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The Maho Bay improvement project is nearly complete, with newly constructed concrete pathways, an open air-pavilion, picnic tables, barbecues and an outhouse. In addition, the old existing pavilion has been improved with a new roof, a wooden deck and a new paint job.
New Pavilion
Seagull
A wooden deck has been added to the old pavilion
A “Special Use Permit” will be required for use of the existing pavilion, but a permit will not be required for the new open air pavilion, available on a first come, first serve basis..
The project, which will not include running water or electricity, was contracted by an off-island company at a cost of $429,000.
Parking improvements have also been made. On the west end of the beach several head-on parking spaces have been added and on the east end the construction of a fairly sizable parking lot is underway. Posts have been installed on the north side of the road to prevent parking on the ecologically fragile shoreline.
Iguanas tend to take on the color of their environment. The one in the photo spends much of his time between two big trees, an amarat and a manjack.Very young ones tend to be an iridescent green.
Cruz Bay Park
The work on the beautification and renovation of the Franklin Powell Parkin Cruz Bay was completed sometime last month, well in time for the next tourist season and before the interruption of any potential tropical disturbances during the Atlantic Hurricane Season, but not in time for the St. John Festival .
Little Cinnamon
Little Cinnamon Bay, between “Big” Cinnamon and Peter Bays, is the only north shore beach on St. John where anchoring (in the sand) near the beach is permissible.
The tropical storm watch for St. John and the U.S. Virgin Islands has been discontinued.
The skies are cloudy with occasional squalls, and from time to time a lightening bolt flashes though the night sky. But Emily has passed us by and life returns to as normal as it ever gets here on St. John, at least for a while.
It’s officially arrived. The first mass St. John hurricane anxiety of the 2011 Atlantic Storm season. A few days ago a mass of thunderclouds got together some 1000 miles of the shores of the Lessor Antilles, which are a line of islands extending from the Virgin islands on the north to Trinidad and Tobago on the south.
Forecasts indicated that these storms had the probability of organizing and strengthening so the system was given a name, sort of, Invest 91.
Computer models had Invest 91 heading directly for the St. John and the Virgin Islands, with initial forecasts for strengthening into a class one hurricane upon it’s approach to Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands.
After that, it’s on everyone’s mind. Hurricane plans! pain in the neck. It’s early on the season and nobody wants to even be thinking about it, but it’s a fact of life here on our little island in the corner of the Caribbean Sea.
Last night the Invest 91 got a proper name, Tropical Storm Emily. Looks like it went directly from being an “Invest” to a named Tropical Storm, sparing us the depression associated with the Tropical Depression stage.
Emily appears to be safely south of us at the moment, but we’re close enough to the area of intense activity to be declared under a “Tropical Storm Watch,” meaning that tropical storm conditions are possible within the watch area within 48 hours.
Hopefully there will be no significant change in direction and intensity as it passes by us to the south.
Well, it’s been some time since my last post. Been busy with the complete revision of my “Vieques” book, in both English and Spanish and spending lots of time with my kid, Jacob.
After the big flood, the Westin rebuilt and renovated quickly and was back online in a matter of weeks. The beach was cleaned up, the tennis courts resurfaces, the kitchen and dining areas upgraded. Everything except the game room.
When jacob asked me about the games, I had to say that there were none, well almost none. “Why?’ he asked.
“I don’t know.”
“When will they be back?”
I don’t know.”
“Let’s go check,” he says and I am pessimistic to say the least, but to placate him we head over to the Westin to check. It turns out that that very day they’re setting up all new games. Cool ones too. Terminator with machine guns, a cool car racing game, state of the art air hockey, a retro style pin ball game that turns out to be the best pin ball game I’ve ever played and soon come X- Box, games which they say will be changed monthly and which will be using the “Connect” technology.
If you have kids or just like games, check it out!
Normally you’d think there’s not much to see snorkeling around a seagrass bed and algal plain in the middle of a St. John bay. But if you linger around for a while, you might be surprised. Yesterday in the course of less than a half hour I encountered two big turtles, one with a remora on its back, a fairly large barracuda, conchs, starfish, sea urchins, and a variety of little fish.
Barracuda
Starfish
Turtle with Remora
Spiny Sea Urchin
St. John Music Schedule
Beach Bar – Laura Reed with SGR Band – 9:00 – 777-4220 Castaways – Kenny Floyd – 8:00 – 11:00 – 777-3316 Morgan’s Mango – Luba – 6:30 – 9:30 – 693-8141 Rhumb Lines – Lauren & Bo – 7:00 – 10:00 – 776-0303
Note: 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.
The first step in catching fish is to get bait. In this photo a fisherman is casting a sprat net for that purpose. He holds on of the lead weights in his teeth and cast the net wide open using his two hands. As the net opens in a circular pattern, he release the last weight held in his mouth – important to remember! Today he’ll be trolling for kingfish…
St. John Music Schedule, Thursday April 28
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 Island Blues - T-Bird – 7:00 – 10:00 – 776-6800 Miss Lucy’s – Rich & Greg – 6:00 – 9:00 – 693-5244 Ocean Grill – Rascio Steel Pan – 7:00 – 9:00 – 693 3304 Skinnylegs - Lauren – Guitar & Vocal – 6:00 – 779-4982
Note: 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.
About the Nurse Shark
The nurse shark, Ginglymostoma cirratum, can reach a length of 14 ft (4.3 m) and a weight of 330 lbs (150 kg).
Unlike most sharks, the nurse is able to breathe while remaining in one place and can often be found lying under ledges or resting motionless on the sea floor.
Slow and sluggish, this species of sharks rarely attacks humans.
Nurse sharks mostly eat marine invertebrates such as lobsters, shrimp and sea urchins. They capture their prey by their ability to create a strong suction through their small mouths and large throat cavities, which has led to their name, “nurse sharks.”
This nurse shark, about five feet long was photographed Easter Sunday just off of the western coast of Whistling Cay.
St. John Music Schedule Monday April 25
High Tide – Steven Sloan – 7:00 – 10:00 – 714-6169 La Tapa – Sambacombo – 6:30 – 9:30 – 693-7755 Maho Bay Camps – Bo & Lauren – 8:00 – 10:00 – 715-0501 Ocean Grill – Chris Carsel – 6:30 – 9:30 – 693 3304
Note: 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.
Note: 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.
Note: 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.
A “Special Use Permit” will be required for use of the existing pavilion, but a permit will not be required for the new open air pavilion, available on a first come, first serve basis..
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