Driving around St. John is about to get just a bit easier for many. Why, you ask? Because we are finally getting much-needed street signs around the island.
I was off island for a wedding and just returned home Monday. I noticed a few new signs then, and then saw a crew installing even more on Tuesday afternoon. So far, it looks like they have added street signs from the roundabout area in Cruz Bay down to Rendezvous Bay on the island’s south shore.
You may be wondering why this is a big deal. It is because the home addresses don’t often match street names here; therefore giving directions is more like take a left at the giant tamarind tree than take a left onto Cruz Bay Lane. ( I totally made up that street name!)
So now, with these new signs, even the roads to Starfish Market and the Westin have names! Check out a few pics:
The road next to E-C gas stationStarfish gets a new sign!The road to the Animal Care CenterThe road beside Pine Peace MarketThe intersection of Gifft Hill Road and the road to Fish Bay
I am heading out to Coral Bay later today. I’ll let you all know if they’re getting signs out there too. Fingers crossed they are!
Sometimes it’s the little things in life when you live on a tiny island in the Caribbean. 🏝️
Want to learn more about St. John? Take an island tour with me!
See the island of St. John with a longtime 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.
It’s hard to believe that it’s October already, and season is right around the corner. There are lots of great events coming out, so I thought it would be helpful to post a brand new events page. This page will be updated regularly, and additional details will be added to each event as they become available.
See the island of St. John with a longtime 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.
Sad news to share this morning… St. John’s All Island Holiday Party – more commonly referred to as “The Prom” – may not take place this year, according to a recent post by Michael Barry, owner or Sun Dog Cafe and the prom’s organizer.
“To everything, there is a time. As we approach the coming season, we have, with some difficulty, come to the conclusion that we will not be able to host the All Island Holiday Party, aka “the prom” this year, as we have done for the past 20 or so years.
“It’s been a blast, and we’ve enjoyed the ride. Since the early days where Caneel and Westin sponsored it, to when the Mongoose Merchants shared in the fun, to the past ten or so years where Sun Dog has stepped up to create an event that has so many memories for so many different people.
“The bands were always great: InnerVisions, Quelbe Ressurection, Lashing Dogs, Smalls and the Merry Makers, Lauren and Bo Music, All of We, Cool Sessions and many more. The complimentary hors d’oeurvres with crab cakes, roast tenderlon sliders, massive shrimp cocktails, tuna tartare. The prom king and queen contest. Jason’s Photo Booth. Barbie’s bourbon balls. The wine bar and champagne. And maybe the best thing: St. Johnians of all description, dressed up, showing the love and dancing it off into the night….
“To those who know us well, we hope you can understand that it has been a challenge for us to pull it off the way we have, given our limited facility, and it takes us days to prepare for it and days to recover from it, at a time of year which is already a bit stressful. We appreciate your support over the years, and hope you continue to enjoy the cafe and what we do there…”
The Prom was one of the very few times when us ladies actually put on a pair of heels. It’s a fun event that allows us to dress us and celebrate the season, our community and each other. It’s a great event, although I always wished it started earlier than 9 p.m. I am old lady these days!
Many people were disappointed to learn that the prom may not go on, but there may be a little hope in the horizon. Michael has asked for a sponsor to step up to help fund the event.
So, if you are interested in helping keep the tradition alive, please reach out to Michael Barry at michael@sundogcafe.com. With all of the changes happening around the island, it would be nice to keep this longstanding event around.
Want to learn more about St. John? Take an island tour with me!
See the island of St. John with a longtime 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.
There are a few barge schedule changes to make you aware of. This is due to the fact that it is still off season here in the United States Virgin Islands.
Big Red Barge Co., one of the two operating barge companies in St. John, recently announced that it is reducing the number of runs it plans to complete weekly. This is only a temporary change that begins today. Here is the new, temporary schedule:
Love City Car Ferries, the other car barge operator, has not announced any changes to its barge schedule. You can see that schedule here.
The regular people ferries have also announced a reduced schedule for low season. The two people ferry companies are not running the 6:30 a.m., 7:30 a.m. or 8:30 a.m. runs from St. Thomas to St. John. Instead, they are leaving Red Hook at 6 a.m., 7 a.m., and 8 a.m.
There will no longer be a 9 p.m. or an 11 p.m. ferry from Red Hook to Cruz Bay. The last ferry will still leave Red Hook at 11:30 p.m. On the flip side, there will not be a 10 p.m. ferry that leaves Cruz Bay for Red Hook. The last ferry will still leave Cruz Bay at 11 p.m.
The regular schedules will resume November 1st.
The Charlotte Amalie ferry is not currently running. That will resume November 1st too.
Want to learn more about St. John? Take an island tour with me!
See the island of St. John with a longtime 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 is a gem of a property, and it will not last long!
Beth Cruz Cottage is an unbelievably private home that is located about five minutes from Cruz Bay. This home has one bedroom, plus a good-sized loft that is accessed via circular stairs. The property sits on a quarter-acre of land atop a lush green valley.
The cottage needs a little love in the form of a fresh coat of paint and perhaps some new finishings, although it is move-in ready as it currently stands. It’s been used as a long-term rental in recent years, but it can easily be converted to a short-term rental. It would also make for an amazing home for a St. John resident or family. Check out a few pics:
It has so much potential! I actually looked it renting this home myself a few years back. I even approached the owner about purchasing it at the time – it’s that cute! She wasn’t interested in selling at the time, so I wound up buying my Fish Bay home, which I love!
Beth Cruz Cottage new concrete stairs that lead down to the house. It also has new footings.
Beth Cruz Cottage is located in the Bethany neighborhood. If you are driving from Cruz Bay toward the Westin, you would take a left at the top of Jacob’s Ladder, which is the steep hill. Take your first right onto Beth Cruz Road and the property is toward the end of the road on the right.
Beth Cruz Cottage is listed for $525,000 with 340 Real Estate Co. Please contact me via call/text at 203-376-3786 if you are interested. You can also email me at jenn@explorestj.com. I am a license realtor with 340 Real Estate.
If you would like to know what else is listed for sale on St. John, send me an email. I am happy to send you a list of what’s currently available. My email is jenn@explorestj.com.
There’s a brand new webcam on island. If you like Coral Bay, this one’s for you!
The Coral Bay Community Council just launched its sponsored webcam that is perched high above Coral Bay. You can see Coral Bay harbor, Lime Out and more 24/7. And if that marina ever comes to fruition, you can see that too.
You can see this webcam, plus more than 20 others at www.explorestj.com/webcams. In the meantime, check it out below:
Want to learn more about St. John? Take an island tour with me!
See the island of St. John with a longtime 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.
