US Virgin Islands News

Trip Advisor rates the restaurants

 Ted's Supper Club, which isn't even a restaurant, is ranked as the #1 eatery on the island by TripAdvisor, based on reviews from more-than-satisfied customers.  The travel review site received 10 reviews of Ted's all of them rating the catered-dinner service Excellent.

One rave said, "After careful discussion we decided that tapas was the way to go with our family :-) Ted created a menu of 10 items for our family of 6 adults! We were blown away by the outdoor kitchen setup, outstanding presentation."

Ted, of course, is Ted Robinson.  Previously he owned and operated the Tage restaurant in Cruz Bay and was chef at the original Paradiso .  That space is now occupied by Fatty Crab.  After closing Tage, he went into business for himself doing high-end catered meals in villas. Ted's Supper Club

In second place, TripAdvisor has the Sam & Jack's Deli at the Marketplace, opened this year by the owner of Zozo's. "Fantastically fresh, delicious meals wrapped up to go," said one happy customer, Mindy Hankins. "Take a tiramisu with you to the beach!"  Sam & Jack's Deli

Other top restaurants on the island:

• Sylvia Nicholas, at Sputnik's Coral Bay
• Sheila's Pot, Cruz Bay
• Equator, Caneel Bay
• Black Sand Bistro, the Marketplace
• Morgan's Mango, Cruz Bay
• Rhumb Lines, Cruz Bay

Frankly, you have to take this TA list with a grain of sand.  Of the Top 10, two are just plain wrong.  One is a guest house, the other's out of business.  But the list is a good starting point for ideas.

Lonely Planet loves the VI's for 2012

The Virgin Islands grab the top spot in Lonely Planet's new list of suggested U.S. travel destinations for 2012.

"This is our #1 choice for an American tropical getaway," the editors said.  "It’s eternally 80 degrees, rimmed with white-sand beaches on turquoise water, and, yes, it’s a US territory," the magazine said in a year end roundup.

St. John is clearly the gem of the Islands, according to the travel guide editors.,  They recommend the national park and hikes to secluded beaches, as well as snorkeling and kayaking.

"In a year when travelers are apt to still be watching their wallets, this is our #1 choice for an American tropical getaway. It’s eternally 80 degrees, rimmed with white-sand beaches on turquoise water, and, yes, it’s a US territory," said Lonely Planet on its Web site. 

Now, some might say that if your standard is to find an American tropical getaway, the competition;'s not too intense. The VIs did beat Culebra, Puerto Rico in the number five spot and Hawaii, the big island, ranked eighth.

Real estate 'bargains' on St. John

Remember that story earlier this year about a local family agreeing to donate 180 acres of land for a public park in Coral Bay?

Well, maybe it won't happen.

Turns out the owners of the land, the Egbert Marsh Trust, haven't paid property taxes since 2000. The Lt. Gov.'s Web site shows annual property taxes of about $12,000 - $18,298 have been ignored. Now, the total due, with penalties, fees, and interest is $243,675.

So, the land is going up for sale at a Property Tax auction in the middle of January.

There are two other St. John parcels being offered for failure to pay back taxes.  Another 'bargain' could be a 1.27 acre lot in Peter Bay.  The St. John Land Investment Partnership owes $100,105 on it.

On St. Thomas, there are 15 properties to be offered and 15 on St. Croix. 

More info about the property tax auction is available on the Web site of the Lt. Governor.

St. John Park on YouTube

The National Park Service has rounded up folks at 19 of the national parks to offer season's greetings.  

"Happy holidays! National Park Service staffs share a bit of good cheer and glad tidings for the season with these short video clips," the NPS said on its Web site. "We'll be adding a video every day through December 31 to the National Park Service's YouTube channel.

Mark Hardgrove urged his Rangers to come up with a greeting which turned out to feature the island's most popular beach, Trunk Bay.

Coral Bay artist lights up

George Hollander's talent is making the unique from the mundane.  

Case in point: Goodyear - New Year!, a one-of-a-kind light sculpture fabricated from a collection of common old tirews.

"Almost no one regards natural surroundings as ugly or unappealing, but when it comes to man made objects we are less certain of our own reactions," the Coral Bay artist told the St. John Source in 2009.  Hollander has no such uncertainty as he accommodates the everyday into his art.

The lights-and-tires sculpture is his latest annual effort to mark a new year. The German-born artist made it by stacking nine tires and topping them with a Plexiglas-spiked dome made from half a marine buoy. He then wrapped Christmas lights around the piece. Its core lighting comes from florescent bulbs.

He crafted New Year's sculptures in 2009 and last year.  You can see them here, along with the more traditional handmade light fixtures he produces for homeowners and architects.

Advertorial

The Grande Bay Residence Club has just opened a hospitality center in Wharfside Village.  

Visitors can learn how they can have their own spot on St. John, overlooking Cruz Bay, for less than $10,000.  besides offering all the information about Grande Bay, the Center is also serving lattes, espressos, cappuccinos, and special Caribbean rum tastings.

Learn more by clicking here.

Gift ideas: Books

Tomorrow:  Music ideas

Even  though it's a small island, there's a lot to see on St. John.  Guidebooks help you find the secret beaches, challenging hiking trails, and the best bars. Here are some ideas, available from Amazon.com. (NewsofStJohn.com will get a small commission if you buy using our links.  All commissions will be passed along to the St. John Animal Care Center.)

Destination (TM) St. John

Hand-picked information by passionate travel industry insiders. You'll find recommendations for sightseeing, gems of restaurants, with a special focus on local cuisine, and specialty shops for local crafts, food and gifts.  Kindle-only.  $2.99. Go to Amazon.com.

Mingo's Cave
By Chuck Ball 

Adventure in the Caribbean. The reader gets to meet quirky island characters, search for hidden treasure, ride along on dangerous boat excursions, learn about the destruction of an Eco-sensitive camp, and seek revenge for a senseless murder. Kindle-only. Nine five-star reviews. $3.99. Go to Amazon.com.

Desiring Paradise
By Karin W. Schlesinger (Oct 2003)

The author is half of the team which owns Tropical Focus Photography.  This is the true story of two New Englanders who followed their dream. Despite obstacles and setbacks at every turn,they moved to St. John in the US Virgin Islands to start a new life. The book provides valuable insights for anyone who has ever thought about doing the same. Paperback, from $9.50.  18 five-star reviews. Go to Amazon.com.

Snorkel St. John
By Jill and Jim Burt

St. John, US Virgin Islands is a small, isolated island in the Caribbean with numerous snorkeling sites off its
shores. Several of the most enjoyable sites are described in this book with  detailed directions for finding each. Underwater photos of fish and coral off St. John are included. Two five-star reviews. Paperback. $11.99. Go to Amazon.com

Must-haves for any St. John-lover's bookshelves:

• St. John Beach Guide by Gerald Singer
• St. John Feet, Fins, and Four Wheel Drive by Pam Gaffin
• St. John Style, recipes, by Gretchen Labrenz
• St. John Off the Beaten Track by Gerald Singer
• Don't Stop the Carnival by Herman Wouk

No deal for Maho Bay Camps land

(Map courtesy of Google Earth.)

Negotiations between a non-profit group and the owners the Maho Bay Campsland have ended.  

The outlook for the Trust For Public Land to make a deal with Giri Giri Corp for the 14 acres has dimmed, according to John Garrison, the area director for the Trust.  
He offered this update during remarks at the most recent meeting of St. John Rotary and were reported by the St. John Source.

Nonetheless, Garrison said talks could resume.  He described the situation as "dynamic," the Source reported.

As for good news, Garrison said 18 acres of land above Maho Bay have been donated to the National Park. He estimated the value of the land, given by an anonymous donor, at $9 million.  Because of the property's zoning as residential, Garrison said as many as three dozen houses could have been built there. 

The land is on the north side of Mamey Peak Road. A neighborhood resident told the Source the land gift, "means that when you're at Maho Bay, you'll never see houses."

JetBlue to add island flights from New York?

A hint that JetBlue could add New York-to-St. Thomas service was heard Thursday during an event to celebrate the start of the airline's five-times-a-week direct service from Boston.

Brandon Nelson, a vice president of JetBlue, told the Virgin islands Daily News, "The Caribbean is core to our growth strategy."  Flights from the Big Apple, he said, "would seem to me to be a natural growth opportunity."

Nelson was in the Virgin Islands to welcome the airline to the territory.  The first flights from San Juan began Monday. JetBlue plans twice-daily service fo St. Thomas and a single flight to St. Croix.

Non-stop service from Boston began Thursday with the VI Tourism Department putting on a show at Logan International Airport.  Mocko jumbies, steel pan players and Caribbean Ritual Dancers performed their specialties at the airline's check-in counters and departure gates.  

Tourism also spent some marketing dollars to host a media reception and to meet with travel agents in Boston to promote travel to the islands.

Lost diver wouldn't do anything differently

(Photo of lobster diver rescue courtesy of St. John Rescue.)

Eric Lambert, an island resident and contractor, was lost at sea several hours this week after diving alone for lobsters. He later told the Virgin Islands Daily News, "There is nothing I would do differently."  

With nearly 40 years experience diving, Lambert was always confident he would be found, "I was never nervous or scared," he said. "I know my dive buddy. We're respectful of the ocean. We never have pushed it."

He was rescued by the US Coast Guard, with assistance from St. John Rescue and the V.I. National Park.

Lambert had been dropped off by a boat on the south shore, for a solo dive off Chocolate Hole.  Friends aboard the Swordmaster III intended to pick him up after half an hour but when they went to find him, Lambert was nowhere to be seen.  Swordmaster called the Coast Guard.

A search helicopter was dispatched from Puerto Rico, and a Coast Guard rescue boat located Lambert in the water off Klein Bay.

Lambert said he was "very grateful" to the Coast Guard and told the St. John Source he intends to make a donation to St. John Rescue.

He described how he was treading water waiting for Swordmaster to rendezvous with him as planned, when "“They went roaring by about 30 feet away."  The current began taking him away and his legs cramped, he said.  It was about three hours later he was pulled from the water.

The Coast Guard offered this advice: "Never dive by yourself."

Yes, Lambert did catch some lobsters, according to the Virgin Islands Daily News.  Two of them. However, after hours in the water, he became weak and the bag of lobsters fell to the ocean floor.

• Read more from the Daily News story
• Read more from the St. John Source story