Mark Your Calendars for Coral Bay's Bizarre Bazaar
All Roads Lead to St John
Enjoy our September newsletter:
The views go on forever and ever
St John's remote East End
If you are a beach goer, St John can be your slice of heaven or, as many say, your happy place. Take your pick of nearly 40 beaches around the island and place your towel down for the day. But, even if you are not a beach goer, St John can be your happy place as well. In addition to (or instead of) lying on the beach, there are so many things to do on St John it might just make your head spin. Our fabulous property manager, Coby Cooper, having lived on and sailed the waters of St John for many years is a wealth of information and ideas of activities and can advise you based on what you and your group might enjoy. Here are just a few ideas for filling your day...
Take a road trip out to the East End of St John. As Steve Simonsen's photo (above) depicts, the vistas are magnificent and the roads are windy, but fun to drive as long as you watch out for the donkeys and goats that freely roam the roads. Plan on stopping by Vie's Snack Shop for some of her scrumptious fried chicken and Johnny Cakes or conch fritters, then keep on heading east to stop by Sloop Jones to browse his magnificent wearable art which reflect the wonderful colors of the Caribbean. If you want to try your hand at creating your own 'Sloop Jones' piece of wearable art, plan on attending one of his workshops. On the way back to Great Expectations, you might want to stop off in Coral Bay at the Skinny Legs complex to play a game of horse-shoes or just hang out in a Jimmy Buffett environment.
Take a boat trip. There are tons of options from renting a paddle board, dinghy, or kayak to being chauffeured around the waters of St John in one of the many charter sail or power boats. We have arranged with a number of the charter outfits to give our guests a discount so check out the outdoor activities and have a great day on the water.
Take a hike. If you are too antsy to sit on the beach, bring your hiking shoes to St John with you and head out to any one of over40 hiking trails. Some of the hikes are quite challenging and others are just downright breathtakingly beautiful! One of our recent guests e-mailed me this photo taken while they were hiking the Reef Bay trail proving that St John is even beautiful when it rains:
Rains last month from Tropical Storm Bertha created fabulous waterfalls
Or, just take the day off and do nothing at all! Hang out at the Villa - lounge in the infinity pool, arrange to have an afternoon massage (no need to leave the villa for that!), and take a nap. Vacation time should be time to relax and recharge and St John is the perfect venue for doing just that!
September St John news flashes & fun St John clips:
Islands Magazine included St John's Maho Beach in their '20 Beach Photos That Will Make you Were There Right Now' as well as their '7 Easy Three-Day Getaways Every Traveler Needs to Take' lists. Why is it easy? Islands reports that there are 10 airlines that fly daily non-stop to St Thomas where it is then breezy (literally and figuratively) ferry ride from Red Hook to St John. Why Is St John Exotic? Islands reports that this Virgin isle is small on development and big on nature: Its national parkland covers two-thirds of the island. Jungle trails wend past petroglyphs and hermit crabs unfazed by curious guests. The park even extends underwater for 5,600 acres — see 225 yards of it on Trunk Bay’s snorkeling trail, where damselfish slide through sea fans and parrotfish glow almost neon. Afterward, nearby Cruz Bay awaits with coconut shrimp and mango coladas (made with local Cruzan rum) at Morgan’s Mango.
Life Cheat Sheet named St John on their 'Forget the Passports - 7 Best US Islands to Visit' list.
Destination Weddings named St John's Trunk Bay one of the '12 Best Caribbean Beaches for Weddings' list.
New partner - new savings! This month we partnered with another wonderful charter boat to extend our guests a 10% discount. Sail into yesteryear on this magnificent 84' foot 'pirate' ship aptly named Goddess Athena. She is large enough to take your whole group out for a sunset sail or a full day on the waters. Check her and some of our other wonderful sailboat options for a wonderful day on the waters.
Special savings of $2,876!Great Expectations is already totally reserved this winter season with the exception of the last six nights of 'High Season': Sunday, April 12 - Saturday, April 18, 2015. To celebrate spring ('soon come') we have decided to offer this six night period for 'Low Season' rates saving you $2,876! Contact us today to take advantage of this savings!
As you can see from our availability calendar, Great Expectations is already reserved for almost all of this winter (with only 6 nights remaining available) and much of next spring and summer. We never want to disappoint previous guests -- or potential new ones -- so please contact us as soon as you can when you start your trip planning. We will be happy to work with you to, as best we can, accommodate your needs. Our goal, always, is to meet or ideally, exceed your expectations!
St John's Coral Bay will be filled with fun, sailing, music, and art this weekend - all for great causes
Tomorrow - Saturday, March 22 the Coral Bay Yacht Club is hosting the 18th Flotilla Party to benefit Guy Benjamin School. Many good hearted sailors donate their time and their boats for this fun and important cause.
Attendees can sail to the beach party aboard a volunteer sailboat in the morning, for $40 per person, which includes admission. Admission for those who drive there is $20 per person ($40 per person for those who wish to participate in the water flotilla & party).
For those not interested in partaking in the water flotilla you can just head out to Hansen's Bay Beach, in Round Bay, on the East End of St John. From noon to 4 PM you can feast on West Indian dishes, hamburgers, hot dogs and salads.
All proceeds are used to enhance the education for students at Guy Benjamin School. Larger tax deductible donations may be made by check to the Coral Bay Community Council indicating “Flotilla” in the memo line. Join Coral Bay on March 22nd at this fun Flotilla Beach Party!
that there will be...a day of food, fun and information is planned for Saturday, March 22, at the Department of Agriculture Station in Coral Bay.
The American Legion Viggo E. Sewer Post #131 is hosting Mama Juama from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., an arts and craft fair and fundriaser at the group’s headquarters just down the road from Love City Mini Mart in Coral Bay.
Named in honor of a traditional rum and herb concoction made for hundreds of years, the American Legion’s Mama Juama will a family fun day featuring food cooked up by members of the American Legion Auxiliary, drinks, a plant sale, local artists and craftspeople as well as information for veterans.
“We want to get the word out that we are here,” said the American Legion Post #131 Commander Doug Benton. “A lot of veterans don’t know we even exist. We want veterans to know what their benefits are.”
Movie time on St John featuring 'Rain' (under the stars)
Where else in the world can you watch a movie, eat the world's greatest BBQ with your favorite libation, out in the open under the stars? St John Film Society is hosting another film, in its 2013 series. This this Wednesday, May 22 at 7:30 PM at Cases By the Sea in Coral Bay the following two films (Mature audiences - adults and teens recommended) will be shown:
Rain - 85–min, dramatic feature length, directed by Maria Govan (2008)
Teen-aged Rain lives a sheltered and quiet life with her grandmother on the tiny rural Ragged Island in the Bahamas. When her grandmother dies, Rain travels to the city to find the mother she never knew. Rain is surprised to discover her mother living in the poverty-stricken “Graveyard” neighborhood of Nassau where regular school attendance and a uniform are beyond reach. Encouraged by her coach, Rain’s extraordinary talent running track spells relief from her home life, reveals inner strength, and inspires dreams of life beyond Nassau. Featuring performances by award-winning, veteran American-Guyanese actress CCH Pounder and the first-time, fourteen-year-old actress Renel Brown.
The Guardian: 8-min, short fiction by Fabrice Pierre (2006)
A visit to Grandfather’s seaside home is Mahalia’s favorite thing in the world – while mother cooks, Mahalia listens to him weave his oral stories made up about magic, courage, and survival. Or are they made up? A compelling 8 minutes of action-packed magical realism.
Bring your beach chair, appetite, a $5 dollar donation (per person suggested), and enjoy St John with locals and others from afar.
Best BBQ on St John? There is a new contender on island!
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| Reggie's BBQ is a bright, clean, outdoor setting right across from Island Blues (with great views of Coral Bay) |
For more than 10 years we have been true blue Uncle Joe's BBQ loyalists, and, we still are; however, there is a new BBQ on island that is definitely 'worth the drive'! Reggie's BBQ opened recently in Coral Bay, right across from Island Blues and, conveniently adjacent to Cases By the Sea. Reggie is THE same Reggie who, for years, worked for Uncle Joe's BBQ. We loved it when Reggie was on the grill at Uncle Joe's for he always had a great smile and attitude, and, served up mouth watering wonderful BBQ!
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| This is Reggie serving up his yummy ribs with his wonderful smile |
Well, he recently opened his own 'restaurant' (an open air tent with a number of tables with Reggie's 'kitchen' and grill). We had not seen Reggie for a number of years but he greeted us with his huge smile and laugh as old friends. Best of all his ribs and cole slaw (our favorite 'side dish') are spectacular! Give him a try the next time you are on St John. His phone number is:
Reggie's BBQ 340 714-1020
Other BBQ options you should try while on St John are:
Uncle Joe's BBQ 340 693-8806 across from the Post Office and Cap's in Cruz Bay
Candi's BBQ 340 779-1452 on the way to Starfish Market, right by the turn to the Barge
Driftwood Dave's BBQ 340 777-4015 by the Lumberyard in Cruz Bay
People are serious about their preferences when it comes to BBQ so let us know what you think! Recently there was a thread on the USVI-on-Line St John forum about BBQ you might want to check out.
And, what is not to like about this:
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| Fall off the bones luscious ribs served with great sides |
Movies under the stars on St John, USVI
What could be a better way to watch the movies than being on St John, out under the stars, able to enjoy your favorite liquid refreshment and great BBQ (more on that one later)? St John Film Society (SJFS) is including in its 2013 season screenings in Coral Bay at Cases By the Sea. The SJFS recently announced:
St. John Film Festival Screenings in Coral Bay
We are pleased to announce that the St. John Film Society will be screening select films during the 2013 season in Coral Bay! Please join us in kicking off the Coral Bay film series on Wednesday, February 20 at Cases By the Sea with the 87 minute documentary film Ring of Fire: The Emile Griffith Story, directed by Ron Berger and Dan Klores. Bring your own chair or sit at the picnic tables and enjoy food from Reggie’s (optional)! Stay tuned here for more Coral Bay film series details! St. John Film Society is partially funded by the National Endowment of the Arts, Virgin Islands Council on the Arts, and YOU! Your $5.00 suggested donation is greatly appreciated.
Ring of Fire: The Emile Griffith Story
Directed by Ron Berger & Dan Klores, 87 minutes, Documentary, 2005
February 20, 2013/ 7:30 pm / Cases by the Sea, Coral Bay
Join St. John Film Society at Cases by the Sea in Coral Bay! Bring your own chair or sit at the picnic tables and enjoy local food at Reggie’s. Documentary filmmakers Dan Klores and Ron Berger look at a dark moment in American sports history — March 24, 1962 — when St. Thomas’s Emile Griffith fought Cuba’s Benny “Kid” Paret for the welterweight boxing championship. At the weigh-in, Paret taunted the gentle giant with an anti-gay slur. Later, Griffith pummeled Paret into a fatal coma as a nationwide TV audience watched. Decades later, six-time welterweight champion Griffith spoke of the fateful night that haunts him. The film includes compelling boxing footage and interviews with Griffith and family, historians, and sports journalists. Ring of Fire was a 2005 Sundance featured film and called “extraordinary” by The New York Times.
The St John Source also reports:
"We are very excited to have films in Coral Bay once again after a brief hiatus," said Andrea Leland, director of the St John Film Society. "For our first film we are particularly happy to have found a partner in Cases by the Sea, which features a large screen and food and drink for sale - it can be an evening out." Cases by the Sea and Reggie's feature food and drink at picnic tables under their open-air pavilion "or, bring your own chair if you like," suggests Leland.