Welcome to Boaters Paradise The Virgin Islands has earned this affectionate nickname owing to its crystal-clear waters, calm seas, and myriad picturesque bays and cays that have graced many a stateside resident’s screensaver for decades. When visiting the Virgin Islands and planning vacation activities, renting a charter boat for the day is regarded as a […]
It has been over four months since the hurricanes have passed. I know, with a fair degree of certainty, that I will not return to the islands to live. I envision myself visiting my old haunts, many years from now, as a tourist. My friends will have aged. Businesses and houses from my past will […]
Hi, my name is Jennifer Russ and I am the owner of Reef2Peak, an eco-tour company that offers kayaking, paddle boarding, snorkeling and hiking on St. John in the US Virgin Islands. I have always loved nature and I enjoy the company of outdoorsy people. My father taught me to appreciate travel and the environment. […]
Crystal D’Abbraccio has been in love with dancing for as long as she can remember. Starting at the age of five, her training was well rounded, progressing through performance, to costumes design, to dance education. Since moving to St. John in 2012, Crystal has taught dance, theater and creative movement to both children and adults. Crystal’s […]
During college freshman orientation, Bryan Barnes, owner of Busy Bee Charters was asked what he wanted to do when he grew up. His response, “Run a fishing boat in the Caribbean.” This answer surprised not only the counselor, but Bryan himself! He wasn’t a fisherman, he had no interest in fishing, and he had never been […]
One word, Summertime. You know what I’m talking about. If you live in the Virgin Islands, this is the game changer. The mad rush of tourists dwindles to a trickle. The water warms up and the people slow down, way down. If you work in the tourism industry (and who doesn’t), then you are either […]
When Bob Shinners imagines the movie of his life it opens with him as a young man standing on a Milwaukee bridge in a thick parka. He climbs the safety rail, closes his eyes, and jumps. As he plunges into the icy water, his steel-toed boots and heavy winter clothes suck him into the murky […]
Carolyn Goodlander is truly a woman of the world. When I met with Carolyn to share lunch and words at the Cruz Bay Landing on St. John, she had just returned from her third circumnavigation aboard the sailboat home she shares with her writer husband Captain Fatty Goodlander, the editor-at-large at Cruising World Magazine, author […]
Lots of cruising sailors wash over the collective bow of St. John. Many are capable and navigate the Sir Francis Drake Channel like it was a lake. Others fall into the category of quirky and fade quickly from memory. Others just stick because they are so real. John St. John is one cruiser that I […]
“The sea, once it casts its spell, holds one in its net of wonder forever.” – Jacques Yves Cousteau The Virgin Islands are a rich paradise full of a diverse things to do from hiking, to bar hopping, to photography, to sailing. These are a few of my past times. I find it impossible to […]
Sailors are as vast and varied as their vessels but it doesn’t matter if you have a 3 million dollar boat or a 3,000 dollar one, the sea doesn’t discriminate. Sailors know this which is probably why there are unwritten rules and courtesies when we find a fellow mariner’s boat in distress.
Coral Bay’s motto is “Successfully avoiding progress since forever!” and they mean it. Welcome to a small corner of the world where folks would die for one another, yet they don’t know each other’s real names because everyone goes by a nickname. Coral Bay will have you wondering where the conveniences are hidden. They certainly […]
Last summer I asked some friends if they would be interested in doing a bareboat charter in the British Virgin Islands. I was not surprised to find that they were interested since the BVI is one of the most popular boat charter destinations in the world! For the past 15 years, I have been lucky […]
Leah Randall – St. John has been a seasonal island home for me since 2004 and a permanent home since 2013. I want nothing more than for you to appreciate this island as much as I do, so allow me to share some of my favorite beaches with you. Whether you’re a resident or a […]
The story of surfing in the Virgin Islands is an exciting one. This might be hard to believe if you’ve spent any time on one of the VI’s world-famous beaches. The gentle ripples on tranquil turquoise bays don’t bring to mind the incredible thrill of cutting down the face of a ten-foot wave. However, those […]
What is the best season to visit the Virgin Islands? The answers are as different as the people who travel here. To create the perfect Virgin Islands experience, it’s important to ask yourself some questions before you book your flight! What’s your type of weather? Do you love dreamy, drizzly days or cloudless skies? Are […]
Don’t fall for the “biodegradable” sunscreen gimmick labeling unless it’s backed up with the right ingredients! Find out here what ingredients to look for in your sunscreen. PLUS best practices for protecting yourself and the marine environment. Share this with your friends and protect the reef.
Happiness is when I see people on the bow of my boat totally relaxed chatting amongst each other like they are in their own living room. Everybody getting to see something they have never seen before. Like pirate cannons under water. That is one of my goals…to show you something you’ve never seen before.
