The Simplistic Beauty of Cinnamon Bay – By Alex Glass

Happy Monday!  A few weeks ago, I received a message inquiring as to whether we would accept a submission from a student.  Without asking questions, I immediately said yes.  And I’m so glad I did.  On Friday the following article about Cinnamon Beach came in from Alex Glass.

Alex is in fourth grade and is spending the year away from all of his friends at Maret School in Washington DC. His family relocated to St. John for a short time and Alex is remote learning.  Here, he writes with a great deal of gratitude about the opportunity to be here this year and enjoy his favorite beach in abundance.  I hope you enjoy his perspective on the beauty of Cinnamon Bay 🙂

Every morning I wake up to the sound of waves crashing and that means a fun day at the beach. I am so fortunate to be able to go to the beach every day. I know some kids have never been to the beach and when I wake up I feel extremely lucky. I am happy I don’t have to wake up to the sound of traffic or ambulances. Instead I wake up to a shhhhhhhhhhh of the ocean. At night I fall asleep to the sounds of grasshoppers and cicadas. Cinnamon beach is so special, it’s the only place in St. John where you can do a variety of water sports. I will never forget my first time at the beach. It was magical. When I go to Cinnamon all my stress melts away and I feel very calm.

Cinnamon beach has a special place in my heart. St. John has so many beaches to choose from but Cinnamon beach is the best. Skim boarding is incredible there! You get thrown in the air. It’s crazy! It’s possible to ride waves bigger than imaginable on a boogie board. The beach is so big it’s almost never crowded. If you are lucky the waves are good for surfing but it’s not every day. I like to skimboard there because you go lightning fast.

Cinnamon is where I learned to skimboard. Sometimes while boogie boarding you get a barrel (that’s when a wave closes in on itself and you get time inside that wave). Most of the time the waves are amazing. If you’re a big water sports person like me you would love to go there but it’s not the best place to relax in the water. On the right side of the beach there is some good snorkeling, the waves can’t be too big otherwise you will get smashed into the rocks. Cinnamon has some good scuba diving for people who are certified. Soon there will be some upgrades like a campsite, a water sports center, a food building and a snorkel gear rental. It will all be there in a year. At least that’s the plan.

When I first discovered Cinnamon it was magical. I was in first grade and I had never experienced anything like this. I first saw Cinnamon from the balcony and I convinced my parents to take me. When I got there it was paradise. The sand was hot and silky. If I want to build a sandcastle I have to get close to the water because the sand is wet and easier to build with. The beach is so big it’s never a problem if I ever need to find a good spot where no people are. The water is as clear as glass, though in some spots it’s a little dark. The beach has sunlight from the morning to 5 o’clock. Cinnamon Beach has endless water activities, pristine sand, and lush jungle vegetation. Since that day Cinnamon has become my favorite.

Cinnamon makes me have a better day when I am feeling down. It is so big it gives me space from everyone else. Since COVID started I am constantly with my family so it feels really good to get a little time away. Cinnamon is so calming it makes all my stress go away. Some days when the waves are calm I lay down and the water lulls me to sleep. Recently I learned how to sail and the first time I went out I felt so cheerful and exclaimed “This is the life!” I love spreading my joy with others. Cinnamon makes me and my family happy because there’s something for everyone.

A Lot of people have never been to Cinnamon or have even heard of it so I feel super lucky to know it. Sharing my love of Cinnamon with others is amazing because I get to express my feelings about something that is so important to me. At Cinnamon I learned to skimboard. Maybe you will find a sport for you. Learning a new sport gives you the good feeling of having your family see what you can do and it let’s you show off to your friends. Another characteristic of Cinnamon is that it’s very calm. Nothing like the sound of the waves to get me to relax. The sound is just incredible to my ears. Cinnamon is an amazing beach to escape COVID. It’s so big you can easily be fifty feet away from people. Since I’m always with my family I can go on a walk across the beach to get a little time away. I’m so grateful that I am in St. John and can experience such an incredible beach.

I’m not crying…LOL.  Thank you Alex, SO MUCH, for sharing your perspective on the simplicity of enjoying St. John and her natural beauty.  I think we could all learn a thing or two from Alex about focusing on the positives and simply taking pleasure from what is right in front of us 🙂

I hope this splash of positivity kicks your work week off to a great start and that all of you are staying warm up there!  If you have a kiddo in your life with a passion for writing and a love for St. John, send me a message.  I would love to hear from them!