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One of the top questions I receive is – how can I see a sea turtle? Snorkeling with sea turtles is rather common here in St. John. There are certain areas that sea turtles are known to frequent, so it’s pretty easy to find them. That being said, the sea turtles found around St. John are all listed as endangered, so we not only need to respect them, we need to give them space.

Where to Find Them

Sea turtles munch on sea grass, which is why you see them more at Maho than say Cinnamon Bay, for example, Maho has a plethora of sea grass throughout the bay, whereas Cinnamon has a very sandy bottom. Maho is the top spot to see sea turtles, although they are known to frequent other areas like Saltwell Bottom beach, Leinster Bay and other less-popular spots.

If you are facing the water at Maho Bay, the turtles tend to spend more time to the right of the beach, rather than the left. If you are visiting the Maho tiki bar and snorkel across from it, you probably won’t see a turtle. If you go to the other end of the beach, you probably will.

How to Spot Them

Sea turtles breathe air, so you can spot them from the sand when they come up for air. This usually happens a couple times in a row, so if you see a head pop up once, chances are you will see it pop up a second or even a third time.

When you are on the beach, study human behavior Do you see a snorkeler out there who is hovering in one spot? Chances are, they are watching a turtle. Swim toward them to see for yourself.

Inevitably, someone out there is going to get so excited. They’re going to start flailing their arms to get a friend or family member’s attention. They’re going to scream “turtle!” Swim toward them. 🙂

How to Keep Them Safe

When you see a turtle, you should stay at least five feet away from the turtle. This advice is coming straight from Friends of Virgin Islands National Park. Because the turtles are endangered, they are protected by federal law. And please remember, you cannot feed a turtle under any circumstance. (Side note: Please do not feed the donkeys either.)

When snorkeling, you are likely seeing a green turtle. The majority of nests found around St. John are Hawksbill. Leatherbacks have also visited our waters and beaches from time to time. Loggerhead sightings are very rare, but they have been spotted over the years.

Have a great turtle picture? Feel free to send it over! You can email me your best shots at jenn@explorestj.com. You can also text them to me at 203-376-3786.

Want to learn more about St. John’s sea turtle population? Click here to visit Friends’ Sea Turtle Resource Library page.

Have a great day, everyone!

Want to learn more about St. John? Take an island tour with me!

Learn more here –> www.explorestj.com/tour

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.

Click Here to Book Now. 

The weather up on the mainland has been crazy this past week. The snow in Florida, Myrtle Beach and New Orleans is unreal! I know that the chillier you all get, the more you dream of moving to your favorite island. So today, I would like to share a great home with all of you – Ananas.

(Ananas is the Swedish and Icelandic word for pineapple.)

Ananas is a well-loved, turn-key home that has three bedrooms and two bathrooms. The home is a nice size at roughly 1,400 square feet. Add another 1,400-ish square feet of outdoor living space, and this home is a treat!

Ananas is located in St. Quaco and Zimmerman, a neighborhood that’s less than two miles south of the main intersection out in Coral Bay. This home, which sits on .36 acres, has beautiful views of Johnson’s Reef in the Johnson and Friis Bay areas. Ananas has great easterly breezes, which help to keep the property cool. In addition to the view of Johnson’s Reef, Ananas also has views out to Haulover. St. John’s East End, the British Virgin Islands, and beyond. Every room in this home has a water view. Ananas even has deeded beach rights to Johnson’s Bay.

The main level, accessed from a level driveway, includes a great room, kitchen, primary bedroom and bathroom, as well as a large, covered porch. Stairs lead you to the lower level where you will find two additional bedrooms, a bathroom and a second covered porch. There is an ample-sized pool that sits beside a wraparound, uncovered deck. The gardens throughout the property are mature and beautifully landscaped. This property is a must-see.

Ananas is listed for $995,000 with Tammy Donnelly at 340 Real Estate Co. If you would like to know more, please contact Tammy Donnelly, owner of 340 Real Estate Co. at 340realestateco@gmail.com.

Tag: St. John real estate 

If you are looking for something new to do on your next visit to St. John, please consider taking a quick ferry trip over to Lovango Cay, and spend the day at Lovango Resort + Beach Club.

Lovango (pronounce lo-von-go) is a small island located north of St. John. Roughly half of the island is privately owned by individuals, and the other half is home to the Lovango Resort + Beach Club. The Beach Club is open to public. All you have to do is book a ticket over on Lovango’s private ferry, and you can enjoy a day at their beach club or dine at their waterfront restaurant. The ferry is quick ride, maybe 10 minutes at most.

You have three options when visiting the Beach Club. You can rent a lounge chair on the beach for $150. (Virgin Islands residents get a discounted rate of $125 per person.) If you’d like to be a little more bougie, or have some extra space, you can opt to reserve a poolside or beach cabana. Both cabanas are available $245 per person. The poolside cabanas, which can accommodate up to six people, are $275 per person during festive week, according to the website. Umbrellas, towels, food and drink service, snorkeling equipment, and showers are all included when you reserve a spot at the Beach Club.

(The poolside cabana is my absolute favorite. We’ve previously spent Christmas and Easter there, and had a great time both times.) 

The Beach Club includes a large, 70-foot, infinity-edge pool. It has large steps that are good for lounging on, plus a sitting bench on two sides. There is a small pool beside it that’s just a few inches deep, which is a great spot for lounging and for smaller children to play. And new this year is an adult-only plunge pool.

There is not direct water access at the beach club; however you can access the water from other areas of the property. There is great snorkeling around the resort too.

In addition to the pool, Lovango Resort + Beach Club has three hiking trails, two waterfront dining options, six boutiques, and a gym in the jungle which can be included as a beach club add-on. There are plenty of lawn games and even a life-sized game of chess to keep the kids occupied.

The resort section at Lovango is pretty incredible too, but I’ll have more on that another day.

If you would like to spend the day at Lovango or if you are looking for more information, please visit www.lovangovi.com.

Want to learn more about St. John? Take an island tour with me!

Learn more here –> www.explorestj.com/tour

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.

Click Here to Book Now.