Salt Pond Bay

ST. JOHN FILM – PRESS RELEASE

Free Movie Night:  QUEEN OF THE SUN

Tuesday May 1 , 2012, 7:30 PM, St. John School of the Arts, Cruz Bay

St. John Film is proud to present another award winning film about bees.

In 1923, Rudolf Steiner, an Austrian scientist, philosopher and social innovator, predicted that in 80 to 100 years honeybees would collapse. Now, beekeepers around the United States and around the world are reporting an incredible loss of honeybees, a phenomenon deemed “Colony Collapse Disorder.” Bees are disappearing in mass numbers from their hives with no clear single explanation. The queen is there, honey is there, but the bees are gone.

For the first time, in an alarming inquiry into the insights behind Steiner’s prediction QUEEN OF THE SUN: What Are the Bees Telling Us? investigates the long-term causes behind the dire global bee crisis through the eyes of bio-dynamic beekeepers, commercial beekeepers, scientists and philosophers. QUEEN OF THE SUN features world renowned bio-dynamic beekeeper Gunther Hauk, New York Times bestselling-author Michael Pollan, Indian Activist Vandana Shiva, and a compelling cast of characters from around the world. Together they take us on a journey through the catastrophic disappearance of bees and into the mysterious world of the beehive. The film unveils 10,000 years of beekeeping, illuminating the deep link between humans and bees and how that historic and sacred relationship has been lost due to highly mechanized industrial practices. Beekeeper Gunther Hauk calls the crisis, “More important even than global warming. We could call it Colony Collapse of the human being too.”

Bees are the engines that keep the earth in bloom. QUEEN OF THE SUN presents the bee crisis as a global wake-up call and illuminates a growing movement of beekeepers, community activists and scientists who are committed to renewing a culture in balance with nature.

The post film discussion promises to be equally engaging with St. John’s own bee keepers including Mr. Smalls.

St. John Live Music – Wednesday April 18

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

Hawksbill Turtle on the reef off Salt Pond Bay

No More discount for St. John Residents at St. John Gourmet and Dolphin Markets
St. John Gourmet and Dolphin markets have eliminated their 10% local’s discount on sales more that $50. They now offer, however, a 15% discount for Westin Guests. I feel dissed! Meanwhile Starfish Market prices are through the roof, way more than Dolphin and St. John Gourmet, no local’s discount notwithstanding. I guess it’s, plan your week’s shopping needs, and shop on St. Thomas. Normally I would prefer to support St. John businesses, but what’s a local to do?

No Blues Fest Blues Fest
Today – Coral Bay, St. John
The St. John Blues Festival will not be happening this year, but there will be the “No Blues Fest Blues Fest” instead, with local bands preforming at the Tall Ship and Shipwreck Landing parking lot today between 1:00 and 5:00 pm. A shuttle service will be available from the Coral Bay triangle.

St. John Live Music Schedule Saturday April 7

Beach Bar – I.R.E – 9:00 – 777-4220
Castaways – Dance Party – 11:00 – 777-3316
Driftwood Dave’s – Guitarist James Milne – 7:00 – 10:00 – 777-4015
Morgan’s Mango – Luba  – 6:00 – 9:30 – 693-8141
Ocean Grill – Rascio on Steel Pan – 6:00 – 9:30 – 693-3304
Rhumblines – Lauren – 7:00 – 10:00
Shipwreck Landing – Mike Miknut – 6:00 – 9:30
Skinny Legs – Hot Club of Coral Bay  – 6:30 – 9:30 – 779-4982
Spyglass – James Cobb – 5:00 – 8:00 – 776-1100

See Weekly Schedule

St. John Weather
Today: Isolated showers. Sunny, with a high near 84. East wind between 7 and 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 10%. Water Temperature 83 degrees. Sunset 6:34 pm

Snorkeling Salt Pond Bay, St John US Virgin Islands (USVI)

The latest edition of St. John Off the Beaten Track includes a section called “Favorite Snorkels.” The Salt Pond Bay Snorkel, which I’ll discuss in today’s blog was not included, but it really should have been.

The reef that I snorkeled was around the big rocks that you see at the mouth of the bay. (See the Google Maps satellite image below)

This is an excellent snorkel experience involving a coral reef, surrounding several large boulders some of which extend past the surface and a healthy seagrass bed on the periphery.

Salt Pond Bay Snorkel

Blue Tang (Acanthurus coeruleus)	Pillar Coral (Dendrogyra cylindrus)	Yellowhead Wrasse at Salt Pond Bay Coral Reef
Sea Fan (Gorgonia ventalina)	Coral Reef Sponges	Caribbean Reef Squid (Sepioteuthis sepioidea)
Longspine Squirrelfish (Holocentrus rufus)	Google Maps Satellite Image of snorkel area

Video of squid swimming on the periphery of the reef