You can enter to win a week at this waterfront villa, Monarch Cottage.
Raffle reminder!
We are holding a raffle to benefit the Animal Care center and St. John Rescue. It only costs $25 to enter, and the proceeds will support two extremely worthy organizations here in St. John. Here’s what you can win!
A seven-night stay at Monarch Cottage – A brand-new, waterfront home with a pool & hot tub near Cruz Bay. ($7,000+ value)
A $500 VISA gift card courtesy of Explore STJ
A sunset sail for up to six people with Island Roots Boat Charters
A $100 gift certificate to Cruz Bay Landing
A $100 gift certificate to The Tap Room
A $100 gift certificate to The Windmill Bar
A Trunk Bay puzzle courtesy of Explore STJ
You will receive one entry for every $25 donation you make.
How the Drawing Works: Once the entry period is over, the raffle committee will personally write/type the names of each entrant on a raffle ticket. If you buy one ticket, we will write/type your name on one ticket. If you buy two tickets ($50 total), we will write/type your name on two tickets. If you buy three tickets ($75 total), we will write/type your name on three tickets. And so forth. You will not receive a ticket by mail or email. All of the names will be placed into a secure bucket/basket/box. Once all of the names are written on tickets, we will draw the winner live on video. The winner will be announced on explorestj.com. A video of the drawing will also be posted on explorestj.com. The raffle period will end on Friday, April 4, 2025 at 9 p.m. AST. The winner will be announced on explorestj.com on or about April 8, 2025. All tickets purchased will be treated as donations to the Animal Care Center of St. John and St. John Rescue.
Spirit of 1733 arrived in St. Thomas last week. Image credit: Government House
Well this is good news! The new ferry has arrived in the US Virgin Islands! It hasn’t been put into service yet, but I’m sure that will happen soon!
The new ferry – named Spirit of 1733 – holds 300 passengers, which is more than our current ferries. It arrived in the St. Thomas last week, per Government House. The Spirit of 1733 is a state-of the-art ferry that is ADA-complaint and has eco-friendly technology. It even has a dedicated space for luggage, so no more worrying about your bag getting drenched in a rainstorm.
Spirit of 1733 – The Historical Connection
This plaque is located on Ram Head.
Some of you who aren’t as familiar with St. John’s history may be wondering the significance of 1733. That year marks an integral part of St. John’s history.
Denmark settled St. John in 1718 and brought enslaved people from Africa’s Guinea Coast for the purposes of working the sugar plantations. A large number of those enslaved people came from the Akwamu tribe, a tribe that ruled present-day Ghana for decades. The Akwamu often traded with the Danes, selling their fellow Africans into slavery. Eventually the Akwamu was defeated and was sold into slavery themselves. Many were subsequently brought to St. John.
The Akwamu was a tribe that had numerous strong warriors, and those warriors eventually planned a revolt here in St. John. Led by King Kanta, King Claes, King Juni and Queen Breffu, the Akwamu entered a fort in Coral Bay carrying bales of wood. (This occurred at Fortsberg, which is the area of land on the east side of Coral Bay harbor.) The warriors acted as if they were initiating a normal delivery of wood, but once they were inside the mostly-unmanned fort, they branded cane knives and killed the soldiers who were present. The tribe moved plantation to plantation, killing colonists until they held most of the island. The 1733 Slave Insurrection was the first time that enslaved people took control of a colony. This was a major historical event, and it is remarkable that it took place in St. John.
The insurrection lasted nearly six months. The Danes eventually made a deal with the French, and troops from Martinique arrived to quell the uprising. The Akwamu fought, but could not hold off the forces, so they were left with few options. Rather than be recaptured and tortured, many chose suicide. In April 1734, a number of freedom fighters ritualistically took their own lives on Ram Head. A plaque now sits there to honor this integral part of St. John’s rich history.
Hopefully the new ferry will be put into service soon. I will let you know when that happens.
Win a Week at Monarch Cottage, A Brand-New Waterfront Rental – Proceeds to support the Animal Care Center & St. John Rescue
The view from Monarch Cottage
Explore STJ is holding a raffle! The cost is only $25 a ticket! Proceeds will be split between the Animal Care Center and St. John Rescue. Here is what you can win:
A seven-night stay at Monarch Cottage – A brand-new, waterfront home with a pool & hot tub near Cruz Bay.
A $500 VISA gift card courtesy of Explore STJ
A sunset sail for up to six people with Island Roots Boat Charters
A $100 gift certificate to Cruz Bay Landing
A $100 gift certificate to The Tap Room
A $100 gift certificate to The Windmill Bar
A Trunk Bay puzzle courtesy of Explore STJ
This raffle has an estimated value of $8495! The raffle period will end on Friday, April 4, 2025 at 9 p.m. AST. The winner will be announced on or about April 8, 2025.
You will receive one entry for every $25 donation you make.
Eileen Cullen lives for the St. Patrick’s Day parade like me! She is also the owner of Garden By the Sea!
If you are lucky enough to be on island this month, you are especially lucky because we have several great events happening soon!
St. Patrick’s Day Parade – Sunday, March 16th at noon
The annual St. Patricks Day parade is happening on a Sunday for the first time this year. The annual parade will be in its new location for the second year in a row. It will begin in front of Gallows Point Resort and will head toward town, past Grande Bay, Lovango Rum Bar and Drink and will ultimately end near The Terrace, Banana Deck and Beach Bar. The parade starts at noon, but get to town a bit earlier to secure a good viewing spot. Dalton will be in the parade again this year, so keep an eye out for him!
Stay Wild for the Wildlife of St. John – March 15th from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.
St. John Wildlife Rehabilitation is holding its second annual fundraiser this Saturday from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Our Place in Coral Bay. St. John Wildlife Rehabilitation strives to create a community-based network of volunteer responders and rehabilitators through hands-on wildlife rehabilitation education, as well as to be a resource for wildlife based care and information for our island community. This fundraiser intends to raise money to support those efforts.
This family-friendly event will feature live music, a 50-50 raffle, and an auction. There will be food and drink available for sale too.
Light Up the Night – March 29th from 4 p.m. to Midnight
St. John’s annual Light Up the Night fundraiser will take place on Saturday, March 29th from 4 p.m. to midnight at the ball field in Cruz Bay. This event is the island’s largest fundraiser for the St. John Cancer Fund. The St. John Cancer Fund provides unrestricted financial assistance for St. John residents and their families during and after cancer diagnosis and treatments. The Fund has raised more than $700,000 since its inception in 2012.
There are numerous fundraising events around the island coinciding with Light Up the Night. I will have more information on all of those soon. In the meantime, please mark your calendars for this event!
Win a Week at Monarch Cottage, A Brand-New Waterfront Rental – Proceeds to support the Animal Care Center & St. John Rescue
The view from Monarch Cottage
Explore STJ is holding a raffle! The cost is only $25 a ticket! Proceeds will be split between the Animal Care Center and St. John Rescue. Here is what you can win:
A seven-night stay at Monarch Cottage – A brand-new, waterfront home with a pool & hot tub near Cruz Bay.
A $500 VISA gift card courtesy of Explore STJ
A sunset sail for up to six people with Island Roots Boat Charters
A $100 gift certificate to Cruz Bay Landing
A $100 gift certificate to The Tap Room
A $100 gift certificate to The Windmill Bar
A Trunk Bay puzzle courtesy of Explore STJ
This raffle has an estimated value of $8495! The raffle period will end on Friday, April 4, 2025 at 9 p.m. AST. The winner will be announced on or about April 8, 2025.
You will receive one entry for every $25 donation you make.
See the island of St. John with a resident. See the nooks and crannies that many visitors miss. Explore the beaches, historical sites, perhaps a tiki bar or two, and much more. Full & half days available. Rated “Excellent” on TripAdvisor.
The Saint is a brand new resort and day club that’s located directly across from Gallows Point Resort. The Saint features two suites, one penthouse, and three traditional hotel rooms. Rates begin at $368 and vary based on season.
The Saint is the newest endeavor by John Yob, a part-time resident who also owns Maho Crossroads, Lovango Rum Bar, Colombo’s Smoothies, and News of St. John. While I haven’t had the opportunity to walk the property yet, it really looks beautiful when passing by.
The Saint also features a day club. Guests can purchase a day pass to enjoy the pool, sun deck, pool bar, and gym among other things. Passes cost $35 a day. You can upgrade to a pergola, which costs $460. The pergola can accommodate up to six guests and includes a large sofa to relax on. The $460 fee includes day passes for all six people. Food and beverages are available for sale.
This property is for adults who are ages 18 and over. That includes the day club portion, as well. Check out a few more pics:
Image credit: The SaintImage credit: The SaintImage credit: The Saint
Explore STJ is holding a raffle! The cost is only $25 a ticket! Proceeds will be split between the Animal Care Center and St. John Rescue. Here is what you can win:
A seven-night stay at Monarch Cottage – A brand-new, waterfront home with a pool & hot tub near Cruz Bay.
A $500 VISA gift card courtesy of Explore STJ
A sunset sail for up to six people with Island Roots Boat Charters
A $100 gift certificate to Cruz Bay Landing
A $100 gift certificate to The Tap Room
A $100 gift certificate to The Windmill Bar
A Trunk Bay puzzle courtesy of Explore STJ
This raffle has an estimated value of $8495! The raffle period will end on Friday, April 4, 2025 at 9 p.m. AST. The winner will be announced on or about April 8, 2025.
You will receive one entry for every $25 donation you make.
If you are lucky enough to be in St. John this weekend, be sure to stop by the annual seafood festival.
The 5th annual seafood festival opens today at 11 a.m. It will continue through 10 p.m. tonight and will reopen tomorrow from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. The festival will feature an array of seafood vendors, in addition to a full bar and craft vendors. There will be vegan options available too.
Entertainment will be provided today by Pan in Motion, which starts today at 4 p.m., RVP Band and DJ Lady Mix. Reggae Dynasty will play tomorrow evening.
The event is taking place in parking lot beside the tennis courts and motor vehicle building in Cruz Bay. For those of you who are less familiar with Cruz Bay, this area is down the hill from the roundabout.
Monarch Cottage is a brand new, waterfront home in Fish Bay that’s less than 10 minutes from Cruz Bay!
Explore STJ is holding a raffle! The cost is only $25 a ticket! Proceeds will be split between the Animal Care Center and St. John Rescue. Here is what you can win:
A seven-night stay at Monarch Cottage – A brand-new, waterfront home with a pool & hot tub near Cruz Bay.
A $500 VISA gift card courtesy of Explore STJ
A sunset sail for up to six people with Island Roots Boat Charters
A $100 gift certificate to Cruz Bay Landing
A $100 gift certificate to The Tap Room
A $100 gift certificate to The Windmill Bar
A Trunk Bay puzzle courtesy of Explore STJ
This raffle has an estimated value of $8495! The raffle period will end on Friday, April 4, 2025 at 9 p.m. AST. The winner will be announced on or about April 8, 2025.
You will receive one entry for every $25 donation you make.
About the Villa
Monarch Cottage is a three-bedroom, four bathroom home that was just completed in December 2024. It is modern and furnished beautifully. Monarch Cottage is located on the shores of Fish Bay, and it is less than a 10-minute drive to Cruz Bay. Not only do you have the bay in your front yard, which is great for kayaking and paddle boarding, but you also have a large plunge pool and a spa too.
Once the entry period is over, the raffle committee will personally write/type the names of each entrant on a raffle ticket. If you buy one ticket, we will write/type your name on one ticket. If you buy two tickets ($50 total), we will write/type your name on two tickets. If you buy three tickets ($75 total), we will write/type your name on three tickets. And so forth. You will not receive a ticket by mail or email. All of the names will be placed into a secure bucket/basket/box. Once all of the names are written on tickets, we will draw the winner live on video. The winner will be announced on explorestj.com. A video of the drawing will also be posted on explorestj.com. The raffle period will end on Friday, April 4, 2025 at 9 p.m. AST. The winner will be announced on explorestj.com on or about April 8, 2025. All tickets purchased will be treated as donations to the Animal Care Center of St. John and St. John Rescue. Now go ahead and enter! Good luck!! And thank you for supporting the Animal Care Center!
Who We Are Supporting
Our latest raffle will support the Animal Care Center (ACC) and St. John Rescue.
St. John Rescue is an all-volunteer organization that offers medical support to St. John’s Fire and Emergency Medical Service, the National Park Service and the Virgin Islands Police Department. St. John Rescue is in need of financial assistance that will allow it to offer advanced emergency medical courses on St. John. In order to do, they need to become a nationally and locally-certified EMS Training Facility. That will allow St. JohnRescue to teach courses such as Emergency Medical Technician and Advanced Emergency Medical Technician along with recertification classes for those certifications. The initial outlay for the EMT and AEMT courses will be substantial because of the national and local requirements. For example, the mannequin that is required for the AEMT course costs $73,000. The heart monitor is $10,000. Together, we can help St. John Rescue purchase those items.
The Animal Care Center recently learned that it will not receive $75,000 in government funding they were promised several months ago. A huge chunk of that money is typically earmarked for the shelter’s spay and neuter program. There is a reason that you do not see any stray dogs roaming the island on St. John, for example. It’s because we have an incredible shelter, and I hope to provide them with critical funding.
The Fine Print:
The winner must adhere to the individual property/business rules and restrictions.
The one-week stay at Monarch Cottage is based on availability. If Monarch Cottage requires a deposit, the winner is responsible for paying that fee. Blackout dates apply, including holiday weeks.
The sunset sail is good for up to six people. Fuel & captain gratuity are not included. Based on availability. No blackout dates.
The $500 Visa gift card will be emailed to the winner.
The restaurant gift certificates will be given to the winner at check-in.
The Trunk Bay puzzle will be mailed to the winner.
In the event that a property/business becomes uninhabitable due to a storm, fire, or Act of God, the winner agrees to forfeit the prize.
We strongly encourage the winner to purchase travel insurance.
None of the prizes are transferrable without the business owner’s consent.
