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St. John News
Answer Desk: What’s Happening with the Westin Iguanas?
By Lynda Lohr — March 13, 2013
The Westin Resort and Villas on St. John continues to struggle with the abundance of iguanas that like to hang out at the hotel, but Source reader Barbara Murray wants to know exactly what they’re doing with them.
Westin manager Mike Ryan said he wants to do the right thing for both the iguanas and the resort guests.
Ryan said they’re trying to keep them out of public spaces. His crews are bagging them up in mesh bags and relocating them to “back of the house” places on the Westin grounds, he said. This means they’re letting them go in areas like the guts that cross the property.
The Westin previously relocated the iguanas to other areas of St. John like Fish Bay, but that didn’t sit well with residents who also struggle to keep them from devouring their gardens…. read more
BVI Announces Bubbly Pool Closure Following Accident
By Erik Ackerson — March 13, 2013
The British Virgin Islands government has announced that the “bubbly pool” on Jost Van Dyke has been closed until further notice, following a tragic accident at the location on Saturday.
Jonathan Wheeler, a 34-year-old resident of St. Thomas, died at the scene trying to rescue a friend who fell off the surrounding rocks. Another friend, Doug Stewart, received severe injuries trying to rescue Wheeler.
The men were part of a group of 10 friends visiting the popular attraction. Huge waves along the rugged northern coastline swept Wheeler away after he rescued the friend, they said…. read more
St. John Weather Forecast
High Surf Advisory
Partly cloudy
High of 79 degrees F
Winds from the ENE at 5 to 15 mph
Sunset: 6:28 PM AST
Water Temperature (Charlotte Amalie Harbor): 82.9 degrees F
St. John Live Music Schedule Thursday March 14
Banana Deck
Steel Pan by Lemuel Samuels
6:00 – 9:00
693-5055
We’re slowly seeing the signs of spring here on St. John. Albeit not as dramatic as springtime in America, we do, contrary to what many believe, have definite seasons. Today, for example marks the day that America goes back on Daylight Time, making Eastern Standard Time (EST) equal to our Atlantic Standard Time (AST). The seawater has become warm enough not to be so shocking (for baby like me anyway, but not warm enough for a baby like my friend Mario). More scientifically demonstrating the coming of a new season is the appearance of flowers on my mango tree and the aloes in bloom a buzz with bees and hummingbirds in the morning.
Mango Flowers
Aloe Flowers
Key Lime Flower
Christmas Palm Fruits
St. John Live Music Schedule for tonight, Sunday, March 11
Aqua Bistro – Lauren – 3:30 – 6:30 – 776-5336 Beach Bar – The Blood Gypsies – 5:00 – 777-4220 Concordia – Bo – Sunday Brunch – 10:00 am Driftwood Dave’s – Live Music – 1:00 – 4:00 – 777-4015 Miss Lucy’s – Samba Combo – 10:00 am – 2:00 pm – 693-5354 Ocean Grill – David Laab – 6:30 – 9:00 – 693-3304 Rhumblines – T-Bird – 7:00 – 10:00 Shipwreck Landing – Hot Club of Coral Bay – 7:00 – 10:00 Skinny Legs – Groove Thang – 6:00 -779-4982 Sun Dog Cafe – David Laab – 11:00 am- 2:00 pm – 244-9713 Westin Beach Bar – Rich Greengold – 6:30 – 9:30 – 244-9713
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!
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.
Century Plants used to one of the most commonly found and easily identifiable plants on St. John. Even though they bloomed only once after about 20 years, around Easter time, the full bloom Century Plant could be seen in bloom just about anywhere there was dry forest or scrub land. Now due to the ravages of the Mexican Snout Beetle, the century plant has become a rare and endangered species.
Free Movie Night
Tuesday, May 3, 2011 7:30 pm
St. John School of the Arts, Cruz Bay
SUGAR – A feature length film by Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck (120 min) 2008
SUGAR follows the story of Miguel Santos, a.k.a. Sugar, a Dominican pitcher from San Pedro De Macoris, struggling to make it to the big leagues and pull himself and his family out of poverty. Playing professionally at a baseball academy in the Dominican Republic, Miguel finally gets his break at age 19 when he advances to the United States’ minor league system, but when his play falters, he begins to question the single mindedness of his life’s ambition.
St. John Music Schedule Saturday April 23
Castaways – Kenny Floyd – 8:00 – 11:00 – 777-3316 Fatty Crab – Sambacombo- 11:00 am – 4:00 pm – 693-5244 Morgan’s Mango – Luba – 6:30 – 9:30 – 693-8141 Rhumb Lines – Lauren & Bo – 7:00 – 10:00 – 776-0303 Skinny Legs – Hot Club of Coral Bay – 6:30 – 9:30 – 779-4982 Westin, Cruz Bay Prime – James Cobb – 6:30 – 10:00 – 693-8802
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.
Frank Bay drew a contingent of photographers and sight-seers yesterday afternoon for another spectacular sunset. At first it was disappointing as the sun sunk behind a bank of clouds. Some people left, but those that stayed were treated to a colorful panorama as the western horizon exploded in reds and yellows.
St. John Music Schedule Friday April 22
Beach Bar – Soul Grass Rebellion – 9:00 – 777-4220 Castaways – Dusty Spoon – 8:00 – 11:00 – 777-3316 High Tide – John Lee – 7:00 – 10:00 – 714-6169 Island Blues – Big Heavy – 7:00 – 10:00 – 776-6800 Morgan’s Mango – Lauren – 6:30 – 9:30 – 693-8141 Ocean Grill – Luba – 6:00 – 9:00 – 693 3304 Westin, Cruz Bay Prime – James Cobb – 6:30 – 10:00 – 693-8802
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.
St. John enjoyed a sort of mini farmers market this morning, beautiful fresh local produce for sale set up outside of Connections in downtown Cruz Bay. Those responsible for this phenomenon Anthony and friends, farmers and farmers helpers from Dorothia on St. Thomas’ north side (Nordside). Anthony will be bringing his fruits and vegetable to St. John every other Friday (This week was on a Thursday because tomorrow is a holiday.
St. John Music Schedule Thursday April 21
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 – 6:00 – 779-4982 Westin, Cruz Bay Prime – James Cobb – 6:30 – 10:00 – 693-8802
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.
There’s no gas on Vieques. They ran out the day before yesterday and word is that a shipment might arrive today. When word gets here that the gasoline has left Puerto Rico on the barge, the gas lines will form.
Asking friends on the island about this, I would hear, “well you know how it is living on an island. We only have two gas stations and all our gas has to come in by barge from Puerto Rico”
But no, I don’t know. We pretty much always have gas on St. John. We only have one gas station and not only does our gas have to come by barge from St. Thomas, St. Thomas needs to get gas from somewhere.
I imagine it’s a matter of efficiency, and contrary to popular opinion, we must be fairly efficient here on St. John, at least when it comes to gasoline availability.
St. John Music Schedule Wednesday April 20
Castaways – Steven Sloan – 7:00 – 777-3316 Coconut Coast Studios – St. John Flutes – 5:30 -7:00 – 776-6944 High Tide – Chris Carsel – 7:00 – 10:00 – 714-6169 Island Blues – Soulgrass Rebellion – 7:00 – 10:00 – 776-6800 Larry’s Landing – James Jams – 10:00- 693-8802 Sun Dog Cafe – Open Mic – 7:00 – 10:00 – 693 8340 Westin, Cruz Bay Prime – David Laabs – 6:30 – 10:00 – 693-8802
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.
“The mampoo is dropping it’s sticky seeds that find there way all over my shoes, my socks, my pants and all over the house.”
Funny thing, I’ve been annoyed with the sticky mampoo seeds and decided to blog about it. I remembered writing about them in the past so I did a search to see what I wrote. It turns out that the above paragraph was written one year ago to the day.
My friend, King, once told me to cut down the big mampoo because in his words it was a “dis GUSTING tree.” I didn’t realize what he meant until it flowered in the spring and dropped its sticky seeds all over the place.
From the SeeStJohn.com:
“In the springtime the mampoo goes to seed, the female of the species, making a kind of flower that starts off green and then turns black.
The tennis-ball sizes flower looks like a miniature tree that’s branches end with little black seeds instead of leaves.
On the end of each seed is a ball of sticky hooked spikes that stick on to skin or clothing like sticky velcro. If you have a mampoo on the way to your house you will surely find the little seeds everywhere during April and May, the time that they fall from the tree.
Disgusting it may be, but I still find the mampoo to be a beautiful shade tree and I’m happy to have them near my house, except in April and May, that is.
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.
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