Mango Flowers

St. John Weather

The Virgin Islands, like most of the rest of the planet has seasonal weather patterns. Right now all signs are pointing to the coming of springtime. The leaves are falling off the deciduous trees like the  mampoo and turpentine and will soon be replaced by new buds and flowers. My mango tree is in bloom as are the aloes, which are attracting the hummingbirds. The winds have already shifted to the south and he water temperature has been warming.

Forecast
Clear in the morning, then partly cloudy with rain showers
High of 82 degrees F
Winds from the SSE at 10 to 15 mph
Chance of rain 20%
Water temperature: 84 degrees F
Sunset: 6:25 PM AST

St. John Live Music Schedule Sunday, March 3

Aqua Bistro
Lauren Jones
3:30 – 6:30
776-5336

Beach Bar
ISH
5:00
777-4220

Concordia
Bo
Sunday Brunch 10:00 am

Cruz Bay Prime
Mark Wallace
7:00 – 10:00
693 -8000

High Tide
Lemuel Callwood Steel Pan
4:00 – 6:00
714-6169

Miss Lucy’s
Sambacombo
10:00 am – 2:00 pm
693-5254

Ocean Grill
David Laab
6:30 – 9:00
693-3304

Rhumblines
T-Bird
7:00 – 10:00

Shipwreck Landing
Hot Club
7:00 – 10:00

Sun Dog Cafe
David Laab
11:00 am- 2:00 pm
244-9713

See Weekly Schedule

Willy T, The Bight, Norman Island, British Virgin Islands

The William Thornton aka Willy T is a floating bar and restaurant that has been anchored in the Bight off Norman Island since 1985. The original Willy T was a wooden Baltic Schooner built in 1935, which sank at its mooring in 1995. The Willy T is most famous for some of the outrageous activities that regulatory occur aboard, especially during and after their popular Happy Hour. I’m talking ladies with no bathing suit tops,  group activities such as body shots, shotski’s (shots lined up on a water ski) ladies and gentlemen publicly having Willy T Temporary Tattoos applied to various body parts and of course, the now forbidden, but done anyway, jumping off the deck, more often topless than not.

- shotski’s- topless jumping off the deck – tattoos – body shots

St. John News

NOAA to Hold Public Meetings on Proposed Endangered Corals
By Lynda Lohr — February 1, 2013

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration will hold meetings next week to discuss the agency’s proposal to include 66 coral species on the Endangered or Threatened Species List. Seven of those proposed for the endangered list are in the Caribbean. Two are proposed for the threatened list…. read more

St. John Weather

Clear with rain showers in the morning, then partly cloudy
High of 82 degrees F.
Breezy: Winds from the East at 10 to 20 mph.
Sunrise: 6:51 AM AST – Sunset: 6:14 PM AST
Water Temperature (Charlotte Amalie Harbor, St. Thomas) 82.9 degrees F

St. John Live Music Schedule Sunday February 3

Aqua Bistro
Lauren Jones
3:30 – 6:30
776-5336

Beach Bar
Get Right Band
4:30
777-4220

Concordia
Bo
Sunday Brunch 10:00 am

Cruz Bay Prime
Mark Wallace
7:00 – 10:00
693 -8000

High Tide
Lemuel Callwood Steel Pan
4:00 – 6:00
714-6169

Miss Lucy’s
Sambacombo
10:00 am – 2:00 pm
693-5254

Ocean Grill
David Laab
6:30 – 9:00
693-3304

Rhumblines
T-Bird
7:00 – 10:00

Shipwreck Landing
Hot Club
7:00 – 10:00

Sun Dog Cafe
David Laab
11:00 am- 2:00 pm
244-9713

See Weekly Schedule

The Baths Virgin Gorda British Virgin Islands

St. John Film Society Press Release:

SPOTLIGHT ON CUBA

Tuesday, February 5, 7:30 pm
St. John School of the Arts
Cruz Bay

ADOLPHO

Directed by Sofie Delaage, 45 minutes, Comedy, 2006.
Poor Adolpho yearns for life beyond his broken-down taxi and plots a journey across the sea in this contemporary Cuban comedy of errors.

CON EL TOQUE DE LA CHAVETA

Directed by Pamela Sporn, 28 minutes, Documentary, 2007.  In the cigar factories of Cuba, a unique tradition persists: ‘la lectura de tabaqueria’. Every day, specially employed workers read aloud to hundreds of tabaqueros as they sit rolling the country’s famous cigars. From classic novels to national politics and local baseball results, for centuries this daily tradition has been an education for the workers, or chavetas. But after years of listening, they are knowledgeable and demanding, and the readers must be at their very best if they are to keep their discerning audience interested.

MAESTRA

Directed by Catherine Murphy, 33 minutes, Documentary, 2011.

Cuba, 1961: 250,000 volunteers taught 700,000 people to read and write in one year. 100,000 of the teachers were under 18 years old, over half were women.  The Bay of Pigs invasion impacted the women and the literacy campaign.  The young women who went out to teach literacy in rural communities across the island found themselves deeply transformed in the process. This documentary includes the oral history of one of contemporary Cuba’s greatest achievements in present day interviews with the volunteer teachers, archival footage, and still photos from the sixties.

St. John Film Society

St. John Weather
Mostly cloudy with rain showers in the morning, then overcast
High of 81 degrees F.
Breezy: Winds from the West at 10 to 20 mph shifting to the NNW in the afternoon
Sunrise: 6:52 AM AST – Sunset: 6:13 PM AST
Water temperature (Charlotte Amalie Harbor, St. Thomas) 82.9 degrees

St. John Live Music Schedule, Friday February 1

Aqua Bistro
Stephan Sloan
5:30 – 8:30
776-5336

Barefoot Cowboy Lounge
Michael Beason
7:00 – 9:00
201-1236

Beach Bar
Don Dilego Band
9:oo
777-4220

Castaways
Mikey P 8:00
Dance Party 11:00
777-3316

Cinnamon Bay
Eddie Bruce Drum Circle
6:30 – 8:00

Concordia
Bo & Lauren
6:30 – 9:00

High Tide
Mikey P
9:00
714-6169

Inn at Tamarind Court
Steel Pan
6:00 – 9:00
776 6378

Island Blues
Get Right Band
8:00
776 6800

Morgan’s Mango
Lauren Jones
6:00 – 9:30
693-8141

Ocean Grill
T-Bird
6:30 – 9:00
693-3304

Rhumblines
Erin Hart
7:00 – 10:00

Spyglass
James Milne
5:00 – 8:00
776-1100

Shipwreck Landing
Mitch Woods
7:00-10:00

Skinny Legs
Chris Carsel & Company
6:30 – 9:30
779 4982

See Weekly Schedule

Eugenia Earhartii

Virgin Islands National Park closes access to 325 acres on the south side of St. John
In reaction to the illegal improvement of an old Danish Road that ran above the White Cliffs and its connection to one of the many goat trails found in the vicinity of Europa Bay, the Virgin Islands National Park has closed public access to 325 acres on the south side of St. John. The trail in question, known as the White Cliffs Trail, runs through an area of the park that is the habitat of Eugenia Earhartii, which the NPS maintains would be endangered by hikers using the trail.

Eugenia Earhartii or more commonly know as Earhart’s Stopper is a shrub in the genus Eugenia (stopper) which contains 1000 species and belongs to the family of the Myrtaceae (Myrtle Family). Its duration is perennial which means it will grow year after year. Its floral region is The Virgin Islands.

See St. John source article

Read Bob Garrison’s response to the trail closure

St. John Weather
Overcast with rain showers
High of 81 degrees F
Breezy: Winds from the ENE at 10 to 20 mph
Chance of rain 30%
Sunrise: 6:52 AM AST – Sunset: 6:12 PM AST
Water Temperature (Charlotte Amalie Harbor, St. Thomas) 82.9 degrees F

St. John Live Music Schedule – January 30

Aqua Bistro
Rascio on Steel Pan
6:00 – 8:00
776-5336

Castaways
Flip Flop Rock
8:00
777-3316

Coconut Coast
St. John Flutes
5:30 -7:00
776-6944

Cruz Bay Prime
Sambacombo
7:00 – 10:00
693 -8000

High Tide
Lemuel Callwood Steel Pan
4:00 – 6:00
714-6169

Shipwreck Landing
Chris Carsel
6:30 – 9:30

Skinny Legs
Get Right Band
6:00
779-4982

Sun Dog Cafe
Wednesday Night Jam
Lauren & Mark Wallce
7:30-10:30
244-9713

See Weekly Schedule

Photo by Jack Boucher 1960

2009

2011

2012

(1933 photo by Jack Boucher, 2009 photo by Gerald Singer, 2011 and 2012 photos by Shaun O’Boyle)

Reef Bay Great House
The Reef Bay Estate House, also known as the Par Force Great House was built in 1832 and reconstructed in 1844. In 1994, it was partially renovated by the National Park Service. After being cleared in 2009, the condition of the historic estate house has been left to deteriorate.

The great house can be accessed via a spur on the Lameshur Bay Trail

Love City Live Tonight
Love City Live – The Ultimate Power Boat Party – White Bay, Jost Van Dyke BVI 11:00 am – 6:00 pm. It’s a beach party only accessible by boat. As one writer put it “A late night of live music and quality rum deserves a proper cool down the next day.”

St. John Weather
High Surf Advisory
Partly cloudy with rain showers
High of 82 degrees F.
Winds from the North at 10 to 15 mph shifting to the ENE in the afternoon
Chance of rain 20%.
Full Moon
Sunrise: 6:53 AM AST Sunset: 6:10 PM AST
Water Temperature (Charlotte Amalie Harbor St. Thomas) 82.9 degrees F

St. John Live Music Schedule

Aqua Bistro
Lauren Jones
3:30 – 6:30
776-5336

Concordia
Bo
Sunday Brunch 10:00 am

Cruz Bay Prime
Mark Wallace
7:00 – 10:00
693 -8000

High Tide
Lemuel Callwood Steel Pan
4:00 – 6:00
714-6169

Miss Lucy’s
Sambacombo
10:00 am – 2:00 pm
693-5254

Ocean Grill
David Laab
6:30 – 9:00
693-3304

Rhumblines
T-Bird
7:00 – 10:00

Shipwreck Landing
Hot Club
7:00 – 10:00

Sun Dog Cafe
David Laab
11:00 am- 2:00 pm
244-9713

See Weekly Schedule

Boys playing on a street corner in Charlotte Amalie, Virgin Islands – by Jack Delano 1941

Love City Live Tonight

Love City Live – Strictly Rockers – Reggae Party 7:00 pm – 1:00 am. Dance the night away at this outdoor island extravaganza while enjoying premium cocktails, local treats and the “One Love” atmosphere.

St. John Film Society Press Release:

St. John Film Society Presents
Select Films from the 4^th Traveling Caribbean Showcase of Films
Spotlight on CUBA

DATE: Tuesday, February 5, 2013
TIME: 7:30pm
PLACE: St. John School of the Arts, Cruz Bay

This year the St. John Film Society will host a number of films from the 4^th Annual Traveling Caribbean Film Showcase.  We kick off this festival with the following films from CUBA:

 Adolpho: 45-min fiction by Sofie Delaage  (2006)
Poor Adolpho yearns for life beyond his broken-down taxi and plots a journey across the sea in this contemporary Cuban comedy of errors.

Con El Toque de la Chaveta: 28-min documentary, by Pamela Sporn, (2007)
In the cigar factories of Cuba, a unique tradition persists: ‘la lectura de tabaqueria’. Every day, specially employed workers read out loud to the two or three-hundred tabaqueros as they sit rolling the country’s famous cigars. From classic novels to national politics and local baseball results, for centuries this daily tradition has been an education for the workers, or chavetas. But after years of listening, they are now knowledgeable and demanding, and the readers must be at their very best if they are to keep their discerning audience interested.

 Maestra: 33-min documentary by Catherine Murphy.  (2011)

In 1961 Cuba 250,000 volunteers taught 700,000 people to read and write in one year. 100,000 of the teachers were under 18 years old, over half were women.  The Bay of Pigs invasion took place in Cuba impacting the both the women and the literacy campaign.  The young women who went out to teach literacy in the rural communities across the island found themselves deeply transformed in the process. This documentary includes present day interviews with women who volunteered to teach their country to read in 1961 along with archival footage and still photos from the 60’s.   Catherine Murphy has begun the recording of an oral history of one of contemporary Cuba’s greatest achievements.

St. John Weather

Partly cloudy with rain showers
High of 82 degrees F.
Breezy: Winds from the ENE at 10 to 20 mph.
Chance of rain 40%.
Sunrise: 6:53 AM AST – Sunset: 6:09 PM AST
Water Temperature (Charlotte Amalie Harbor) 82.9 degrees F

St. John Live Music Schedule – Tonight January 25

Aqua Bistro
Stephan Sloan
5:30 – 8:30
776-5336

Barefoot Cowboy Lounge
Michael Beason
7:00 – 9:00
201-1236

Beach Bar
Sol Driven Train
9:00
777-4220

Castaways
Mikey P 8:00
Dance Party 11:00
777-3316

Cinnamon Bay
Eddie Bruce Drum Circle
6:30 – 8:00

Concordia
Bo & Lauren
6:30 – 9:00

High Tide
Mikey P
9:00
714-6169

Inn at Tamarind Court
Steel Pan
6:00 – 9:00
776 6378

Island Blues
Slammin
776 6800

Morgan’s Mango
Lauren Jones
6:00 – 9:30
693-8141

Ocean Grill
T-Bird
6:30 – 9:00
693-3304

Rhumblines
Erin Hart
7:00 – 10:00

Spyglass
James Milne
5:00 – 8:00
776-1100

Shipwreck Landing
Mitch Woods
7:00-10:00

Skinny Legs
Chris Carsel & Company
6:30 – 9:30
779 4982

See Weekly Schedule

After a morning church service on Christmas Day – Jack Delano, photographer – 1941 Dec.

Lutheran Church

The Lutheran Church on St. Thomas is the second oldest Lutheran Church in the western hemisphere. As the official church of Denmark, Lutheran ministers arrived with the first settlers and the first services were held in the courtyard of the fort.

In 1754, a church was built outside the fort and began ministering to blacks for the first time. Lutheran Ministers translated the Bible to Creole, and the same minister held services for two separate congregations, one Danish and the other Negro Creole.

The church was destroyed by a hurricane in 1772 and was replaced in 1789 by the Frederik Lutheran Church. The construction was financed by a free black parishioner, Jean Reeneaus.

The original Georgian-style building was reconstructed in 1827 after being destroyed by fire and then again in 1870, after damage suffered in a hurricane.

From “St. Thomas” by Gerald Singer

Things to do — St. Thomas
Mango Tango Presents Works Created in a Small Format
By Source Staff — January 21, 2013
Mango Tango invited artists represented by the gallery to create one to six works in a square foot format. Additionally artisans in Haiti, Guatemala and Panama were given the same invitation to make handicrafts in the small format. The final result is an Art by the Square Foot Exhibition that begins Friday from 5:30-8:30 p.m. on Jan. 25. Participating artists include Andrea Anderson, Caroline Duprey, Shari Erickson, Kristen Maize, Adrienne Miller, Mel McCuddin, Merryn McDonald, Kat Stevens, Brenda Sylvia, Mandy Thody and Dana Wylder, as well as a few newcomers…. read more

St. John Weather

Partly cloudy with rain showers
High of 84 degrees F
Breezy: Winds from the ESE at 15 to 20 mph.
Chance of rain 20%.
Sunrise: 6:54 AM AST – Sunset: 6:08 PM AST
Water Temperature (Charlotte Amalie Harbor) 82.9 degrees F

St. John Live Music Schedule

Aqua Bistro
Rascio on Steel Pan
6:00 – 8:00
776-5336

Castaways
Flip Flop Rock
8:00
777-3316

Coconut Coast
St. John Flutes
5:30 -7:00
776-6944

Cruz Bay Prime
Sambacombo
7:00 – 10:00
693 -8000

High Tide
Lemuel Callwood Steel Pan
4:00 – 6:00
714-6169

Shipwreck Landing
Chris Carsel
6:30 – 9:30

Sun Dog Cafe
Wednesday Night Jam
Lauren & Mark Wallce
7:30-10:30
244-9713

See Weekly Schedule

Photo by Jack Delano 1941

Photo by Jack Delano 1941

Frenchtown, St. Thomas
During the 17th and 18th century, religious intolerance in France led to a horrible epoch of persecution for French Protestants, know as Huguenots. Their churches, homes, bibles and hymn books were burned and their children were taken away to be brought up by Catholic nuns. Thousands were burned at the stake, tortured, sent to sea to serve as galley slaves or condemned to prisons where chances of survival were slim.

An estimated 250,000 Huguenots lost their lives, while another 250,000 were able to leave France and settle elsewhere. One of these havens was the French West Indian Island of St. Bartholomew, better known as St. Barts.

A rocky and infertile landscape and lack of other economic opportunities led many of the descendants of the original refugees to emigrate to St. Thomas where they established two diverse communities, one alongside the harbor just south of downtown Charlotte Amalie that became known as Frenchtown and the other on the hills and valleys on the north side of the island.

Photo by Jack Delano 1941

The people of Frenchtown often turned to the sea for sustenance. The small village is famous for its fishing industry as well as for its fine restaurants. The Northside community, centered in Dorothea, Mandahl and Hull Bay, combines fishing with agriculture as a way of life.
(From the book, “St. Thomas,” by Gerald Singer)

St. John Weather

High Surf Advisory
Overcast with a chance of rain.
High of 82 degrees F.
Breezy. Winds from the ENE at 15 to 20 mph.
Chance of rain 20%.
Sunrise: 6:54 AM AST – Sunset: 6:04 PM AST
Water Temperature (Charlotte Amalie Harbor) 82 degrees F

St. John and Virgin Islands News

Three V.I. communities – one each on St. Thomas, St. John and St. Croix – have been selected to be the first in the territory to get actual street names and standard addresses this year, according to a news release from the Office of the Lieutenant Governor…. read more

A V.I. National Park Service official on Tuesday identified Steve Rock, 60, of Enola, Penn., as the visitor who died Sunday near Waterlemon Cay at Leinster Bay on St. John.

“He was snorkeling alone,” according to Acting Superintendent Mike Anderson…. read more

St. John Live Music Schedule – Wednesday January 16

Aqua Bistro
Rascio on Steel Pan
6:00 – 8:00
776-5336

Castaways
Inner Visions
9:00
777-3316

Coconut Coast
St. John Flutes
5:30 -7:00
776-6944

Cruz Bay Prime
Sambacombo
7:00 – 10:00
693 -8000

High Tide
Lemuel Callwood Steel Pan
4:00 – 6:00
714-6169

Shipwreck Landing
Chris Carsel
6:30 – 9:30

Sun Dog Cafe
Wednesday Night Jam
Lauren & Mark Wallce
7:30-10:30
244-9713

See Weekly Schedule

French Village, a small settlement on St. Thomas Island, Virgin Islands. (Frenchtown) – Boys playing marbles outside of a general store.
Delano, Jack, photographer.
CREATED/PUBLISHED 1941 Dec.

Press Release: Love City Live

Love City Live! 2K13 is less than a month away! (Jan 24th – Jan 27th)

This festival-like extravaganza is sure to be a “value added” experience for all guests to St. John this month as they sample Virgin Island art, culture, food and lifestyle, all while indulging in the beach, boats, sun, rum and reggae vibe emanating from the event.

See Video

? Thurs Jan 24th – Lime 101 – A Caribbean Art, Food & Rum Experience 4:00pm – 9:00pm @ NPS Greens (No Cover) See local art, savor local cuisine, sample local cocktails…Experience local Vibe…come early for workshops and cooking classes.

? Fri Jan 25th – Strictly Rockers – Reggae Party 7pm-1am. Dance the night away at this outdoor island extravaganza while enjoying premium cocktails, local treats and the “One Love” atmosphere.  STT Return Ferry 1:15 am.

? Sat Jan 26th – Steel Pulse “Live” in Concert – Also performing Duane Stephenson Inner Visions & Reemah @ Winston Wells Ball Park (Cruz Bay – St John) gates open @ 6:30pm (arts & crafts vendors, local & ital food vendors, premium bars)

? Sun Jan 27th – The Ultimate PowerBoat Party – White Bay, Jost Van Dyke BVI 11:00am – 6:00pm It’s a beach party only accessible by boat. As one writer put it “A late night of live music and quality rum deserves a proper cool down the next day.”

Thank you for helping spread the word about Love City Live! 2013…Indulge in the Vibe.

Name: Michelle Fage
Email: Michelle.M.Fage@gmail.com
Phone: 310 968 3789
Website

St. John Weather

Partly cloudy with rain showers
High of 84 degrees F
Breezy: Winds from the NE at 20 to 25 mph.
Chance of rain 20%
Sunrise: 6:53 AM AST – Sunset: 6:00 PM AST
Water Temperature (Charlotte Amalie Harbor)

St. John Live Music Schedule – Thursday January 10

Banana Deck
Steel Pan by Lemuel Samuels
6:00 – 9:00
693-5055

Barefoot Cowboy Lounge
Erin Hart
7:00 – 9:00
201-1236

Castaways
James
9:00
777-3316

Miss Lucy’s
Jazz with Rich and Greg
6:00 – 9:00
693-5354

Morgan’s Mango
Mark Wallace
6:00 – 9:30
693-8141

Ocean Grill
Chris Carsel
6:30 – 9:00
693-3304

Rhumblines
Erin Hart
7:00 – 10:00

Spyglass
James Milne
5:00 – 8:00
776-1100

Inn at Tamarind Court
Crooked Coast
6:00 – 9:00
776-1100

See Weekly Schedule

Cinnamon Bay Self-Guiding Trail

Cinnamon Bay Self-Guiding Trail
I’ve identified almost 100 trails throughout St. John each with its own advantages, highlights  and challenges. One trail that almost everyone could enjoy is the Cinnamon Bay Self-Guiding Trail also known as the Cinnamon Bay Loop Trail. It’s relatively easy, only a half mile in length, no real hills and cool forest shade. Moreover, much of it is even handicap accessible. The highlights of the trail include the remains of an historic sugar and bay rum factory, a walk through a aromativ bay rum forest, an old Danish graveyard, a several specimens of dry forest flora including mammee apples, mangos and a cocoa tree, sometimes bearing their red chocolate fruits.

To help answer the question, “which trail should I choose today,” check out St John Off the Beaten Track

St. John News
Maho Bay Blog
Wednesday, January 2, 2013
land update

We don’t know much and the future is still very unclear, but this is the latest newsletter sent concerning the land we sit on:

Dear Campers, Staff and All Interested,

We have just discovered that the property which Maho Bay Camps sits upon has officially been sold.  The only information that has been released, is that a direct sale to an unknown buyer took place on 12/27/2012 for $13,950,000.  No one is releasing any more details.  We do not know who they are or their intentions.  All we know is that we are only taking reservations until we close on May 15, 2013.  We will continue to update you as we find out more.

We hope you have a blessed New Year and get to come visit us one last time.

Cool Article
St. John Surfers Devon O’Neil and Galen Stamford challenge the snow-covered mountains of Colorado
Riding the Wave by Devon O’Neil

St. John Weather
Clear with rain showers in the morning, then partly cloudy.
High of 84 degrees F
Breezy: Winds from the ENE at 20 to 25 mph
Chance of rain 20%.
Water Temperature (Charlotte Amalie Harbor) 83 dgrees F
Sunrise: 6:52 AM AST – Sunset 5:57 PM AST

St. John Live Music Schedule – Saturday, January 5

Beach Bar
Stolen Silver
9:00
777-4220

Castaways
Mikey P 9:00
Dance Party 11:00
777-3316

Cruz Bay Prime
Mike Wallace
7:00 – 10:00
693 -8000

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

Skinny Legs
Hot Club of Coral Bay
6:30 -9:30
779 4982

See Weekly Schedule