St. John, USVI

photo of a pelican taken from underwater, feet dangling
I had the opportunity to travel to St. John with a small group of women as trip photographer. Dream job! I was living in Fairbanks, Alaska at the time, it was quite a journey getting to the island. Arriving on St. Thomas, in a jet-lag haze, I waited for my luggage to come out. I waited and waited to no avail, it sat somewhere between St. Thomas and Miami. I left my information with the person in charge and darted off to catch the boat to St. John.
 
The first two nights I slept in a cement cottage at Cinnamon Bay Campground. Sleep eluded me the first night. Jet-lag was nagging at my body and a cacophony of sound from the night creatures was deafening. Relief came shortly before the sun rose, when the jungle quieted in preparation for the day ahead. On the second day, my luggage arrived at the cottage door. Yay, clean clothes.
 
Renting a house is the way to go on St. John, especially when traveling as a group. The Rainbow House provided the perfect accommodation for the week. There were plenty of rooms, open-space, a pool and Johnson Bay for a backyard. It was the perfect gathering place at the end of each adventure filled day.
 
map of the island of St. John, USVI
Snorkeling in the Virgin Islands was like opening a present everyday. I’m sure I haven’t named them all, but here is a pretty good list of my encounters:
French Grunts
Yellowtail Damsel Fish
Blue Tang
Palometa
Parrotfish
Blackbar Soldier Fish
Trumpetfish
Tuna
Trunkfish
Angelfish
Barracuda
Spotted Eagle Ray
Turtles
Starfish
photo of turtle swimming underwaterYellow fish huddled behind fanning purple coral
 
What you need to know
Getting there: Flight to St. Thomas. Ferry to St. John.
 
Accommodations: While you won’t find a plethora of resorts on St. John, you will find:
  • small boutique hotels
  • house rentals (air bnb, vrbo, etc)
  • camping + eco resorts/cottages (On Island Times)

Transportation: Renting a car is the easiest way to explore the island. I chose a car to get around, but the roads are narrow, winding and steep in places. Driving is on the left side of the road and the steering wheel is also on the left. Scooters are available for rent, though the roads can be challenging for the engine. I have seen scooters come to a complete stop on a steep, hairpin turn and the scooter fell over, sliding down the road. Other ways to get around the island are the hiking trails that cover the island, taxi’s and the bus. Here is a good transportation resource.




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