Local News

For those of you on the island, something very cool is about to happen.

Tomorrow morning, folks living or staying in a home with a sunrise view will be treated to a partial eclipse of the sun. Here are the details courtesy of Kevin McCarthy, owner of Coconuts and Plumeria over on Gifft Hill.

The eclipse begins about twelve minutes before sunrise (6:20 a.m.), so the sun will rise with a bit of a nick already visible. It reaches its peak at 7:05 a.m., when the sun will be about ten degrees above the horizon. At that time, the sun will look like a crescent, with the moon blocking 70 percent of the sun. The sun’s heat should feel noticeably cooler. It’s all over at 8:11 a.m., when the sun is 24 degrees above the horizon, as the last bit of the moon slides off the solar disc. There is a narrow strip along the earth where the solar eclipse is total, but that track lies far above the Virgin Islands in the mid-Atlantic. The eclipse is mostly a no-show from the U.S. mainland, where the Eastern seaboard would see only a small nick out of the sun for a few minutes after it rises.

You really need to take the proper precautions to protect your eyes; trying to see the eclipse any time after the sunrise itself risks serious eye damage. If your villa lacks a telescope or binoculars, a simple set of cardboard eclipse glasses will offer complete protection. 

A really low-tech way to watch the progress of the eclipse is to simply take a sheet of cardboard and punch a hole in it with a pencil. Set it up ten feet or so from a wall, and the the sun will form an image in the shadow of the cardboard about an inch in diameter; setting it 20 feet away will double the size of the solar image to 2″.

Folks out towards Coral Bay have a real head start on this one. Our family once caught a total solar eclipse on the island of Aruba in February; in this case 100 percent of the sun was blocked, and the stars and planets came out. It was literally “Darkness at Noon”. Very cool.

We’d like to send out a big thank you to Kevin for bringing this very cool event to our attention.

 

There’s a lot happening around the island lately. Here’s a quick rundown of a few things we thought might be on interest to all of you:

Caneel and ZoZo’s – As many of you may know, Caneel reopened for the season today, and it did so as an independent boutique resort after deciding to part ways with Rosewood Hotels & Resorts earlier this year. Tonight also marks the relaunch of ZoZo’s Ristorante in its new space over at the Sugar Mill. ZoZo’s had a preview Wednesday night, and from what we’ve heard, it was pretty spectacular.

Here’s what Ceremonies of St. John had to say after Wednesday night’s dinner:

And here’s a quick interior shot taken by Destination St. John:

Want to know more? Click here to see ZoZo’s new menu and for more info on Caneel’s new changes.

Kenny Chesney – Everyone loves a Kenny Chesney update, right? Well here’s a good one for you.

CBS’s Sunday Morning program will air a special on Kenny this Sunday, which follows him as he wraps up his No Shoes Nation Tour. Here’s what his website had to say about it:

Good things come to those who wait, and for everyone expecting to see Kenny Chesney on CBS’ award-winning “Sunday Morning” earlier this fall, the segment, pulled to save for sweeps, will air this Sunday, Nov. 3. Taking the CBS News crew with him for an emotional trip to Boston Medical Center to meet beneficiaries of his Spread the Love Fund, which supports ongoing care for amputee victims from the Boston Marathon bombing, as well as the end of his No Shoes Nation Tour, the piece was deemed too strong to waste.

“I knew when they decided to come back, they weren’t looking for a ride on the gator,” Chesney says of his second appearance on the Sunday morning news magazine. “I’ve grown a lot as an artist, as a person since that first one – and I think that maybe intrigued them. A lot of soul searching goes into what we do, and what we’re doing in Boston in terms of the city, the fans and the Fund, especially.”

Kenny Chesney did a lot in a very short year. He released the critically-acclaimed Life On A Rock, led by the gold-certified USA Today Song of the Week “Pirate Flag.” He launched Blue Chair Bay Rum, receiving awards and accolades in the spirits world. And he launched the Spread the Love Fund, as he wrapped his 2013 No Shoes Nation Tour, which rocked 19 NFL stadiums and over 1.25 million fans.

With a year like that, it made sense for “Sunday Morning” to profile Chesney 8 years after their first portrait of the 4-time Country Music Association and the 4 consecutive Academy of Country Music Entertainer of the Year.  That first piece follows up on a young man on the verge of superstardom as he tackled his first handful of NFL stadiums; this piece looks at a more reflective artist balancing the demands of enduring success at this level and his need to give back, make a difference and dig deeper into his creative process.

Allowing cameras into the normally reticent songwriter’s charity world is a first. But given the power of what happened, Chesney didn’t want people to forget that the amputees will be living with – and needing support – for the rest of their lives.

“Watching what happened on tv, as the entire nation did, really threw me,” Chesney says. “But meeting these amazing people who’re putting their lives together, hearing their stories and seeing how they approach getting their lives back… I was moved beyond words.”

Beyond the person rarely glimpsed, they capture road life, including the annual yearbook distribution, a tradition started in 2002 and how it feels when Chesney hits the stage from as close as anyone has ever been to the man The Wall Street Journal deemed, “King of the Road.”

With 2014 being spent working on his next album, this is a rare chance to see Chesney in action. Behind the scenes, onstage and in what is normally a private moment, “Sunday Morning” presents a superstar at his peak.

I don’t know about you all, but I’m pretty excited for this one. Check your local listings for air times.

(Kenny Chesney image courtesy of Sony Music Nashville)

Paddle in the Park – This Sunday also marks the annual Paddle in the Park competition, a standup paddleboard race. This year’s race will have two courses. The Open Course will be a roughly three-mile race from Maho Beach to Whistling Cay and back. The Elite Course will also begin at Maho Beach and will head out to Whistling Cay, then to and around Cinnamon Cay, back behind Whistling Cay and then back to Maho Beach. The Elite Course is approximately 5.5 miles.

The cost to register is $60 for adults and $30 for those ages 18 years and under. The cutoff date for these prices is today. A late registration option will be available tomorrow at the Friends of the Park Store until 2 p.m. The cost tomorrow will be $80 for adults and $50 for people ages 18 and under. Do yourself a favor, register today and save some cash.

Click here to learn more about the race and for information on how to register.

UPDATE: The race was postponed due to weather. The new date is November 9.

 

Happy Halloween everyone! Here are a few events happening tonight:

• Motu: Their party titled Perfection has a Dark Side begins at 8 p.m. People are encouraged to come in costume and prizes will be announced around 10 p.m. or 10:30 p.m. The party will continue until midnight. There will be special Patron cocktails, Candy Corn shots, Blood Orange sangria and more. Prizes will include Motu gift certificates and bottles of Patron.
• Parrot Club: The Parrot Club’s annual party starts at 9 p.m. and they’re giving away $2,000 in cash prizes. The top costume for each of teh following categories will win $500: sexy, comedy, group and couple.
• Skinny Legs: Perhaps the most well-known party on the island will kick off at 8 p.m. and will continue until … well, we’re not too sure about that. But we are pretty certain it will a party to remember. Inner Visions will be on hand to entertain the crowd and the best costume winner will win a trip for two to St. Croix.
• The Beach Bar: Just the crew in celebrating the ghouls and goblins of St. John. Sounds like a normal day at The Beach Bar. The Ish is slated to perform and costumes will be judged by the crowd at 10 p.m.

Well it looks like construction will continue at the Westin a little bit longer than we expected, as it announced a new $35 million expansion Wednesday.

Beginning December 1, 79 guest rooms located in the lower hillside section of the resort will be converted into 54 luxury vacation ownership units. The 54 units, dubbed the Coral Vista buildings, will be comprised of 30 two-bedroom villas, six two-bedroom lofts, and 18 studio villas. Once completed, the Westin will have 200 villas and 96 guest rooms.

“The significant investment in the renovation of The Westin St. John Resort & Villas will raise the standard of this premier resort with stylish and contemporary accommodations, unique amenities and a world-class guest experience,” Governor John deJongh said in a release.  “These efforts will ensure that The Westin St. John Resort & Villas continues to be one of the top destinations of choice for business and leisure travelers.”

Construction is expected to begin December 1. The units are expected to be completed and ready for occupancy by January 2015.

In addition to the just-announced room renovations, the Westin also plans to renovate its meeting spaces. fitness area, dockside check-in, spa and dining facilities. It also plans to continue its commitment to sustainability with the installation of solar panels throughout the property. (We’re big fans of solar energy, so kudos to you Westin.)

Here are a few more pictures of what the property will look like upon completion (click to enlarge images):

The Westin is currently undergoing renovations to its beachfront and poolside guest rooms, as well as to its pool area. Click this link to more about the ongoing renovations and to view recent construction images.

 

It all started last Thursday. Steve Kosiba checked the St. John Spice Cam as he does nearly everyday when the “NO” sign simply got on his nerves. For those of you unfamiliar with the “NO” sign, it popped up about a month ago on Cruz Bay beach. The sign informed people that there was no littering, soliciting, smoking, vending, camping, sleeping, loitering or animals permitted on the beach. The worst part, however, is that it was in full view of the popular Spice Cam.

So what did Steve do last Thursday? He fired off the following email to the territory’s commissioner and assistant commissioner of tourism. (He also copied us on the email.)

We are frequent St. John visitors with our families. We love your island. We especially love the “NO” sign on the St. John Spice Cam. With almost 19,000,000 visitors on this free advertisement for your island, don’t you think the sign should be moved 5 feet back? Do you know how many fans of your island visit the site daily among other local St. John web cams?

My wife and I are planning a 20 year anniversary trip next year. I’m sure I can find a day on the trip to help move the sign for you. I can get a shovel and a bag or two of concrete to move it. More than happy to help.

-Steve

Five days later, the sign was gone. Well done Steve. Well done.

So how did the sign disappear so quickly? Well it turns out that the USVI Department of Tourism agreed with Steve.

“We didn’t want residents and visitors to get off the ferry, to get to beautiful St. John – We didn’t want them to see no, no, no, no,” said Monique Sibilly, assistant commissioner of tourism. “We didn’t want that to be the focal point. We do appreciate that people do not have their dogs running on the beach and such, but we preferred the sign be a little more friendly.”

While Monique hesitated to take credit for the sign’s removal, it was pretty clear that the department of tourism had a pretty good amount of influence in its removal.

So what prompted Steve to take his complaint straight to the top?

“Indiana weather,” he said. “We had a cold spell last week and I always try to visit a few local sites including St. John Spice Cam and your blog. It’s my coffee and St. John start to my day. I tend to also dislike dumb things. I shy away from them or call them out. I also don’t like the word ‘No.’

“Do you know how many blurry-eyed people stare at these web cams?” Steve continued. “St John Spice Cam has had almost 9 million visitors and it also has a dumb ‘NO’ sign. If they were smart they would replace the ‘No’ signs with a big beautiful ‘YES’ sign. YES: Skinny dipping.YES: Dogs on no leash. YES: Cartwheels and things that cause temporary brain injuries.”

Ok maybe not the brain injury part.

So you would think Steve would be pretty ecstatic now that the sign is gone. Well, we’re wrong.

“I’m kinda upset,” he said. “Next year I was planning on going to Woody’s Happy Hour with my shovel in hand to remove the sign and now it’s a no go.”

Something tells us Steve will find something else to pass his time on the island next year.

Want to view the Spice Cam or another on-island webcam? Click here to see a full listing of St. John webcams.

 

The controversial dolphin encounter program proposed for St. Thomas’ Coral World Ocean Park got one step closer to construction last week.

According to the Virgin Islands Daily News, the Senate granted Coral World an amended lease that would enable it to use a portion of its facility for a dolphin encounter program. Coral World’s next step is to obtain the governor’s approval. If that occurs, the future of the exhibit would then be in the hands of government agencies that reside outside of the territory such as the Army Corps of Engineers, the Environmental Protection Agency and the National Marine Fisheries Services.

Plans to create the 70,000-square-foot dolphin encounter exhibit garnered an intense reaction from island residents and visitors when it was announced last year. Many people claimed the attraction was inhumane and that it would negatively impact the dolphins living in captivity, while proponents described it as having the potential to give a “much needed boost” to the territory’s economy.

If approved, six dolphins or less are expected to call the attraction home in the first year, although that number may increase to 10 during subsequent years. The dolphins used in the attraction will be purchased from those already living in captivity, according to Coral World, and will not be taken from the wild.

The attraction is expected to draw an additional 25,000 to 35,000 visitors annually. It is also expected to bring more than $4 million of additional revenue into the territory each year.

Want to hear more from both sides? Check out this short news clip that aired in August 2012 when the park’s plans were first announced:

 

We can’t think of a better way to start the week than to spend some time at the Trunk Bay overlook. Not able to make it over to Trunk today? Well then, we’ll bring it to you. Check it out below:

 

Hi everyone, Happy Sunday! We just got a request from Sail Safaris. They asked us to pass along some info about a contest they are holding.

For those of you lucky enough to be on island, this one’s for you!

Here’s the deal:

1. Go over to Sail Safaris’ Facebook page and give it a like. That will automatically enter you in a drawing.

2. The second way to enter is to, again, visit their Facebook page and leave a comment about why you love St. John. (Now that should be pretty easy.)

So what will you win? Well, the lucky winner will receive a two-for-one day trip to Jost Van Dyke. That means that the winner will have the opportunity to purchase two day trip tickets for the price of one. The day trip cost is $140 plus customs fees.

So is it an entirely free contest? No. But does it give you the opportunity for a pretty good deal? Yes. But here’s the last catch: The trip is only valid for Tuesday, like in two days Tuesday. The boat leaves at 8:30 a.m. and will return at 4 p.m. I don’t know about you, but I always love a good trip over to Jost.

Want to enter? Click here to visit Sail Safaris’ Facebook page. The winner will be announced on Monday.

 

Advertorial

Like many of you, we’re always looking to find the villa with the best view on the island. Casa Luna, nestled high up in the Carolina Ridge neighborhood, is a definite contender as it has expansive, panoramic views of Jost Van Dyke, Norman Island, Coral Bay and beyond. And the best part is that Island Getaways, its villa management company, is currently running specials for October and November, in addition to offering special winter pricing.

Click here to learn more about Casa Luna on Island Getaway’s Featured Business page.

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So as we mentioned Monday, we spent a few days over at the Westin last week. While we were there, we decided to try out some of its on-site watersports, specifically its scuba excursion. We had such a great time that we wanted to share it with all of you.

First, if you are interested in trying scuba, you have two options – You can either complete a certification course or sign up for a “discover” class. The discover option allows you to try scuba alongside an instructor after a relatively quick on-site training whereas certification means just that – you work to become a certified scuba diver.

Cruz Bay Watersports has an on-site presence at the Westin and runs all of its dive trips. The excursion I took was a two-dive trip to Lovango Cay. (Side note: I am working toward my certification so I can get more lovely underwater images to share with all of you.) Tony was my instructor and Richard was the captain. Both were wonderful … and funny.

Scuba can be a bit intimidating at first. I definitely had to take a few minutes to calm myself, but the payoff was well worth it. Rather than skirting across the top of the water as I have countless times while snorkeling, I was able to get a closeup view of the beautiful corals and fish. I even came across a few surprises. Take a look for yourself:

And this one is for all of the turtle lovers out there. (Be forewarned: A professional videographer, I am not.)

You can learn more about Cruz Bay Watersports and its scuba offerings by visiting its website here.