Everyone who knows me knows how much I love animals, so I am thrilled to be a part of a fun “Mutt Mixer” event that’s happening this Friday.
Our friends over at The Refinery are holding a fundraising event for the Animal Care Center this Friday from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. The Refinery is a great little spot in Cruz Bay that serves tapas, craft cocktails, and more. It’s located in the former La Tapa location beside Woody’s.
For every Tito’s cocktail purchased, $2 will be donated to the Animal Care Center. There will also be a 50/50 raffle, Tito’s swag, and more.
This event is being held to support the Animal Care Center’s massive spay and neuter event that’s happening next month. We are still a little short of our fundraising goal for the event, so please donate if you can. You can donate securely online at www.stjohnanimalcarecenter.com/donate.
Varlack Ventures announced earlier this week that ferry service between Cruz Bay and Charlotte Amalie will resume November 1st. The Charlotte Amalie ferry is a great option for people who’d like to shop or dine in downtown St. Thomas, hop on one of the BVI ferries or get a little closer to the airport, among other reasons.
Once the Charlotte Amalie ferry resumes, there will be three options for people traveling via passenger ferry between St. John and St. Thomas. The main ferry is the ferry that travels between Cruz Bay and Red Hook St. Thomas. This ferry runs between 5:30 a.m. and 11:30 p.m. at night (times vary on whether you are traveling to or from Cruz Bay). The Crown Bay ferry runs between the bulkhead area in Cruz Bay and the Crown Bay marina, which is about five minutes from the airport. And the third option will be the Charlotte Amalie ferry when it resumes November 1st. All of these ferries will run seven days a week.
You can also take a ferry to Jost Van Dyke three days a week – Sundays, Tuesdays and Friday. You can take a ferry to Virgin Gorda once a week – on Thursdays only. These trips depart from the bulkhead dock.
For more information, schedules or to purchase tickets for the Red Hook and Charlotte Amalie ferries, please visit www.stjohnticketing.com.
For more information on the Crown Bay, Jost Van Dyke and Virgin Gorda ferries, please visit www.interislandboatservices.com.
Want to learn more about St. John? Take an island tour with me!
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.
Halcyon Days is a four-bedroom vacation villa located in Coral Bay.
The St. John Land Conservancy just launched its annual raffle, and they are looking to all of us for support!
The St. John Land Conservancy is a nonprofit organization that’s dedicated to the protection of lands of historical natural beauty to St. John. Each year, its Love for the Land raffle raises much-needed funds for the organization. Here is what you can win:
2025 Love for the Land Grand Prize
Seven-night stay at Halcyon Days Villa in Coral Bay, St. John in May or June 2025 at a time that works for all parties.
4WD Jeep rental courtesy of Sunshine Jeep Rentals during your stay
A day at Lovango Resort Beach Club, including transportation, umbrellas, towels, food & drink service, snorkeling equipment, beach games and showers.
Dinner in Cruz Bay courtesy of Dave & Jerry’s Island Steakhouse
Tickets are $59 for one, $109 for two, and $159 for three. The more tickets you purchase, the less they cost per ticket. You can buy up to 30 tickets at a time.
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 island is starting to wake up after slow season!
Hello everyone, happy Tuesday and happy October 1st! Several businesses are reopening today after being closed several weeks or even months for slow season, which is a such a great sight! I have to admit, places to eat were rather scarce on St. John last week, but a few more just reopened. Here is a quick rundown of updates:
High Tide reopens for breakfast, lunch and dinner today. High Tide is located directly on the sand in Cruz Bay, right beside the ferry dock.
STJ Speakeasy (formerly called STJ Hideaway) reopens today. STJ Speakeasy is located in the Lumberyard parking lot in Cruz Bay. It is owned by Chef Vincent Alterio and serves dinner only.
Jolly Dog, a great retail shop located in Coral Bay, reopens today. It is located right beside Sharky’s By the Water and Surf Club Cantina.
Sam & Jack’s reopens tomorrow. Sam & Jack’s is a great deli that offers a few grab and go items too. It’s located on the third floor of the Marketplace.
Sharky’s By the Water reopened yesterday. Sharky’s is a new restaurant in Coral Bay. It’s located in the former Salty Mongoose location.
For those of you who plan to enjoy a day on the water, Pirate’s Bite reopens in the British Virgin Islands today. This is a great little waterfront bar and restaurant located in Norman Island, over near the Willy T.
Looking ahead…
Dave & Jerry’s will reopen on October 7th.
1864 will reopen October 7th.
The Tap Room will reopen October 10th.
Ocean 362 will reopen October 10th.
Lime Inn will reopen on October 14th.
Johnny Lime will reopen on October 14th.
Lime Out will reopen on October 20th.
Drink will reopen on Halloween.
Skinny Legs will reopen on Halloween.
Businesses that closed by have since reopened:
The Terrace
North Shore Deli
The Beach Bar
Lovango Rum Bar
Woody’s
Greengo’s
Cafe Roma
Shambles
Want to know where all of these restaurants are located? Check out Explore STJ’s Restaurant Map at www.explorestj.com/restaurantmap.
Want to learn more about St. John? Take an island tour with me!
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 new ferry dock is finished, and it looks great!
Hello everyone, and happy Monday! For those of you who have been following the renovations at the ferry dock, it is finally finished, and, I have to say, it looks great!
My parents have been visiting the past week, but, sadly, they had to fly back to Connecticut yesterday afternoon. Mike, Dalton and I walked them to the ferry dock – that all too familiar walk of woe. While I was there, I took several pictures to share with all of you. Take a look!
The covered area at the ferry dock is now much larger than before.There is much more room for passengers waiting to get onto the ferry.Brand new restrooms – one for men and one for women – at the ferry dock!
I was so sad to see them go, but I still made my dad pose for a picture! haha
Current ferry prices
The Cruz Bay dock is named after Captain Loredon Lorence Boynes Sr. Captain Boynes was born on April 2, 1919, in St. Thomas. According to the VI Port Authority, he “was a descendant of a line of seafarers and inherited a love for the sea at an early age. During his lifetime, he served as a pilot for a deep sea fishing company, the National Park Service, and operated a ferry between St. Thomas, St. John, and Tortola, British Virgin Islands. He partnered with fellow seafarer Victor Sewer to form the first ferry service connecting St. John and St. Thomas named the Jolly Roger. Boynes eventually streamlined the ferry operation. He formed Transportation Services in 1965 and provided scheduled ferry service between the two islands.”
Captain Boynes. Image credit: VI Port Authority
Transportation Services is one of the two ferry companies that provide transportation between this dock and Red Hook. Varlack Ventures is the other.
A little island update. A little history. Have a great day everyone!
Pre-Order Your Trunk Bay Puzzle Today!
Want to learn more about St. John? Take an island tour with me!
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.
I know how much you all love having a little St. John hanging in your homes and offices. Well, three of our favorite St. John calendars are now available to pre-order or purchase.
Elaine Estern – Coconut Coast Studios
Elaine’s 2025 calendar is titled Corals and Florals. It features 12 handprinted watercolor scenes that depict life above and below our beautiful Caribbean waters. Elaine is an amzingly talented watercolor artist who has been living in St. John since 1975. Elaine owns Coconut Coast Studios, a quaint and colorful studio and retail shop in Frank Bay. For those of you who’ve visited the shop or Frank Bay, you may have been treated to a visit from Elaine’s adorable Chocolate Lab Dove.
Looking for a stunning photograph showing scenes around St. John each month of the year? Then look no further than Christian Wheatley’s 2025 St. John calendar. Start the year with a beautiful scene from Cinnamon Bay and end the year with a gorgeous aerial photograph from St. John’s North Shore. Christian is a St. John-based photographer, who specializes in commercial beach lifestyle photography.
And last, but certainly not least is Steve Simonsen’s annual St. John calendar. Steve’s calendar is not available for sale currently, but it will be soon. So check back often. Steve’s calendar features some of the island’s most popular residents on the calendar – our beloved donkeys! The calendar also features Steve’s beautiful photography, including images from below and above our turquoise waters.
