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Island Update: Stunningly Clear, Flat Seas & Super Busy Everywhere!

Jenn Manes 0 Comments
Cruz Bay, Dec. 26, 2023

Hello everyone, and happy Wednesday! I hope you all had a fantastic holiday! We did over here at the Manes-Hedy household! I thought I would take a quick moment to catch you up with a little island update.

Let’s start with the obvious – the crowds. Christmas and New Year’s are the busiest weeks of the year, and this year is no exception. It is unbelievably busy here on St. John, which is great seeing that St. John’s economy is based on tourism. Yesterday was the first day this season that I saw ridiculous parking at pretty much every beach I drove past. Here’s a quick rule of thumb: If your tires are on the road or if two vehicles cannot pass each other simultaneously due to your parking job, please move your vehicle. Chances are that a National Park ranger will write you a ticket anyway, which is a quick way to ruin a day at the beach. I hope that didn’t come across as preachy; I am simply trying to help your bank account (while helping myself better traverse the roads here lol).

Now let’s talk about the beauty of St. John. Tuesday was remarkably clear and unbelievably flat, especially on the south side of the island. It looked like I could waterski to St. Croix. It was that flat! Usually, we get the Christmas winds that blow through this time of year, but the winds are almost non-existent at the moment. It’s great boating weather!

Looking to get on the water? Check out our friends at Dulce Vita Sails, Flyaway Charters, Island Roots Boat Charters, Palm Tree Charters, or Sunshine Daydream Boat Charters. All are great!

We are officially in the midst of high season, so absolutely everything is open on the island. It’s such a great time to be here!

I took a quick peek at airfare over the next few months, and it’s actually not that terrible. It’s not too late to book a winter vacation to paradise!

It’s also not too late to book an island tour with me this winter! I still have some January dates available. February is quite full, but I have a few dates here and there. Please reserve your day earlier than later, so you do not miss out!

Want to know more about my top-rated island tours? Please visit www.explorestj.com/tour. I offer both full and half-day island tours.

That’s it for today, folks. I hope you have a fantastic holiday week!

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Caneel Bay Resort Operators Fail St. John Once Again

Jenn Manes 4 Comments
Dalton & I watching Santa arrive on Christmas Eve in 2021.

If you’ve read this blog, or if you read News of St. John when I owned it between 2013 and 2020, you are probably aware of my disdain for the operators of the former Caneel Bay Resort, EHI Acquisitions. Since the resort was forced to close following Hurricane Irma, they’ve treated the property Caneel Bay Resort sits on poorly. They treated their employees poorly. They treated the community poorly. And to top it all off, they filed a frivolous federal lawsuit in a pathetic effort to gain control of the land that Caneel sits on, despite Laurance Rockefeller’s clear wishes that it become part of the Virgin Islands National Park this year. And just when I thought they couldn’t get any worse, they proved me wrong.

Santa will not be arriving in Cruz Bay on Christmas Eve this year. Why? Because EHI Acquisitions decided it no longer wanted to sponsor the annual event, despite the fact that Caneel Bay Resort has done so since the 1950s.

In its efforts to steal the land that Caneel Bay Resort sits on, EHI’s marketing efforts claim that it is all about the community. They claim they care about the people of St. John, and they want to donate the land Caneel sits on to the “Virgin Islands people” should they gain control of it. Actions speak louder than words, my friends.

Nothing screams I’m an awful person, in my opinion, like disappointing children on Christmas. Way to go EHI. Way to go.

If EHI wasn’t actively trying to gain permanent control of this property, I would understand why they wouldn’t want to sponsor the event. But that is simply not the case.

On a happier note, I would like to thank the Governor, Lieutenant Governor, and St. John’s Administrator for hosting an incredible holiday party for our children this past Sunday in Cruz Bay. It was perfect in every way. As a parent of a kindergartener who was convinced that the real Santa took time to visit our little island from the North Pole during his busiest time of year, I cannot thank you all enough. Merry Christmas.

And to EHI, enjoy all that coal that you will receive this year.

Dalon met “the real Santa” in Cruz Bay this past Sunday. He was ecstatic.

 

 

 

 

 

There’s a New Bar Directly on the Beach!

Jenn Manes 0 Comments
There is a new bar on the sand in Cruz Bay.

Today’s post is short and sweet and to the point. There is a new bar directly on the beach! Toes in the sand and a drink in your hand, my friends!

Our friends over at The Beach Bar now have an actual bar directly on the sand in Cruz Bay. The bar is located right in front of The Beach Bar, and it will be open every day from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. These times happen to coincide with happy hour.

Only drinks will be available at this new sand bar for the time being. There are a ton of new picnic tables on the sand to relax at, so you will have plenty of spots to sit at, all while taking in the beautiful sights and sounds of Cruz Bay. Food is available to order at the bar, and you can take it to-go down onto the sand.

The Beach Bar’s new happy hour features $5 Coronas, $5 Soca Seltzers, $6 Painkillers, and $6 Tito or Cruzan cocktails.

Not on island, but want to check out the action? You can see The Beach Bar’s new sand bar by checking out their new panoramic beach cam. You can see that, their bar cam and nearly two dozen other webcams by checking out Explore STJ’s webcams page at www.explorestj.com/webcams.

That’s all I have for you today, folks. Have a great one!

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

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

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Guided Reef Bay Hike Set to Resume

Jenn Manes 1 Comment
The beginning of the Reef Bay hike

Well folks, soon you will be able to check out the petroglyphs, once again, without having to hike up a steep, two-mile hill because the guided Reef Bay hike is back!

Friends of Virgin Islands National Park announced yesterday that the ranger-led, guided Reef Bay hike will resume on January 8th. This guided hike will be offered on Mondays and Tuesdays only through June 25th. The cost is $100 per person.

For those of you who are not familiar with the Reef Bay hike, it’s a tough 2.2-mile hike down a steep hill from Centerline Road (Route 10 on the map) to Reef Bay beach. There are remnants of the longest-running sugar plantation at the base of Reef Bay and petroglyphs, which are reached from a quick .22-mile spur trail. The hike down isn’t too terrible; it’s the more than two-mile hike back to your vehicle gets you. But thanks to this new guided hike offering, many of you will be able to forgo the grueling hike back up!

Beginning on Monday, January 8th, you will be able to hike down Reef Bay alongside a Virgin Islands National Park ranger, who will discuss a variety of items along the way, including the area’s rich history, the local flora and fauna, and much more. You will have the opportunity to visit the petroglyphs, as well, which are ancient rock carvings done by the pre-Colombian Taino. Once you get to the bottom of Reef Bay, you will hop aboard a boat that will bring you back to Cruz Bay.

Remnants of the Reef Bay plantation – Image credit: Sarah Hanson
Some of the petroglyphs carved by the Taino – Image credit: Sarah Hanson

Again, the cost of this guided hike is $100, and trips run on Mondays and Tuesdays from 8:45 a.m. to 1 p.m. Trips will depart from the National Park Visitor Center at 8:45 a.m., and transportation will be provided to the Reef Bay trailhead. The hike down takes about three-and-a-half hours, which will be followed by a picturesque, 45-minute boat ride to Cruz Bay.

Please note: The only way to take advantage of the boat ride back to Cruz Bay is by buying a ticket for the guided hike in advance. If you hike Reef Bay on your own, a boat will not be waiting at the bottom to transport you back to town, nor will you be able to hop on the boat when it is there. You can only get on the boat if you are a paid participant of the guided Reef Bay hike. 

And for those of you who have been paying attention to our weather lately, you have probably seen that the island has received a fair amount of rain this past week. Rains like this create a beautiful waterfall at Reef Bay. The picture below were taken after a good rain last year. A big thanks to Sarah Hanson for sharing it with me!

The waterfall was flowing yesterday! Image credit: Sarah Hanson

If you’d like to learn more about the guided Reef Bay hike, please visit the Friends of Virgin Islands National Park’s website. Ready to book? Simply click this link to visit their secure checkout page.

Click here to learn about other educational offerings within the Virgin Islands National Park.

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

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

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