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Here’s a great video of yesterday’s parade courtesy of the folks at St. John Source:

I first had the privilege of meeting Captain John Stewart of Island Roots back in early 2012 while island hopping with another charter. I remember him as being a kind, gentle soul who found humor in my playful teasing throughout the day, as I suggested he and his guests engage in a “fun off” with my boat captain, my husband and I. I have fond memories of that day in which I spent time bouncing around the British Virgin Islands with the indelible Captain John Stewart.

Sadly I received word back in May that Captain John was sick and that he was leaving the island and returning to Maine. Earlier today, I learned of his passing. St. John lost a good man this past weekend, a good man that should not be forgotten.

The following is an excerpt from Captain John’s obituary:

John R. Stewart, 62, of South Bristol, and Coral Bay, St. John USVI, passed away June 30, just seven weeks after his pancreatic cancer diagnosis. Despite the terrible odds, John met the challenge with all the fortitude and preparation that one would expect from a boat captain, and with the frankness, work ethic and good humor his friends and family knew and loved.

John’s life started inland, in Rochester, N.H., but soon moved to York, where he fell in love with the ocean and a blonde, blue-eyed beauty, two years his senior, when he was just 15. Marcia was instantly charmed by his smile and his infectious verve for life – not to mention his gifted guitar playing. 

After John graduated Phi Beta Kappa from UNH with a degree in biological sciences, and Marcia attained her art degree from Syracuse University, they married and made their living in a variety of creative ways, choosing to raise their family in South Bristol so John could study at the Darling Marine Center. Their lives were rich and full of music, boating, laughter and good friends, with John always dreaming of what could be next. 

His career path was winding, opportunistic and ambitious, including marine biologist, commercial SCUBA diver, oyster farmer, seafood processor, garden center and greenhouse (Holly Hill) owner, flower shop (Cottage Gardens) owner, horticulturist, arborist, stone mason and landscaper – with Marcia his partner in life and business at every step of the way. John’s most cherished occupation came in recent years when he became a charter boat captain in the Virgin Islands, taking passengers out in his vessel, Island Roots, for snorkeling and sightseeing. His dry wit, easy smile and expertise made him a natural. 

His favorite things were working alongside his family on the homes they built in St. John and Louds Island, sailing with his wife, and enjoying and exploring the wonders of the natural world. 

John is survived by his wife, Marcia; daughter, Erica; son, Sam; mother, Helen; son-in-law, Lance; daughter-in-law, Amanda; three grandsons; and their many loving family and friends. 

Memories can be shared at www.islandrootsusvi.com/captainjohn, and donations may be made in his name to the Coral Bay Community Council or the Maine Coast Heritage Trust. 

A small gathering will be held on Louds Island, followed by a celebration of his life on Sat., Aug. 3 in Maine, and in St. John at a later date.

Advertorial

Searching for the perfect villa is half of the fun when planning a trip to St. John. For those of you planning (or dreaming) about your trip next, how does a four bedroom luxury villa in Peter Bay sound? Like the idea of waking up to incredible North Shore views? How about walking down to Peter Bay from the comfort of your own private villa? If this sounds like your cup of tea, then please look no further than Amorosa.

Please click here to learn more about Amorosa villa located in the famed Peter Bay.

Chances are, you may have seen one of these cat shack feeding stations somewhere across the island, but many do not know how valuable these little huts are to St. John.

The St. John Animal Care Center (ACC) has 30 feeding stations located in neighborhoods throughout the island. The ACC supplies food for many of the stations while volunteers stock them daily. Local residents also donate food to supply the cat shacks, as well as for the island’s feral cat population.

These stations are an integral part of the ACC’s spay and neuter program, as many of the animals are found within close proximity to the feeding stations. In 2012, 321 cats were trapped, spayed or neutered, and released. These programs are a proven success, according to Ryan Moore, ACC shelter manager, as there are no large packs of not-fixed felines roaming the island.

If you would like to know more about the ACC and its programs, please click here.

Advertorial

Like many people who visit St. John, the Urdanetas dreamed of someday owning a piece of the island. They quickly fell in love with Grande Bay, its location and all of its amenities. The Urdanetas were the first people to purchase a fractionally owned residence through the Grande Bay Residence Club.  That was two years ago; they now own 12 weeks in the club.

“If you are dreaming of paradise, this is the place to go,” the Urdanetas said. “…. It is our home away from home.”

Click here to learn more about their story and how they made their dream of living on St. John come true.

Development and construction activities within the US Virgin Islands are impacting our water resources, according to the VI Department of Planning and Natural Resources. These activities not only affect water quality, but they can also lead to increased homeowner costs.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, in conjunction with the Island Green Building Association, is holding a seminar in which they will discuss how to take advantage of green design and construction processes. This free training will be held on Tuesday, July 16 from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. at St. Ursula’s multipurpose center in Cruz Bay.

Representatives from IGBA and NOAA, as well as local green construction experts, will discuss topics including landscaping, building green in the USVI, and the reality of going green. The workshop will include a field trip to local construction sites where attendees can view and evaluate the application of green practices.

Registration is required, as space is limited. If you are interested in attending, please click here. You must register by Thursday, July 4.

Many of you inquired about purchasing a News of St. John koozie after we posted one as a Daily STJ image last Friday. Well you spoke and we listened. Beginning today, News of St. John koozies will be available for purchase in our newly launched Online Store.

All of our koozies are eco-friendly and are made out of at least 85% post-consumer recycled product. They come in three colors: Lime Green, Neon Orange or Royal Blue.

Click Here to Visit Our Online Store

We debated about spilling the beans on this little known gem, but we thought it would be a disservice to our readers to keep it a secret. So…

Do you want to know where you can get free rum on St. John???

The spot’s called Bones Rum and it’s a favorite watering hole of ours at NOSJ. The way it works is simple: You order a virgin drink and they’ll hand you a bottle of Bones Rum. You can add a splash, a shot or even fill your glass. Bones has eight flavors to choose from – strawberry, banana, mango, passionfruit, Painkiller, mojito, piña colada or NOSJ’s personal favorite – Bushwacker. You can even mix and match flavors … Sounds delicious to us! In theory, you could sit and fill up your glass all day, but we definitely don’t advise that.

Bones Rum is located on the beach next to the passenger ferry. It’s open seven days a week from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.

In addition to the Pour Your Own Rum Drinks, Bones Rum also offer free rum samples.They sell a lot of neat merchandise and have fabulous employees like Muris, who is pictured below. Do yourself a favor and stop in the next time you’re in Cruz Bay.

Dean Doeling visited St. John a few years back and noticed seven kids who were playing with one very worn out and very flat soccer ball. Two things immediately entered his mind:

1. How great is it that these kids are having so much fun with this worn out old ball?

2. Is this the only soccer ball these kids have?

The answer to number two was most likely yes, so Doeling decided to act on it by creating the organization Using Sport for Social Change.

For the past four years, Using Sport for Social Change has entertained hundreds of kids by putting on a free sports field day event called Just Play. The goal of Just Play is to boost youth confidence levels through sports and fitness by helping participants set personal goals and achieve their aspirations while creating positive opportunities for themselves, their families and their community. This year’s event will be held on Monday, October 14.

The event cannot happen without the help of generous sponsors. According to Doeling, the one-day event is worth roughly $60,000 while product and services donations from sponsors and volunteers typically cover all but $6,500. The organization counts on donations to cover the remaining expenses, which include t-shirts, water bottles, trophies and medals, and shipping costs among other items.

News of St. John is proud to sponsor Just Play. We hope you will consider joining us.

If you are interested in learning more about Just Play, please click here.

If you are interested in sponsoring the event or making a donation, please click here.

We’re trying to get 1,000 Facebook “Likes” by the end of the weekend. Please help us do it. “Like” us and spread the word! All you have to do is click here – it’s that easy!