US Virgin Islands News

Gifft Hill Gala party pix

Our man behind the viewfinder, Bob Schlesinger, was at the Gifft Hill School Gala.  

A good time was obviously had by all, as shown in his some 300 photos.  You can see them on his Flickr feed here.

Update: iPhone and the BVIs

Got to thinking at dinner last night, what the heck?

So I just called AT&T, spoke with Stephanie, at a call center in New Orleans.

She couldn't have been nicer or easier.  Said they'd credit the "BVI" usage - no questions asked.  

Didn't even want to hear my story.  

I told her anyway ... 

Her response, "You're good."

So's AT&T.

St. John campers get a parking perk

OK, gang.  What's the biggest issue in Cruz Bay and the beaches?

All together, now .... it's PARKING!

Well, the National Park Service has used some of that stimulus money or the Trunk Bay admission fees to provide 'reserved' parking spaces for folks staying at Cinnamon Bay.

The spots were set to be available late last month but, according to one source, signs designating them were just uncovered and visible.

Tropical Focus photographer Bob Schlesinger (www.vibeachwedding.com) sent this photo.

iPhone owners: Beware the BVIs

It's not unusual to see people on the St. John Travel forums (TripAdvisor , Virgin-Islands-On-Line , VI Now) asking about cell phone coverage.  Generally, for AT&T and Verizon, the advice is 'Good luck!' if you're in Coral Bay with either service. Verizon's OK, but AT&T seems best and its VI usage is not roaming.

However, there's something else.

We met a couple who live near Francis Bay, in a beautiful property with a breathtaking view of the BVI's. 

Donna and I were greeted at their front door, then brought onto that great outdoor living area. Our hostess said, "And there's England."  She was pointing at the BVIs.  Little did we know how right she was!

We all went to dinner at Concordia.  While there, I got a text message on my iPhone telling me that my "all-you-can-eat-data-plan" did not include international service and roaming.

Hmmm ....

I got the same message the next day when we were at Lameshur Bay, watching the pelicans and soaking up some sun.  There on the beach, AT&T says, my data plan doesn't include what I'm doing.
So, I figured I'd better solve this. I called AT&T.  

Well, turns out, they think that I'd been to the BVIs.  My iPhone, absent a clean signal out there, had locked on to a BVI service's cell signal.  The only thing I could figure is that when our hostess said, "Welcome to London," she meant it.

So ... the moral of the story ... I'll be shutting down my phone when I'm on the east end and any further along the north shore than Shipwreck Landing.  And I'll pay ayttention to the carrier name on the ioPhone screen, too, to make sure I don't accdientally use BVI cell service.

But wait, there's more.  While the AT&T bill says I used the BVI service on Saturday evening, Jan 29, the fact is we weren't on the east end then.  We were in Cruz Bay, having a fabulous dinner at La Plancha del Mar.  Who knows what really happened but it's still good advice - when you're in sktechy cell phone coverage on the island, be cautious about the iPhone.

Name that boat

The Department of Health is soliciting suggestions for the naming of a new ambulance boat for St.  It is expected to be completed within a month.

A spokesman for the department said that the suggestions are not limited to names of people, rather, all thoughts of what the vessel should be called are welcome. A committee including St. John residents "will take into consideration all the suggestions."

"St. John has a rich history and the selection of the name that shall be worn on the new ambulance boat will reflect this notable recognition,” Department of Health spokesperson Eunice Bedminster said. “As we anxiously await the arrival of our newly constructed vessel, we want the community to share in our excitement, especially urging the residents of St. John to participate in this initiative.”

The boat is being built by Gold Coast Yachts of St Croix. It will improve maritime and emergency medical transport from St. John to St. Thomas. This is a picture of one of the firm's Response Boats.

The Inquiring Iguana is laying even money it's named after a former island Governor or Senator.

• Here's the Governor's February announcement about the 50-foot vessel.

St. John Blues Festival begins Wednesday

The annual St. John Blues Festival kicks off Wednesday night, with five days and nights of topflight performers offering blues, soul and maybe even some reggae.

This is the ninth year Steve Simon has organized the event.  He is a longtime island resident with a huge talent and love for music.  It's Simon who also, for years, hosted Sunday afternoon jam sessions at the Beach Bar.

This year's edition of the Blues Festival, sponsored by Johnnie Walker, is bigger than ever with not just one, but TWO, big concerts at the Coral Bay ball field, Friday and Saturday nights.  (Ticket information is here.)

Friday night's lineup includes Grady Champion, Candye Kane, and Albert Cummings.  Saturday's presents Moreland & Arbuckle, Reba Russell, Curtis Salgado (pictured) and The Big Band.

"All of the acts are off the charts.  These are the best voices in the blues," he added.  Simon especially looks forward to Salgado's set. "Wait until you see the horn section and the lady backup singers, too.  They are just killer!," Simon said. "I always book my heroes (for these concerts," Simon told the St. John Sun Times. 

But before the big shows on the weekend, four of the island's restaurants - in Coral Bay and Cruz Bay - will be hosting many blues musicians.  Here's the lineup for those no cost events:

Wednesday, Opening Party  

Sun Dog Cafe, 7:30 pm to 11:00 pm
Starring: Mitch Woods & The Rocket 88's

The Beach Bar, 8:00 pm to 11:00 pm
Starring: Live Blues music all evening

Island Blues, 7:00 pm to 10:00 pm
Starring: James Cobb

Shipwreck Landing, 8:00 pm to 11:00 pm
Starring: Dave Gerard & Groove Thang

 
Thursday
 

Island Blues, 7:00 pm to 10:00 pm
Starring: Mojones Red Hot Rockn' Blues

The Beach Bar, 8:00 pm to 11:00 pm
Dave Gerard & Groove Thang

Friday

Shipwreck Landing, 5:00 pm to 7:30 pm
Starring: Jimmi "Prime Time" Smith

Island Blues, 3:00 pm to 6:00 pm
Starring: Mitch Woods

Sunday

The Beach Bar, 4:00 pm to 7:30 pm
Starring: Surprise Celebrity Blues Artists

Another fund raiser this weekend

It's the Gift Hill School's turn to throw a big party and raise money this Saturday.  The annual Gala at the Westin Resort will benefit the school's scholarship fund.

Besides the fun and food at the Westin, this year there will also be an "after party," beginning at 10 p.m., at La Plancha del Mar.

The Gala year will honor founders of the school: Janet and Andy Rutnik, Debbiee and Donald Schnell, Peter and Dorothy Muilenberg and Anna and Victor Joahnsen.  It was in 1978, with their own four children, that they launched the school.

This year, Live Auction bidders can make their offers in person or online. So, even if you're not going to be at the Westin, you can snag one of these items by placing a bid online here.

Live Auction items:

• 7-night culinary tour of Italy with TourUmbria www.tourumbria.com
• 7-night stay at Sonnenalp Resort in Vail in a junior suite for two adults and two children www.sonnenalp.com
• 6-night African safari with Zulu Nyala www.zulunyala.com
• 5-night stay in luxurious Jungle Stone villa on the north shore of St. John www.junglestone.com
• 3 nights at W New York and dinner at Nobu
• Week stay on the coast of Maine in a 3-bedroom house for up to ten people
• Sunset sail on Kekoa for 40 people with music and hors d'oeuvres  www.kekoa.com
• Epicurean experience at Villa EcoSerendib with four-course dinner by Mathayom Private chefs, wine and limo service.

How romantic is this?

It was only two weeks ago, but it will seem like like forever for Hooman Pedram and Genevieve Ryan.

At the finish line of the 8 Tuff Miles race, he proposed marriage to her.  And the 31-year-old St. Thomas woman said, "Yes."

The Inquiring Iguana thinks this isn't quite fair to Ryan, who completed the race in a respectable 1 hour 37 minutes 15 seconds.  That was good enough for 431st place, about midway in the pack of all entrants. 

As for Pedram ... well ... looks like the only heavy lifting he did that day was offering the ring.  A check of the male finalists' list finds him missing. 

By the way ... anybody else get a marriage proposal on St. John?
Talk about it here.

Meanwhile, the grand old man of 8 Tuff Miles ... the founder, originator, keeper of the flame, hardest working man in the event ... Peter Alter.  

He finished sixth in his age group (50-54) crossing the finish line with a time of 1 hour 14 minutes and 12 seconds.  Also in the group - Luigi Costello, former owner of Verace Jewelers. He was third in his class with a time of 1 hour 11 minutes 28 seconds.

These photos were taken by our friend Bob Schlesinger of Tropical Focus Photography.  He has posted hundreds more shots from the race day - yes hundreds! - on Flickr.  See them here.

New parking lot in Paradise

A new parking lot 'come soon' for Maho Bay beach on the north shore, just past Cinnamon Bay.

A National Park Ranger told the St. Source space for 15 to 20 vehicles will be completed in the next couple of months.

Safety is one big reason for the lot.

If you've gone to Maho (Perhaps to watch the pelicans!), you've parked along the left side of the road, or nosed your vehicle into the trees along the right side.

Either way, it's a traffic obstacle.  

Furthermore, some drivers don't show much caution (i.e. slow down) on the straight stretch of road, creating a danger for beachgoers crossing the road or unpacking their beach chairs from the back of their cars.

Parking on the inland side of the road will still be permitted. However, all the vehicle's tires must be off the road surface or Rangers can issue a $50 ticket. Parking on the water side of the road will not be allowed at all.

• Gerald Singer's guide to Maho Beach
• Read the St. John Source story.

Lionfish threaten islands' tourism, fishing

Some time ago, there was a living Lionfish on display at Mongoose Junction.

A staffer at the Friends of the Park store, where the fish was kept, said it didn't survive very long despite a voracious appetite.  It died and is now in a jar on a shelf.  Would that hundreds more of the water-borne eating machines have the same fate.

Every day, swimmers and divers are on the lookout for Lionfish in waters around St. John, according to Karl Pytlik, who heads up local Caribbean Oceanic Restoration and Education Foundation (CORE) activities.  If a Lionfish is found, he says dozens of volunteers are prepared to don masks and slippers and try and catch the fish.

According to Pytlik, one Lionfish can eat as many as 20 other fish in a day.

The President of CORE recently called the lionfish "an eating and breeding machine."  Joseph Gulli told an audience at the University of the Virgin Islands a female can lay up to 20,000 eggs at a time, every four days, the St. John Source reported.  

Gulli warned that the appetite of the lionfish, combined with its ability to reproduce, threatens the territory's fishing, tourism and diving industries, which he valued at $400 to $500 million.  "The Lionfish are going to take all of this away."

The Friends store, as well as St. John Spice, has tools available for people to mark spots where they spy a lionfish.  If they make a call to CORE, volunteers can respond and try and catch it.

• Read the Source story about lionfish