st john usvi news

According to a press release, "When Kenny Chesney decided it was time to find the rum he’d always wanted to drink, he didn’t approach the various distillers who’d offered him lucrative deals to lend his name and likeness to a brand created for him.

"No, the man who oversees every aspect of giant stadium productions and listens to myriad songs beyond what he writes for his albums, decided he wanted to do it himself.

“Everybody’s always expected this from me,” said Chesney. “There have been people who’ve approached us, stories that have gone around over the years. But rum is what I drink, and I always told myself, if I was going to do this, I wanted to create something I could be really proud of … make the rum I truly wanted to drink."

Chesney's brand will offer a Coconut flavored rum, Coconut Spiced, and a premium White Rum.

Blue Chair Bay Rum won’t be available until May.

The 45-year-old country singer owns a house on St. John, currently listed for just under $8 million.

Anyone who's ever tried to make a call from the beach at Maho will appreciate this: AT&T said St. Thomas and St. Croix will be included in the company's introduction of it higher-speed LTE technology by "the end of the summer."

But not St. John? (Read the corporate news release here.)  

It doesn't seem possible that other two islands would have the improved technology access but St. John wouldn't.  Maybe AT&T doesn't know St. John is here. or perhaps the towers that cover St. John will not be upgraded.  The Inquiring Iguana has always been happy with his AT&T connectivity in the past – we'll just have to wait and see.

The company said the LTE service provides  a stronger connection to wireless service, and faster upload and download speeds. Smartphones like the iPhone 5 and Samsung Galaxy are capable of using the 4G LTE network.

Sprint is reported planning to add LTE cell towers in the VI, including one on St. John.

Manta Rays, those winged fish, have become almost 'common' around the island. Photograohers at booth Maho Bay and Caneel Bay have posted video of the gorgeous creatures appearing too fly through the crystal clear waters.

There are two types of Mantas, Reef and Ocean. The former fare typically 10-feet in wingspan, while the Ocean type can grow to 25 feet and weigh 5,000 pounds. last year, Mantas qualified as a threatened sp[iecy to be protected by the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals .

This video was posted on the Blog of Maho (see the full item here).

Several rays have been seen coursing along the Bay. They nicknamed one of them, "Manny".

"The National Park has even come out here (and other beaches) to post signs about not touching them," the Blog reported. "Manta Rays have a protective mucus membrane on their skin, and may develop infections or lesions if touched by snorkelers."

At Caneel, Guest Relations manager Chad was able to video a Ray swimming near the ferry dock, right off the main Caneel Beach … and almost close enough to use one of the beach chaise lounges.

"We also have had several confirmed sightings of a Manta Ray at Francis Bay recently, which is an unusual visitor in our shallower waters," Caneel reported on its Facebook page. "And right off Caneel Beach last week, a mother Dolphin with two babies paid us a visit."

There's a cruiser in Cruz Bay, anchored off the waterfront in front of the Grande Bay Resort and Residence Club.

John Alvarado, the director of sales, says the 35-foot power boat is available for full and half-day charters. "It will go wherever the guests want to go," he said.

The craft, manufactured by Scout Boats of South Carolina, boasts two 350 horsepower outboard engines and a speed range in the mid-60s.

Named the ResidenSea, its captain is Michael Luzon. Committing to a full-time captain "ensures that our guest experience will be unparalleled," Alvarado said.

He added that the availability of ResidenSea for diving, snorkeling, swimming or island hopping "completes our vision of providing our members the opportunity to enjoy the ideal St. John lifestyle – a residence, a four-door Jeep Wrangler, and a 35-foot power boat."

Chris Angel with Zja-Zja and Phineas Credit: Elsa Angel

Chris Angel thought it does. It was his dying wish that there be a public space for dogs and owners to gather.

The longtime island resident and businessman asked the Trust for Public Land to get involved.  The Trust's John Garrison has spent a lot of his time working too protect Maho Bay land, and is now also working on the dog park.

“The whole community is behind us on this,” he said. “The Community Foundation, Animal Care Center, and individual pet owners are all supportive. The people of St. John want a dog park.”

He’s looking for a two-acre parcel that’s relatively flat, near a public road, and with access to utilities so the dog park can have fresh water, lights and a lockable fence. “The park has had an outpouring of support, so we’re hoping the search won’t take long,” Garrison says.

Photo courtesy of Carrie Dow

Here's a way to get some exercise and help the Animal Care Center at the same time.

ACC staff and volunteers walk their dogs twice each weekday, at 8:00 a.m. and 3 p.m. The walks around Cruz Bay are good for everybody.  On weekends, the walks become 90-minute hikes along the Lind Point Trail.  And anybody can help – local or visitor.  The more people who show up for the walks, the more dogs get exercised.

The International Pet Examiner published a story about the dog walks and how you can help.  "Dog walkers benefit by burning off those rum punch calories and meeting other people, both travelers and locals," the Examiner said.

Photographer Yelena Rogers went along a recent hike and posted pictures on her Facebook page. 

So did Carrie Dow, the freelance travel writer who wrote the story.  "We have to admit a selfish reason for going," she said. "We were missing our two dogs at home."  Taking the hike with the ACC dogs "was our way of staying connected with our own furry babies thousands of miles away."  (See her slide show of pictures here.)

If you'd like to walk a dog, or hike with a husky and help the Animal Care Center, get information here.

Every once in a while, the Inquiring Iguana askes what new business would do well on the island.  What unmet need  could bring prosperity to its founder?  No one has ever said the island needs its own massage oils.

Kate Reed and Dave Borrow thinks it does.

They have opened Island Massage Company.  Dave’s a massage therapist and Kate had been blending oils for his clients.

“I soon found I could do much more using the therapeutic qualities of essential oils and other natural ingredients,” she said. “And the more research I did, the more I realized … commercial cosmetics are bad for us.”

So, Dave and Kate have gone into business marketing their own line of bug spray, itch medicine, oils and lotions,  You can learn a little more about it on their Web site.

Now, back to the Iguana’s question.  What business, if it were to open on St. John, would be a hit?  Offer your idea by making a comment here.

“My legs felt like corner posts with barbed wire attached,” said Brian Bresnahan, remembering how he neared the end of this year’s 8 Tuff Miles race.  And the guy is a Marine and Iraq war veteran!  Imagine what it would feel like for you!

Bresnahan is now safely back home in York, Nebraska where he writes for a weekly newspaper.  He focused a recent column on his St. John experience.

It began when he asked his wife she’d like to do something crazy with him: run ups nd down a mountain on a. 8.3 mile course.  The adventure sucked him in, the lure of the warm Caribbean waters and white beaches grabbed her – and off they went.

“Surprisingly, we passed lots of people at the start,” he wrote. “But then the reality of the mountain kicked in. It kicked for the next 5 miles. I've ridden bulls that kicked less.”

Bresnahan said his “Wonder Woman wife” finished in the top 25% women, he finished in the top half of men.

“But it was a half hour faster than the goal, and there were Pina Coladas, crystal blue water, and white sand waiting.”

• Read Bresnahan’s full column