Demonstration
Thursday March 17th (St. Patty’s Day) 10:00 am – 2:00 pm
In Front of the Friends of the Virgin Islands National Park Store, Mongoose Junction Cruz Bay
Presented by: Master West Indian culture-bearer, Justin Todman of St. Thomas US Virgin Islands
Sponsored by: Friends of VI National Park.

Mr. Justin’s crafts will be available, on limited basis, at the Friends of VI National Park Store. Additionally, he has indicated his willingness to teach those interested to learn this dying art of our West Indian

Contact: Cid Hamling at Connections for potential classes
Phone: 776-6922 or email connectionsstjohn.vi

Note: Tyre Palm brooms should be of great interest to wedding planners, and those who value our culture.

St. John Music Schedule Thursday March 10

Banana Deck – Steel Pan by Lemuel Callwood – 6:00 – 9:00 – 693-5055
Castaways – Mikey P Rocks the House – 8:00 - 777-3316
High Tide – Steven Sloan – 7:00 – 10:00  – 714-6169
Inn at Tamarind Court – Tom Mason & the Blue Buccaneers – 8:00 – 776 6378
Island Blues – Red Carpet Rats – 7:00 – 10:00 – 776-6800
Miss Lucy’s – Rich & Greg – 6:00 – 9:00  – 693-5244
Morgan’s Mango – Mark Wallace – 6:30 – 9:30 – 693-8141
Ocean Grill – Rascio Steel Pan – 7:00 – 9:00 – 693 3304
Skinny Legs – Loren – Guitar & Vocal – 6:00 – 779-4982
Westin, Cruz Bay Prime – James Cobb – 6:30 – 10:00 – 693-8802

A word of caution: I’m doing the best I can to present an accurate music schedule, but to be sure, it would be a great idea to call the restaurant or bar beforehand to confirm.

Weekly Music Schedule

It’s swim practice time so I can (theoretically) compete in the Friends of the Virgin Islands National Park “Beach to Beach Power Swim.”

With this aspiration in mind, I drove out to Trunk Bay yesterday afternoon for a the first practice swim.

For those interested, late afternoon and early morning are the best times to enjoy Trunk Bay. There’s no fee involved because the National Park people are either not there yet or have gone home already and you’ll find the beach relatively empty, devoid of the taxi van loads of cruise ship people, the way a beautiful Virgin Islands beach should be, according to me.

The only downside is the lack of facilities, which are only available during the day, the only one I miss being the showers or at least the running water to get the sand off your feet. In order to mitigate this relatively minor inconvenience, I bring a bottle of water with me to serve this purpose, the shower stalls, although without running water, providing privacy in which to change into dry clothes.

Anyway, it’s just before sunset and I’m completing my second lap my swim from one end of the beach to another.

They say “one picture is worth a thousand words,” but finding myself without a camera or the talent needed to draw, I’ll have to use the proverbial one thousand words this time.

I’m at the west end of the beach near the rocks and as a pick my head up to take a breath I see what looks like two deer walking along the beach.

I stop swimming and look out at the scene. What appeared to be two deer walking along the beach was, in fact, two deer walking along the beach.

The late afternoon sunlight brought a softness to the vivid colors of the sea, the sandy beach and the palms on the shoreline. At the other end of the beach, a wedding was in progress, beautiful people gathered together watching the bride in her flowing white dress and the groom also dressed in white running down the beach, barefoot, hand in hand.

I stay still for a minute or two taking in the scene before continuing my late afternoon swim.

View from new overlook on the Cinnamon Bay Trail

view to the east

There’s something new to view for hikers on the Cinnamon Bay Trail.

Jeff Chabot group leader and volunteers working with the Appalachian Mountain Club in a cooperative venture with the Virgin Islands National Park and Friends of the Virgin Islands National Park have cleared an overlook along the trail, with views extending from Jost Van Dyke to St. Thomas and the northwestern cays.

Some years ago there was an overlook higher up on the trail near the top, which has long since overgrown.

The trail crew did an excellent job creating this new overlook. The view is spectacular!

Other overlooks that have now been cleared are the Lind Point Battery Overlook,  at the bench almost to the top of Caneel Hill on the Caneel Hill Trail, one on the Bordeaux Mountain Trail and another on the Lameshur Bay Trail.

We’ll be posting photos of these overlooks shortly…

Soon come… one on the Reef Bay Trail, the Francis Bay Salt Pond and two on the Johnny Horn Trail….

ADVENTURE HAS ITS REWARDS AT CANEEL BAY, A ROSEWOOD RESORT ON ST. JOHN

Virgin Islands Ecotours

– Guests enjoying off-property Kayak, Hike & Snorkel Adventure inspire donations and receive complimentary one-year membership from local environmental group –

St. John, U.S.V.I. (January 2010) – Give and get back – that’s what Caneel Bay, A Rosewood Resort is offering guests who embark upon the Kayak, Hike & Snorkel Adventure with Virgin Islands Ecotours , one of the resort’s most popular off-property activities.

Through this new partnership, for each guest who signs-up for a multi-sport adventure with Caneel Bay partner Virgin Islands Ecotours, a donation is made to the local environmental group Friends of Virgin Islands National Park . In turn, guests receive a complimentary one-year membership to Friends – a $30 value with benefits to keep them engaged on continuing efforts to preserve the beauty that the resort calls home.

The value-oriented offer reflects Caneel Bay and Virgin Islands Ecotours common goal of building eco-tourism on St. John. Virgin Islands Ecotours, which offers kayak, hiking and snorkeling tours of Caneel Bay and the Mangrove Lagoon on St. Thomas, is a strong supporter the non-profit Friends of Virgin Islands National Park organization and its dedication to protecting and preserving the natural resources of the park.

Led by expert guides, the Kayak, Hike & Snorkel Adventure available at Caneel Bay explores crystal-blue waters teeming with reef life and sea turtles, beaches shaded by sea grape trees and coconut palms, and picturesque tropical forests.