Local News

The Barleys are a pretty neat family. They’re originally from Florida where they farmed cows, peanuts and grass seed – a pretty unique combination if you ask us. They first set foot on the rock back in May when they came to check out a local business for sale. Since then, they’ve taken the plunge and are now full time island residents. They also happen to be the new owners of Sail Safaris.

“We had never been to St. John until the end of May of this year to look at Sail Safaris,” said Kellie Jo Barley. “We decided to make a life change towards a more simplistic lifestyle and embrace our dream of sailing and water sports when we came across Sail Safaris. We moved here at the end of June this year and took over Sail Safairs, making it our own.”

Located right on the beach in Cruz Bay, Sail Safaris offers sailing and snorkeling tours both around St. John and over in the British Virgin Islands. It specializes in taking small groups to out of the way places for unique experiences while its nature guides entertain and educate on species both above and below the water.

The Barleys arrived in St. John after searching for a business in the Caribbean that they could purchase for their oldest son Trey, 17. Both Trey and Kellie’s husband Eric love sailing, Kellie said, as well the outdoors, boating, diving and fishing. Everyone in the family plays a major part in the business, including Kelly and Eric’s two younger children, Colton, 16, and Amanda, 14.

“All of the children are learning every aspect of the business,” Kellie said. “We home school and feel it is important in addition to their learning to learn life skills such as marketing, advertising and web design, retail, business management, people management and boat maintenance. In addition to all that, they are learning sailing and snorkeling.”

The Sail Safaris’ fleet consists of The Dell Rose, a 40-foot benatau with state rooms and two heads, a beautiful teak saloon and a roomy cockpit; The Fly Girl which is a 27-foot stiletto a racing catamaran, the only one of its kind in St. John; and a variety of hobie cats. Sail Safaris has varying price points so to accommodate every budget.

To learn more about Sail Safaris, you can visit them at their website at www.SailSafaris.net or over on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/SailSafaris

Love City has made its way into the pages of a book once again, as a former resident recently released a novel based on his own island experiences.

David Culberson lived on St. John from the 70s through the 90s and had a hand in the development of Gallows Point, Estate Concordia, Gifft Hill, Cruz Views and Battery Hill. He just released “Back Time on Love City: The Carnival Never Stops” and he’d like you all to read it. Some of the characters are based on people living on island, so you may come across someone you know … although the names have been changed.

Here’s a quick synopsis of the book:

Back Time on Love City, a factually-based work of fiction, is set amongst the pristine backdrop of an island in the Caribbean. Pre-AIDS, pre-DEA, way pre-9/11 and seemingly light years away from today’s world, the story takes place just a few years ago, when the island’s cultural fabric was made up of a blend of strange characters, all with magnetic personalities and somehow living together in chaotic harmony.

Torn between the relative safety of doing what was expected, living and working close to home in Middle America farmland, or blindly plunging into ‘sharky’ waters (literally), our young hero readily chose the sharks. A rookie to the sea and island life, he was innocently drawn to a modern-day pirate by the name of Captain Jay. With high drive and low scruples, the pirate takes the rookie under his dark wing. Often times, Jay’s antics nearly kill him but, somehow, our main character grew stronger and more savvy, eventually transforming his dark lessons into a very bright future – only after tragic events caused their roles to reverse.

A resident of the island of St. John from the 70s into the 90s, Culberson has written a rollicking good read, full of adventure, danger, and laughter, and is sure to transport the reader back time to a perfect place called “Love City.”

And here’s a brief bio of David courtesy of Amazon.com:

David Culberson grew up in the middle of Illinois farmland and has bobbed and weaved his way through the past few decades to become an influential global presence in low-impact and sustainable development. His particular expertise is with environmentally sensitive and logistically difficult properties in or near some of the world’s most outstanding environments: Belize, the Caribbean, Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula, the Mid-Atlantic region of the US, and the boreal forests on the shores of Lake Superior. 

“Back Time on Love City: The Carnival Never Stops” is available for purchase or download on Amazon.com. Click here visit its page over on Amazon.

If you’re heading along the North Shore today, keep an eye out for a pretty impressive yacht that’s anchored in the waters beyond Cinnamon Bay. Not on the island today? You may be able to catch a glimpse of it by checking out one of three webcams – Amorosa, Island Stones and La Jolla Caribe.

The yacht is called Solandge and at 279-feet in length, it’s one of the largest in the world. What makes this megayacht special (other than the fact that it’s unbelievably large and luxurious) is that after being christened in Germany just last month, it chose the Caribbean as the destination for its maiden voyage. But really, who wouldn’t?

Solandge left Germany a few weeks ago and was off the marine radar until last Thursday when it sailed into port over in St. Thomas. The megayacht arrived in St. John late Saturday.

The 279-foot yacht can accommodate 12 guests and boasts 29 crew members. That means there is nearly 2.5 crew members per guest. Talk about luxury. The yacht also boasts six decks, a helipad and a swimming pool.

And for those of you interested (or perhaps dreaming like I am), Solandge charters at around $650,000 a week. That’s it???

We here at News of St. John are super curious as to who is chartering the megayacht this week. We’ll send a couple of koozies to anyone who knows. 🙂

 

Tonight: 

Stop by Coral Bay tonight for its Christmas Tree and Carole Sing. Santa himself is even scheduled to make an appearance over at the basketball court! It’s all happening tonight from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

The organizers are asking that you bring a present for a child. Please mark it as being for a girl or boy so Santa knows which child to give it to. And don’t forget to bring your caroling voices!

Happening Now: 

Head on over to Mongoose Junction and check out the beautifully-decorated holiday doors. From what we hear, the competition is fierce! Make sure to vote for your favorite one. You can vote as many times as you’d like. Ballots are available in all participating stores. The winner will be announced Monday, December 23.

And while you’re over there, be sure to browse all of the great shops or perhaps stop for a drink or a bite to eat in one of the great bars or restaurants.

We love a good time lapse video here at News of St. John. So we thought what a better way to close out the week than with a gorgeous time lapse video taken near Coral Bay. I don’t know about you, but I could watch the clouds pass through and the waves roll onshore forever. And the boats that cruise by – that’s just another bonus.

This time lapse video was taken by a News of St. John reader from the deck at Casa Tua. You can see Luduck Island to the right, and a bit of Tortola and the East End of St. John to the left. Enjoy.

http://youtu.be/k3W7NQcx334

Who doesn’t love Maho Bay? It’s definitely one of my favorites and I’m sure it tops many of your favorites lists as well. Well for those of you who would rather be at Maho than anywhere else in the world, we’ve got some great news for you.

The Trust for Public Land announced this week that Maho Bay has been protected from development. How fantastic is that!

Maho Bay is located on the north side of the island just past Cinnamon Bay. The 225-acre beach and the hillside above are the single largest land addition since Laurence Rockefeller’s generous land donation created the National Park back in 1956.

Gerald Singer, an expert on Caribbean beaches and author of St. John Beach Guide, told the Trust for Public Land, “This is one of the most beautiful beaches in the Caribbean. I’m happy to learn the delicate environmental balance of the lush Maho Bay valley and access to the beautiful beach and the calm, shallow bay with its abundant marine life will remain undisturbed by private development.”

Brion FitzGerald, Superintendent of V.I. National Park, said to the Trust, “This is one of the best beaches on St. John and is a significant piece of the island’s natural and cultural history. It is wonderful that it will be available for park visitors.”

The Trust for Public Land recently sold 74 acres to the National Park Service for $2.5 million, the last of a series of sales beginning in 2009, bringing the total land sold to 225 acres, a release stated. The federal money came from the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF).

I don’t know about you, but this makes me happy. Now let’s take a little trip over to Maho together. Here are a few of my favorite Maho Bay pictures. Feel free to send over some of yours to [email protected]

Back in July, the Coral Bay Community Council released results to a survey that asked residents how they envisioned the future of Coral Bay. Near the top of that list was a marina. Well after at least seven years of possible marina talk, the project may be one step closer to fruition. Keyword: may.

The St. John Source reported Tuesday that the territory was awarded a $1.3 million boating infrastructure grant from the federal Fish and Wildlife Service. The money, according to the Source, will be used toward construction of the planned 96-slip marina in Coral Bay.

So we did a bit of digging and here is what we found:

Apparently this grant was awarded back in August. (Yup, we missed the boat on this one.) Here are the details, according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service:

The Government of the Virgin Islands’ Planning and Natural Resources Division will partner with private investment groups to establish the St. John Marina on the Island of St. John, in the U.S. Territory of the Virgin Islands. This new facility—the first marina on the picturesque Caribbean island of St. John—will provide 96 slips and a boating activity center for eligible transient boaters. Other essential amenities include power and water for eligible traveling boaters. 

The exact grant award was $1,273,689. Another $1.4 million is needed to fund the project, according to the U.S Fish and Wildlife Service. That means the total project cost is estimated to be $2,673,689.

So again, plans to build a marina in Coral Bay have been talked about for years. We had to refresh our memories a bit, so we went back to the good ole News of St. John vault. Here’s what we found:

August 2006: A marina backed by Robert O’Connor is approved for the area near Island Blues, but with conditions. At the time, the project was expected to cost $5 million.

August 2006: A group called T-Rex St. John LLC entered the possible marina arena when it announced plans to build a marina, condominium and commercial development on Moravian Church-owned land that runs behind the Guy Benjamin School, firehouse and Skinny Legs.

June 2008: Frank Barnako reported that “The VI government hasn’t heard a ‘peep’ from the would-be developers of a marina in Coral Bay since they got a permit almost two years ago.”

We can see both the pros and cons of having a marina in Coral Bay. So we’re curious, what are your thoughts? Let us know here or over on our Facebook page.

The Animal Care Center is holding its annual open house tonight, December 18, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. You can stop by and hang out with the staff, volunteers, and of course the animals. Food and drinks will be provided, and the shelter will be decked out for the holidays. This is a very fun night for the shelter – its casual and laid-back. Donations will be accepted, and will go to providing the islands animals with love and care as we try to find homes for them.

After being closed for more than six months, the newly renovated pool area over at the Westin is expected to reopen today. Snorkels poolside bar and grill is also expected to reopen.

The closing of the pool area was an inconvenience to many vacationers; however we really have to credit the Westin staff for going above and beyond to accommodate their guests during the renovations. (Click here to read our firsthand account of the renovations.)

Here are a few new pics:

Today’s reopening is just the first step in the Westin’s longterm renovation plan. Here’s a quick update on where the rest of the renovations stand:

Pool and Beachside Rooms: Renovations are currently underway. Some rooms in Building 10 opened earlier this month. All rooms are expected to be completed by January.

Beachside Cafe: Renovations will begin January 6. During renovations, the Beachside Cafe will be located to the old Cruz Bay Prime location. Renovations are expected to be completed by June 5.

Watersports Area: Renovations will begin January 6. During renovations, the Watersports Area will be located near the dock. Renovations are expected to be completed by May 6.

Westin Workout Fitness Studio: Renovations will begin February 15. During renovations, the fitness studio will be located at an alternative spot on the property. Renovations are expected to be completed by May 16.

Westin Spa: Renovations will begin February 15. Renovations are expected to be completed by June 5.

Westin Airport Lounge: Renovations will begin January 6. Renovations are expected to be completed by April 15.

Lower Hillside Room Conversion: This project is currently underway. It is expected to be completed by January 2015. Click here to learn more about this project.

When Snorkels Bar & Grill reopens today, it will do so with a few new menu items. Here’s a couple of pictures from the Westin’s Facebook page:

As we all know, tourism is the lifeblood of St. John. And without the wonderful people who work in the tourism industry, the island would be a much different place. So today we’d like to recognize a man who is truly making a difference – Shamir Joseph.

For those of you who’ve spent time at the Westin, Shamir may be a familiar face. Since February 2012, Shamir has worked in guest relations – first as a guest relations agent and most recently as guest relations manager. Next time you see Shamir, give him a nice handshake or perhaps a pat on the back because he just received a pretty big award.

Shamir recently received the US Virgin Islands Hotel Associate of the Year Award. The award was given at the 12^th Annual Tommy Star Awards & Gala and was presented by the USVI Hotel & Tourism Association. Shamir Joseph was awarded the U.S. Virgin Islands Hotel Associate of the Year Award based on his demonstration of excellent customer service, pride in his work and knowledge of the USVI’s hospitality industry.

“Shamir Joseph embodies our entire team’s commitment to providing the best Caribbean experience for our guests in St. John,” said Mike Ryan, general manager at The Westin St. John Resort & Villas. “He is both an ambassador for our island and a delight for our guests.”

Congrats Shamir. Kudos to you!