Hello everyone, and happy Tuesday! I just realized that it’s been more than a week since I posted a sargassum update. So here we go. 🙂
Good news! The sargassum that we saw on the more popular beaches – Honeymoon, Trunk Bay, and Cinnamon, for example – is gone. We still have some sargassum in the area, but it is no longer affecting the popular North Shore beaches. There is a bit dried up on some, but it is not affecting anyone’s beach days.
Over the past few days, I have seen sargassum in Chocolate Hole, Hart Bay, Borck Creek (which is part of Hurricane Hole), and over at Drunk Bay (which is near Salt Pond Bay). I have seen some on Ms. Vie’s beach on the East End too. There wasn’t much on either Hansen or Saltwell Bottom out there. I have been everywhere except Salt Pond and Lameshur, so I apologize that I cannot report on those bays.
Chocolate HoleHart BayMs. Vie’s on the East End
I know that sargassum is being talked about in the media quite often, but please know, it really isn’t affecting us here. So go ahead and book those flights! The island is quiet. Come visit us!
I will continue to provide updates, as needed, at www.explorestj.com/sargassum. So please check that page often. Thank you for reading Explore STJ! Tell your friends about us. 🙂
Looking to take a St. John island tour?
Learn more here –> www.explorestj.com/tour Full & half days available. Rated “Excellent” on TripAdvisor.
Aqua Bistro was a great restaurant located in Coral Bay.
Well folks, this isn’t the best news to begin the week with. After nearly 20 years in business, Aqua Bistro – the popular Coral Bay bar and restaurant – has closed.
“There was a breakdown in lease negotiations,” owner Andi Vacharat told me Sunday night. “We are grateful for the support we received during our time in the community.” Andi co-owns Aqua Bistro with Carrie Glenn. The pair took over the restaurant back in 2017.
Aqua Bistro was located in the Cocolobo complex, across the street from Coral Bay harbor. It was located in a courtyard beside Dolphin Market and next door to Salty Mongoose and Surf Club Cantina.
This might not be the end of Aqua Bistro, however. (Fingers crossed it’s not!) Andi said she and Carrie are looking at potential spaces around the island. I will keep you posted on that.
In the meantime, if you are curious about where all of our restaurants are located, you can always check out our restaurant map at www.explorestj.com/restaurantmap.
Explore STJ would like to welcome our newest advertiser Dulce Vita Sails. Vita is a beautiful, 45-foot Leopard catamaran. She is fully equipped to give you the perfect Caribbean sail with numerous lounge areas, comfortable sleeping quarters and 360-degree views of paradise. Dulce Vita Sails is owned, operated and crewed by women. They offer day sails and sunsets, overnight charters, and wellness retreats.
For those of you who need an extra smile or a laugh every day, I strongly encourage you to follow The Upstairs on Facebook. The sandwich board game has been on fire this week. I’ve been looking forward to their daily posts, and they have all cracked me up this week. Here are a few for those of you who have missed them:
(Karaoke actually starts at 8 p.m. when they have it.)The island has been slow… let’s help them out!Not sure if this is an invite or a warning…#facts
The signs are the work of Andy Peter. I wrote about Andy earlier this year before he flew to Turkey to help with earthquake relief efforts. Click here to read that story. Andy co-owns The Upstairs with Christie Register. The pair also co-owns The Windmill Bar with Ronnie Jones and family. They recently launched a new menu at The Upstairs. You should check it out.
You can check out their Facebook profile by clicking this link. And if you’re not on Facebook, feel free to send me an email at jenn@explorestj.com and I will send you a screenshot. 🙂
That’s it for today, folks. Have a great day!
Looking to take a St. John island tour?
Learn more here –> www.explorestj.com/tour Full & half days available. Rated “Excellent” on TripAdvisor.
Little St. James is located off of St. John’s southwest shore.
Well folks, I didn’t see this one coming.
Forbes magazine was the first to announce yesterday that Little St. James and Great St. James – two islands owned by Jeffrey Epstein – have sold to Peter Bay resident Stephen Deckoff for $60 million. Mr. Deckoff plans to develop a 25-room luxury resort on the island.
Mr. Deckoff is the founder of Black Diamond Capital Management. He has lived on St. John for over a decade and is one of the island’s most philanthropic residents. He told Forbes magazine that he had never met Epstein and that he had never been to either of the islands until they were listed for sale following Epstein’s death.
“I’ve been proud to call the U.S. Virgin Islands home for more than a decade and am tremendously pleased to be able to bring the area a world-class destination benefitting its natural grace and beauty,” Mr. Deckoff told Forbes. “I very much look forward to working with the U.S. Virgin Islands to make this dream a reality.”
Both Little St. James and Great St. James are located off of St. John’s southwest shore. They are located between St. John and St. Thomas. Epstein bought Little St. James for $8 million in 1998. He bought Great St. James, which remains largely undeveloped, for $22.5 million in 2016.
Epstein received generous tax benefits while operating his businesses in the Virgin Islands. His estate agreed to pay $105 million to the USVI after our attorney general sued the estate in 2020, claiming the government was duped into granting Epstein’s company tax benefits. That settlement grants the USVI government half the proceeds from the sale of the islands, which will be put into a trust to provide counseling and other services for victims of sexual abuse.
Want to see what the island looks like? Here’s a quick video I took near Little St. James back in December:
Looking to take a St. John island tour?
Learn more here –> www.explorestj.com/tour Full & half days available. Rated “Excellent” on TripAdvisor.
Mother’s Day is right around the corner, and there is a fabulous event planned for all the moms and their families. Whether you live on island or are visiting for vacation, all are welcome and invited to attend.
Coral Bay Catering and Chef Paulie are sponsoring a Mother’s Day brunch on Sunday, May 14th from 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. in Coral Bay. The brunch will be hosted by Beverly Melius at Our Place, Coral Bay’s new community center and event space. Our Place is located near the Coral Bay triangle. If you are coming from Cruz Bay, it’s on your right just before the triangle. There is a sign marking the entrance.
The cost to attend is $65 per person, while children ages 12 and under eat free. The buffet will include an omelet station, biscuits and gravy, huevos rancheros, maple glazed salmon, eggs benedict, crab benedict, blueberry pancakes, homemade granola, and more. There will be a cash bar serving mimosas, bloody marys, adult iced coffee, and mocktails for the kids.
The family-friendly event will also feature face painting, arts and crafts, a massage station, and live music. A portion of the event’s proceeds will benefit KATS (the kids and the sea program) and the Dynamic Dancers.
Reservations are required as seating is limited. Reserve your spot by calling or texting 340-423-6611.
Hello everyone, and happy May 1st! Let’s start the month off right… with some super low airfare to St. John! The island is unusually quiet right now, so we would really love to see more of you travel to visit us. It’s a great time to book a trip as there aren’t many parking issues, it’s easy to get a seat in your favorite restaurant, our beaches are beautiful and mostly sargassum-free, and the island is green! Oh and even better, our villas and condos are offering discounted rates. Now that is enticing!
I spent some time this morning pulling up airfares from numerous airports around the country, and I found some great deals. How does less than $400 roundtrip sound? Great, I know! Well I found several of them! Check it out!
How I Found These Airfare Prices
I used Google Flights Explore function. Not familiar with Google Flights’ Explore function? It’s pretty simple to use. Go to google.com/flights. Then click the Explore button in the left sidebar on a laptop/computer. If you’re using a cell phone or iPad, the Explore button is in the top menu. For the airfare listed below, I chose a 1-week trip in the next 6 months. Scroll to the bottom for more helpful travel info.
Low Airfare Prices
Atlanta –You can fly as little as $272 roundtrip! The only caveat is that this price is for United, which means you will have a quick stop in Dulles. This price is for travel on October 30th, returning on November 8th. This means you can spend Halloween on the island, which is super fun! If you prefer to fly direct on Delta, the best price I can find is $589 roundtrip from September 17th through the 26th.
Atlanta
Boston – You can visit us during the quietest time of the year, just please buy travel insurance. You can fly for just $425 round trip with travel dates of August 26th through September 2nd. The flight is nonstop flying down, and there is a quick layover in Puerto Rico on the way home.
Boston
Chicago – Your best fare is happening soon! You can fly from May 18th through May 24th for just $410 roundtrip! The downside is that it’s on Spirit. But for that price, I can deal with Spirit for six hours of my life.
Cleveland – You can spend Memorial Day weekend with us for just $341 roundtrip! The travel dates are May 28th through June 6th, which is a great time to visit. The airline is Spirit, which isn’t amazing, but it’s a great price!
Cleveland
Dallas – If you can visit from May 18th through May 25, you can do so for only $373 roundtrip.
Dallas
Grand Rapids, Michigan – Your travel dates aren’t as ideal fo the best prices, so you, too, should buy travel insurance. But if you are willing to fly in mid-August, you can do so for only $578 roundtrip on American Airlines.
Grand Rapids
Hartford, Connecticut – Where are all of my home state friends? Well you can come and visit for under $400 roundtrip, which is a fantastic price from BDL! The cheapest travel dates are August 20th through August 29th, and the airline is United.
Hartford
Houston – You can come and visit us later this month! This price is just $453 roundtrip from May 28th through June 5th.
Houston
Indianapolis – Pack your bags because you can come and see us in two weeks! The roundtrip price for travel May 15th through may 24th is just $411 roundtrip!
Indianapolis
Miami/Ft. Lauderdale – It’s always less expensive if you are willing to fly out of Ft. Lauderdale. You can fly later this month for just $237 roundtrip. Book those flights!
Miami/Ft. Lauderdale
Minneapolis – You can also travel for under $400 roundtrip. The best prices for you are in August, so prepare for warm waters and fewer crowds!
Minneapolis
New York – This is consistently one of the least expensive markets to fly out of. You can fly out of Newark for just $311 roundtrip. If you prefer JFK, the price is only $364. The cheapest travel dates are in September.
New York/New Jersey
Philadelphia – You, too, can pack your bags! The good news is that the cheapest flights for you ar happening this month. The bad news is that these are some of the highest airfares I found today. Your trip will cost you $661 roundtrip.
Philadelphia
Raleigh-Durham – I have been hearing horror stories about airfare prices coming out of your area. I am excited to tell you that I found low prices for you! If you are able to travel at the end of October, you can do so for only $364 roundtrip on United. What a great price!
Raleigh
So as you can see, prices continue to trend lower. Such great news! I hope some of you can take advantage of these lower prices and visit St. John this year.
