Stunning scenes on St John beach this week!

trunk bay flamingo water

The flamingos have arrived on St John and they are breathtakingly beautiful.  Here are a few photos of flamingos visiting Trunk Bay, Denis Bay, and Maho Bay beaches this week.  Rumor has it that they are visiting from either nearby Anegada or Necker Island in the British Virgin Islands.  We are glad to see them visit.

trunk bay flamingo beach

St John photographer extraordinaire Yelena Rogers was able to capture some wonderful photos which she has titled 'Flamingo's Ballet'; it is worth a watch!

trunk bay flamingo yelena rogers

Trunk Bay is Beautiful & Calming Even After a Passing Storm

St John's Fabulous Photographer Steve Simonsen's video of Trunk Bay the morning after Hurricane Gonzalo passed by our shores. Luckily, the storm was kinder to us than to Bermuda!

St John Battens Down as Tropical Storm Gonzalo Approaches

This is the last bit of sun and blue sky we will see until Tropical Storm Gonzalo passes by St John...watch the storm live on our St John webcam:

UPDATE as of 10 AM -- cisterns are now filling!

Celebrate National Park Week with Free Admission to Trunk Bay on April 19 and April 20 (2014)

Celebrate National Park Week 2014 from April 19 through 27! Visit a park and go wild... for history... for nature... for wildlife... for fun! To get the party started, all national parks will have free admission on April 19 and 20.

Check out

www.nationalparkweek.org

for more information.

Trunk Bay is FREE for Martin Luther King Day!

The St John Source announced:

Trunk Bay beach will have no admission fee for MLK Day

Virgin Islands National Park will have a free day on Monday, Jan. 17, at Trunk Bay Beach in honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Day. However, fee collectors will be available to dispense passes, according to a press release from Superintendent Mark Hardgrove. Trunk Bay is one of the most visited beaches on St. John, and is home to an underwater trail. People are able to snorkel over the reef, and read the plaques which identify coral and fish along the trail.

The Secretary of the Department of the Interior has declared that ‘Fee Free Days’ include national park sites, wildlife refuges, and certain Bureau of Land Management sites. The intent of the “Fee Free” declaration is to encourage people to enjoy and learn more about the stewardship of national parks and other federal lands. 

Virgin Islands National Park/Coral Reef National Monument staff invites the public to join them in celebrating the national parks. This is a wonderful opportunity to enjoy national treasures free of charge.

For more information, call Andrea Joseph at 776-6201, ext. 249.

Islands Magazine names St John's Trunk Bay 'Best Beach in the Caribbean' for 2013

Trunk Bay, St John

Best Beach in the Caribbean: Trunk Bay, USVI

Zach Stovall has walked on countless Caribbean beaches in the most unsung locations. This one rose to number-one on his list for 2013. "No hotels, houses or restaurants," he says. "Only small signs of life — a snack bar and a gift ship — fleck the strand."

Check out

Islands

 complete 2013 favorite beaches, resorts and...everything list.

Trunk Bay is but one of over 30 magnificent beaches on St John. What is not to like? Put St John on your 2014 travel list today!

USVI Tops list of 'Bargain Destinations for Fall 2013'

Thinkstock photo of popular Trunk Bay

Smarter Traveler names USVI #1 destination on their list of Top Bargain Destinations for this fall saying:

U.S. Virgin Islands

First, the downside: Hurricane season runs through November 30. But the traditional peak in activity falls in early September, so a fall trip isn't as foolhardy as it might seem. The upside, particularly for bargain hunters, is that air-and-hotel vacation deals from a variety of providers make a trip to the no-passport-needed Caribbean islands appealingly affordable in the coming season.

Others on the list include China, Oregon, Florida, and Southern California. Hands down, for me at least, it is the US Virgin Islands (and, specifically --St John) !

Trunk Bay Free April 22 - April 26 in Celebration of National Parks Week

No admissions charge for Trunk Bay in recognition of National Parks Week

Not that $4 is a lot of money, but if you are going to the beach with your family or friends the admissions fee can add up quickly!  That is why we are delighted that the National Park Service has declared that its entrance fees will be waived for the entire week. 

Grab your swimsuit, towel, snorkel gear and head on over to Trunk Bay! The weather this week is supposed to be perfect for the beach.

Whales, Whales, and more whales -- around St John

From our March newsletter....  

Whale sightings are all around St John

The website USVI Weddings posted this amazing shot 

Spring is a wonderful time to visit St John, our island in the sun. The waters are warm, the breezes are blowing, and whales abound. Whale sightings so far this year have been amazing. And, thanks to the quick actions of several folks we have pictures to share. This video was shot recently by Jason Siska of Coral Bay, St John and posted on Facebook:

Famed St John photographer, Steve Simonsen, captured these wonderful shots last week while running about in his beloved motorboat, Jackson:

 There she blows!

These shots were taken just south of where Great Expectations is located

March St John news flashes & fun St John clips:

• March not only brings whales to our waters, but mega-yachts also have been spotted around St John recently. News of St John blogged this photo taken by St John Captain John who pilots the charter boat Palm Tree. The owner of this small craft that measures a mere 288 feet is Mark Cuban (owner of Landmark Theaters). One would guess that the 35 crew aboard can and do cater to his every need. Rumor has it that Paul McCarthy and Bruce Springsteen were spotted on another mega-yacht, The Rising Sun belonging to David Geffen, which was moored just off Honeymoon Beach. Ah, what a life!

• St John is once again in the news as the 'go-to' island. USA Travel writer, Melanie Renzulli, has declared the US Virgin Islands and St John, in particular, one of America's best islands!  The fact that we are part of the USA so that no passport is required is one of many reasons she cites for making it to the list. Calling St John 'the most natural' island is another reason. The beauty of St John is inescapable. CNN Travel featured as the #1 'Beaches we'd like to be lounging on', you guessed it - Trunk Bay!

• The Virgin Islands National Park Service (VINP) made the news nation-wide with its recent announcement banning smoking on any of our National Park beaches or at their facilities. From the Huffington Post and the Seattle Times, the word got out that our beaches are to be forever smoke free!
• You know you are in the Caribbean when three of the top blogs and newspapers on St John feature a new brew! And, why not, since the new offering comes from our own St John Brewer's and is a key ingredient for the favorite tropical drink...the Dark & Stormy! The St John Brewers have been serving up, on tap, their home made Ginger Beer at their pub for a long-time, but they have just perfected the bottling of it and the Ginger Beer will be distributed to a larger market throughout the Virgin Islands (yes, you must make a trip to the Virgin Islands to taste this, but it will be worth the trip...).

• Great Expectations has a few openings this spring. What better way of ending the winter than enjoying the warmth of the Caribbean? Contact us today to take advantage of our last minute specials this April and May.

We sure hope we see you at Great Expectations or Beau Geste this year or next!

Best,

Chuck & Kristin

owners of Great Expectations

Follow us on Facebook and Twitter for news about Great Expectations specials & St John activities

Trunk Bay St John from the Front and Back

There is something magical about St John and pictures of Trunk Bay capture this magic whether the pictures are taken facing Trunk Bay or even with your back to the beautifiul Caribbean Sea. Don't know what I mean? Well, this past weekend, I had the wonderful opportunity to take a photography class 'Beyond the Basics' with the fabulous St John photographer, Steve Simonsen. Steve is a pro who clearly loves his craft. He is fun and a great teacher. Not only does Steve want you to learn the basics but he encourages you to have fun with your photos and to tell a story.  

For the first hour, we sat at a picnic table at Hawksnest beach (not a bad 'class room' venue) and were taught some of the basics. Steve then gave us some assignments which challenged us to capture the scene but make sure the light (and shade) did not capture us. I partially succeeded but lost the beautiful greens of the sea grapes in the foreground:

The surf was high at Hawksnest Beach

We then drove to the Trunk Bay overlook which is one of the most photographed venues, not just on St John but in the Caribbean. And, no wonder. The views are magical!

Barely a person comes to St John who does not stop to capture a picture of  magnificent Trunk Bay and its beach

Then Steve challenged us to have fun with the view and try to see something 'new'. At that time a car drove up, parked, and voila...a new 'canvas' was created...we turned our backs to Trunk Bay and took pictures of the reflection as it was shown in a rental car window - go figure! St John and Trunk Bay are beautiful whether you are looking at the Caribbean Sea or you, literally, have your back to it!

This is a picture OF a car window - truly!

We then drove to the ruins at Cinnamon Bay. Rather than being in the bright sun the ruins are in a bit of a forest. Lots of shade with hints of sun. Different challenges to be learned regarding lighting lessons. 

The red of this door was compelling

Not a bad way to spend a morning on St John!