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Environmental Cleanup to Begin at Caneel Bay Resort

Jenn Manes 1 Comment
Caneel Bay Resort remains in shambles. Image taken in December 2023.

Well folks, I finally have a positive update to share regarding the current state of the now-defunct Caneel Bay Resort.

The National Park recently announced that it will begin environmental cleanup at Caneel Bay this winter. The exact start date has yet to be announced.

Asbestos-containing materials have been found in various buildings, in piping systems and in hurricane-damaged roof debris found on the ground at the former Caneel Bay Resort. These materials “were judged to be not friable, meaning that it could not be crushed by hand and did not present an immediate risk to human health or the environment. However, many of the (asbestos-containing materials) are exposed to wind, rain, and sunlight, which are likely to weather or deteriorate the materials with time, increasing the potential for asbestos fibers to be released to the environment and present an exposure risk,” according to the National Park.

Lead-based paint and other hazards have also been found on the property.

Once work begins this winter, it is expected to last two to three weeks. The debris is expected to fill six 20-foot shipping containers and will be removed from the island. It will be disposed of in a permitted landfill in the continental United States, according to the National Park.

Anticipated future removal actions include the removal of contaminated soil in Caneel Bay’s landscaping, maintenance, and engineering area, as well as the removal of soil and waste from the landfill near Honeymoon Beach.

With regards to whether or not Caneel Bay will reopen as a resort, that remains to be seen. The land that Caneel Bay Resort sits on was supposed to become part of the Virgin Islands National Park on October 1st, however, that did not occur due to a messy federal court battle, which is essentially all about the definition of a “gift.” It’s pretty silly if you ask me, but that’s what’s happening. The latest document filed in this case was a mediation report that indicated both sides are at a complete impasse. The trial has been postponed indefinitely. It’s an unfortunate situation all around.

Want to know exactly what’s happening at Caneel Bay? Click the links below to get additional information.

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The World’s 2nd Largest Sailing Yacht, Built by Amazon Founder Jeff Bezos, is Currently Here

Jenn Manes 2 Comments
Koru is currently anchored near St. John. Image credit: Palm Tree Charters

You know you live in an amazing place when the world’s 2nd largest, newly-built sailing yacht chooses your backyard as its first vacation destination in the United States.

Koru is a 416-foot sailing yacht that was commissioned by Amazon founder Jeff Bezos. It reportedly cost $500 million to build and is accompanied by Abeona, its 246-foot support vessel. Both boats are currently anchored near Mingo Cay, which is roughly a five-minute boat ride from Cruz Bay. This is the same area where The Rising Sun, David Geffen’s 453-foot mega yacht, spent time last month. (Click here to read that story.)

Screenshot taken from the Marine Traffic app

Koru, a Maori word meaning “new beginnings”, is the largest boat ever built in the Netherlands. It was delivered in April and spent time in the Mediterranean before making the 4,400-mile crossing to the United States. It arrived in Ft. Lauderdale on November 22nd where it was forced to dock in a seaport beside oil tankers and a cruise ship due to its massive size. It arrived in St. Thomas on December 5th and spent five days in Charlotte Amalie before sailing over to us.

Koru is reportedly one of the most ecological megayachts in the world due to its sails and technology on board.

Abeona, its “dinghy”, will serve as a support boat, essentially a toy hauler. It will carry luxury cars, smaller boats, a helicopter, and additional crew.

Abeona was photographed near St. John on Sunday afternoon. Image credit: Palm Tree Charters

Is this boat excessive? Yes. Did many of us shop way too often on Amazon, which in a way contributed to its creation? Yes. However it is a beautifully-designed sailboat, and it’s pretty darn cool that they chose to come here for their first vacation on this side of the world. Those of us who call St. John home are pretty darn lucky, and those of you who are able to visit this beautiful island are pretty darn lucky too.

Have a beautiful day everyone, and a big thanks to Palm Tree Charters for these great pics.

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

Learn more here –> www.explorestj.com/tour Full & half days available. Rated “Excellent” on TripAdvisor.

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Collective Soul Set to Play Beach Bar Tonight!

Jenn Manes 0 Comments
Today’s view from The Beach Bar – Doesn’t get better than this!

I have something exciting to share with you all… and you know if I am posting twice in one day, it must be good!

Ed Roland and Jesse Triplett, the singer and guitarist from Collective Soul are playing at The Beach Bar tonight. They plan to join The Real Housewives of St. John on stage, which is a fun local band. So, if you are lucky enough to be on St. John today, make sure you swing by The Beach Bar tonight. It’s going to be a great time. But don’t worry if you’re off island, we have a way for all of you to watch too.

The show starts at 8 p.m., and Jesse and Ed will likely join them around 8:30 p.m. or so. The show will be live-streamed on The Beach Bar’s Facebook page. You can also watch their webcams if you want to check out the party. (The webcams will not have sound, however; only the Facebook live will.)

Collective Soul has a lot of great songs like Shine, December, and The World I Know, among others. And from what I hear, they are going to play those three and a few others tonight.

Jesse Triplett is down here filming a documentary along with his best friend, who works as a boat captain. Together they are writing and recording new songs in several different, beautiful bays. They are working with PickleJar on this project, a live entertainment app for fans that allows them to connect with and support their favorite artists and venues. PickleJar offers a ticket platform for artists and venues, artist merchandising, live streaming, and crowdfunding capabilities. I haven’t heard of the app until today, but it sounds pretty cool. Click here to check it out. 

Side note: Sunset is at 5:43 p.m. tonight. Maybe head down to The Beach Bar for some of the island’s best sunset views and indulge in a little happy hour before catching some great live music. You know you want to…

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

Learn more here –> www.explorestj.com/tour Full & half days available. Rated “Excellent” on TripAdvisor.

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Don’t Miss Santa on the Beach in Cruz Bay Tonight!

Jenn Manes 1 Comment
Santa is scheduled to make an appearance at The Beach Bar tonight!

The big man himself is scheduled to make an appearance in Cruz Bay this evening, and it’s all for an amazing cause!

The Animal Care Center is hosting a Yappy Hour fundraising event tonight at The Beach Bar from 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. The event is to raise funds for the island’s no-kill animal shelter.

Dogs and their humans are invited to this event, as well as anyone else who wants to come and support this amazing organization. The Animal Care Center addresses the problem of cruelty to, neglect, and abuse of island animals. The shelter provides kennels for homeless dogs and inside cages for a limited number of homeless cats. It successfully adopts countless animals every year.

The Animal Care Center is a stable resource for the community, providing a no-kill shelter for homeless animals, a resource for animal lovers to find perfect pets, programs for island needs, and a community educational component.

Not on island tonight? No problem! You can check out the event by watching The Beach Bar’s new panoramic beach cam. You can see it at www.explorestj.com/webcams.

Looking to donate? Every dollar helps! You can make a monetary donation securely on the Animal Care Center’s website at www.stjohnanimalcarecenter.com/donate.

You can also purchase items on the Animal Care Center’s Wish List on Amazon. They are looking for items like cat and dog food, toys, treats, and more. Click here to view their Wish List.

 

Very Popular Restaurant Finally Reopens for Season!

Jenn Manes 2 Comments

Good things come to those who wait, right?

I am super excited to let you all know that Miss Lucy’s reopened for the season yesterday. My favorite Johnny Cakes are officially back! Woohoo!

Miss Lucy’s is a waterfront restaurant located on Friis Bay, which is between Coral Bay and Salt Pond. It is known for its grouper rueben, crunchy fish sandwich, fried plantains, my personal favorite, Johnny Cakes, and so much more! The view is unbelievable, the staff is great (We love you Miss Candy!) and there is always a nice breeze blowing through.

Gorgeous views at Miss Lucy’s…
Grouper Reuben
Fried Plantains
My favorite! Johnny Cakes with butter & honey!

Miss Lucy’s is currently open for lunch from noon to 4 p.m. on Tuesdays and Wednesdays only. They are open for Open Mic Night on Thursdays from 5:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. This is a very popular event, so I suggest getting there early to get a seat. Casual dining (not the full menu) is available during Open Mic Nights, which includes local favorites like Kallaloo soup and Johnny Cakes, as well as fish strips, chicken tenders, salads, and a few other options. The bar is fully open during Open Mic Night.

Miss Lucy’s plans to extend their hours in the near future. I will keep you posted on that.

Want to know exactly where Miss Lucy’s is located? Check out our searchable restaurant map at www.explorestj.com/restaurantmap.

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

Learn more here –> www.explorestj.com/tour Full & half days available. Rated “Excellent” on TripAdvisor.

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Not One, But Two Cruise Ships Anchored Off Cruz Bay Today

Jenn Manes 2 Comments
The Emerald Sakara is pictured above.

Well folks, I was surprised to learn that there was not only one cruise ship anchored off of Cruz Bay this morning, but there are TWO! It’s not unusual to have a small cruise ship anchor off of Cruz Bay during our busier months here in St. John, but neither of these ships are listed on today’s official cruise ship schedule. Odd, right?

The two cruise ships visiting St. John today are the Emerald Sakara and the Evrima, which is affiliated with Ritz Carlton. The Emerald Sakara is 360 feet long and only carries 100 passengers when it’s full. The Evrima is 624 feet long and can accommodate up to 298 passengers.

The Emerald Sakara and Evrima as seen from Gallows Point Resort Tuesday morning.
The Emerald Sakara
The Evrima

As I mentioned above, it is not uncommon to see a small cruise ship anchored off of Cruz Bay during high season. These ships usually carry well under one thousand passengers. They are brought to shore in Cruz Bay via a tender. The larger ships always dock in St. Thomas.

Looking ahead, it looks like we will have cruise ships anchor off of Cruz Bay again on December 16 and December 23. There are not any dates listed on next month’s cruise ship calendar, but I am sure that will change.

In the meantime, you can check out these ships and numerous other great views on our webcams. Visit www.ExploreSTJ.com/webcams to see them all.

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

Learn more here –> www.explorestj.com/tour Full & half days available. Rated “Excellent” on TripAdvisor.

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