This is such great news to share! St. John had a record-breaking sea turtle nesting season! We had 3,221 hatchlings successfully make their way into the sea, the largest number to date!
Friends of Virgin Islands National Park just released their 2024 Sea Turtle Program Nesting Report. Here are some of the highlights:
3,221 hatchlings made it out to sea
37 nests were found, which is the highest number recorded to date
11 estimated nesting females were identified
1 new nesting beach was documented
The first nest was identified in March.
The largest number of nests were identified during the month of September.
All documented nests were laid by Hawksbill turtles.
Maho Bay
The report includes interesting information regarding our beloved turtles located over in Maho Bay. Researchers have been identified and photographing turtles at Maho Bay since 2012. They identified 101 turtles since 2012. Six of those turtles have lived in Maho Bay for over seven years. Amazing.
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.
Your chances of seeing the green flash at The Windmill Bar are very good this time of year!
Have you ever heard of the green flash? It’s a pretty cool thing that happens a few times a year here when the sun dips down into the ocean at sunset, and it’s possible to see it currently from The Windmill Bar, among other places around the island.
So what exactly is the green flash? Just as the sun sets over the horizon, you can see a quick flash of green as the upper rim of the sun falls below the water line. It only lasts for about a second or two, so you really have to be looking for it. I’ve seen it a few times over the year, and it’s pretty cool. My friend Anne Bequette, a photographer who used to live on island, captured the green flash several years ago. Check it out…
The green flash can also occur during sunrise, so those of you staying in parts of the East End, Coral Bay or possibly Ditleff Point also have a good chance of seeing it throughout the year.
The sun shifts further to the left (when looking from The Windmill Bar) in the winter months, so the Westin Resort is also a great spot to watch for the green flash during the winter months.
And here is a random fun fact, our friends over at St. John Brewers make an energy drink called Green Flash.
The Windmill Bar has a webcam, as do many of our businesses and villas here on St. John. I doubt you will be able to catch a glimpse of the green flash from the webcam (but you never know!), I am certain that you can catch a great sunset view. Check it out on our webcams page at www.explorestj.com/webcams.
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 plan to redevelop the shuttered Caneel Bay Resort continues despite a federal appeal filed by the company that ran the resort prior to Hurricane Irma.
Caneel Bay Resort has been closed since the summer of 2017. It was not operating when Hurricane Irma hit, due to its annual seasonal closure. The resort sustained catastrophic damage, as did a majority of the island, and has remained closed since. Little to no cleanup has occurred with regard to the 166 rooms and other structures on the property.
Bids from interested developers were due in March. The National Park Service will not release the number of bids received, nor will they release who, of the 22 groups that visited the site last fall, has submitted bids. A representative from the National Park Service told me last week that they are currently “finalizing qualification reviews” and that they would have more information to release at the end of May or in early June.
The National Park Service intends to award a contract to a developer/person/business/nonprofit who wants to rebuild the resort following the National Park Service’s parameters. For example, the resort must be low profile, cannot exceed more than 166 rooms, and has to have public access, among other criteria.
Despite the National Park Service’s Plans to move forward, EHI Acquisitions – the company that operated the Caneel Bay Resort through Sept. 6, 2017 – will not let go. They tried to obtain ownership via a federal lawsuit and failed last year. They subsequently filed an appeal, which was heard in federal court last week. The appeal is based on the definition of the word “offer.”
Screenshot from the federal appeal
EHI Acquisitions “offered” the Caneel Bay property back to the National Park Service for a monetary sum. The National Park Service balked and stated that no money should change hands. That is the issue at hand in a nutshell. Again, a federal judge ruled in favor of the National Park Service in April 2024. Click here to read EHI’s appeal in its entirety.
In the meantime, beachgoers can walk to Caneel Beach via the main parking lot. It’s is a quick five-minute walk past the plantation buildings, including the former ZoZo’s restaurant, and past a few destroyed buildings. It’s an odd little walk, but the beach, once you arrive, is stunning.
You can also taxi through the resort to Honeymoon Beach via a $6 shuttle. You can also walk to Honeymoon and Salomon beaches via the Lind Point Trail. All of Cannes’s seven beaches are also accessible via water.
Caneel Beach
I will let you know as soon as the National Park Service releases more information and also when a decision is made on the appeal.
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.
Well friends, this is no surprise here – St. John was, once again, named the best of the best!
The World’s 50 Best Beaches list came out again last week, and our very own Trunk Bay didn’t take first place this year, as usual, but it was named to the list’s Hall of Fame due to the number of times it’s taken the top spot. Here’s what they had to say about one of many of your favorite spots:
Trunk Bay is located less than 15 minutes from Cruz Bay. It is easily accessible via taxi, which costs $9 per person, per way. St. John taxis are cash only. There is a packing lot at Trunk Bay, but it is very small. So it is best to either go early, or take a taxi. The is a $5 entry fee. Cash is not accepted for the entry fee. It is credit or debit card only.
Once you are inside Trunk Bay, there are showers, restrooms, chair, snorkel gear and life vest rentals. These are all available until 4 p.m. daily. There is also a great little spot that serves lunch – both hot and cold options – and there is a full bar. Happy hour at Trunk Bay is from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. daily. You have to love that!
Check out on your last day is typically around 10 a.m. Most flights do not leave the St. Thomas airport until mid-to-late afternoon, leaving you with several hours to fill. One of the top questions I receive here at Explore STJ is where to store luggage on your last day. Here are a few ideas…
For starters, it takes about an hour from the time the ferry leaves St. John until you get to the airport in St. Thomas. If you take the 11 a.m. ferry from Cruz Bay to Red Hook, you can expect to get to the airport around noon. The noon ferry will get you to the airport around 1 p.m. and so on. (The Charlotte Amalie and Crown Bay ferries are different, so for the purpose of this article, I am going to stick with the Red Hook times.)
Store Your Luggage at a Restaurant
A lot of people like to enjoy one last breakfast on island, and perhaps a mimosa or two on departure day. High Tide and Cruz Bay Landing are two popular options, and both can accommodate a good amount of luggage. It is very common for diners to drag their luggage to both of these restaurants, and store it off to the side. The best part is that both of these restaurants are located right beside or across the street from the ferry dock, making it super convenient for you.
The Pelican Post
The Pelican Post is a business operating in the former Connections location in Cruz Bay. The Pelican Post is located just one block up from the ferry dock beside the intersection near Woody’s. They store luggage for people for a pretty decent price. A small bag or backpack is just $5, and a larger suitcase is just $10. This is a good option of you’d like to wander a bit more on your last day, do some shopping or perhaps quickly hit a beach on your last day. The Pelican Post is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. and on Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
If you’d like to chat with the ladies over at The Pelican Post, you can call them at 340-693-4535.
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.
This could be your beautiful view overlooking Rendezvous!
Did you know that there are 190 land parcels currently sale in St. John? These parcels range in price from $50,000 to $7.5 million, and of course there are numerous properties in between that range. Today I would like to tell you about three properties that may pique your interest. One is waterfront; one gives you water rights out in Coral Bay; and one has amazing sunset views. Want to know more? Then read on!
15A-5-2 Rendezvous & Ditleff
There is an amazing 5.15+ acre waterfront property in one of my favorite areas of the island – Rendezvous Bay. This property has a whopping 360-feet of waterfront shoreline access in addition to more than 480-feet of road frontage with easy utility access in place. This property faces south with Ditleff Point to your east and Boatman Point to your west. It is located less than 10 minutes from Cruz Bay and has easy paved access to everything St. John has to offer, including the National Park, beaches, boating, watersports, restaurants, and more. This is a great opportunity for someone looking to subdivide or perhaps you are looking to build your dream home with an even dreamier view! This property is listed for $2,050,000 with 340 Real Estate Co. Please email Tina Petitto, of 340 Real Estate Co., at tina340realestate@gmail.com for more information.
15A-5 REM Rendezvous & Ditleff
There is a second 5.5+ acre parcel right next door, which was recently subdivided into three R-1 dwellings, which means you can have two dwellings per lots for a total of six dwellings on this 5.5+ acre parcel. This parcel also has 360 feet of waterfront shoreline access in additional to 550-feet of road access. Picture yourself waking up to the beautiful turquoise waters of Rendezvous Bay while catching a glimpse of St. Croix to the south. This is truly a remarkable property. This parcel is listed for $2,331,000 with 340 Real Estate Co.
*You can purchase both properties together for a total of 10+ acres. The three subdivided lots are listed between $735,000 and $815,000 each.
I have to be honest, I am shocked that this parcel is still on the market. This 7.29-acre property is prime for development. It is located right on Route 107 in Coral Bay and has littoral rights, meaning it comes with water rights. This allows you to build a dock in additional to other development opportunities. Not only is it located directly across from Lime Out, St. John’s unbelievably popular floating bar, but it’s a stone’s throw from the Isola Shoppes, which is where the proposed Summer’s End Marina has its own littoral rights. This parcel is listed for $1,245,000 with 340 Real Estate Co. The owners are very motivated, so make an offer!
1E Rem, 1E Bethany
Want to be closer to Cruz Bay? Check out this fairly flat parcel perched high above Cruz Bay. Enjoy year-round sunsets in addition to incredible daytime views spanning from Chocolate Hole and Great Cruz Bay out to St. Thomas and the outlying islands. This property is located just below of Sunset Ridge and is accessible via paved road. This property is a must-see, and its owners are also very motivated. This parcel is listed for $759,000 with 340 Real Estate Co.
If you are interested in any of this properties, please contact Tammy Donnelly, owner of 340 Real Estate Co. You can reach Tammy via email at 340realestateco@gmail.com or by call/text at 340-643-6068.
If you are looking to list your property, I would love to help you! I, too, am a licensed real estate agent with 340 Real Estate Co. Please email me at jenn@explorestj.com or call/text 203-376-3786 if you’d like to chat.
