If you love the colors of the St John sunrise or sunset or waters then this blog is for you! And, as a bonus, you can now work directly with the artist.

Sloop Jones captures the beauty of our sunrises in his clothing

St John is fortunate to be the home for lots of interesting characters and fabulous artists and Sloop Jones is both. For years, Terry McKoy (aka Sloop Jones) and his wife, Barbara Alperen, have lived on St John's East End where they own and manage the business of 'Sloop Jones Studio'. The colors of St John and the Caribbean have inspired them to create both magical wearable and usable art pieces from t-shirts, dresses, shirts, and capes to rugs, banners, and signs.  You name it and I bet Sloop Jones can make it happen and it is sure to be colorful.

Sloop Jones has recently created their own blog so you can follow along and get inspired no matter where you reside. It is a fun one to bookmark and an take a peek when you need your 'St John fix'!

And, these days you too could be a 'Sloop Jones'! Sloop has started a come and create your own masterpiece project. During this winter, each Tuesday morning  from January 8th through April 30th, Sloop is offering Art Workshops. These sessions are limited to 6 people which will ensure that each person gets Sloop's full attention so if you are interested you should be sure to sign up early! 

This could be you working with Sloop Jones. What a fun way to spend a morning on St John!

Caribbean skies light up with meteor showers

An E-Space reader captured this shot of the Geminids meteor shower

St John is spectacular during the day, that is well known. Many call the magnificent vistas of the Caribbean seas and the fabulous hillsides of St John 'candy for the eye' and it is! What is not as well known is that the viewing at night can be just as spectacular!  Far from city lights, the stars seem so much more plentiful, clearer, brighter, and just more fascinating.  This is true at any time of year but, right now, it is true on steroids!

This week marks the peak of the Germinids meteor shower and it is also coupled with the time the moon is newest which makes the stars ever more vibrant.  The Germinids meteor shower is also called Winter's Fireworks and it is the final meteor shower of the year and often the most spectacular. 

Here is a first hand opinion as posted on our son-in-law's Facebook page this morning (needless to say I was not up at 1:30 AM!):

Good news for those of us that are not up in the wee hours of the morning, e-space reports that the Germinids meteor shower 'unlike many other major meteor showers, the Geminids can be viewed early in the evening. This is due to the radiant (the constellation Gemini) being about 30 degrees above the eastern horizon by 9 PM'.  We are also told while the peak days are December 13th and December 14th there should be great viewing for the next week while stragglers fly by...keep your eyes to the sky - to the east - and enjoy!

Information from Spacedex.com

Great deals and good deeds for Friends of the Virgin Islands National Park

Once again St John business owners and lovers of St John's fabulous National Park banded together to support the Friends of the Virgin Islands National Park (FVINP) annual on-line auction.  At the close of the auction this past weekend there were some spectacular deals. Here are just a few of my favorite 'deals':

Bookmark this event for next year and in the meantime, think about making a donation to the Friends of the VI National Park to support the great work they do to preserve our wonderful waters, beaches, and land for all to enjoy!

Here is a summary from the Friends of the VINP of how your donation will be put to work:

Where is the money going?

The Friends Board of Directors recently approved an ambitious program plan for 2012 valued at about $500,000.  Below are the details of our program plan.  
Cultural Resource Preservation Projects

•          Annaberg Cultural Demonstrations ($1,000 - funded):  Provides supplies for the Annaberg Living History program which consists of a baker baking bread in a “Dutch Oven”, and a gardener maintaining and interpreting a subsistence garden plot.
•         Archaeology Museum Exhibits ($29,500 - partially funded): Supports the costs of the development and installation of the new exhibits in the newly renovated Heritage Center and Archaeology Lab at Cinnamon Bay. 
•         Archaeology and Heritage Program ($90,100 - funded):  Contined ongoing support for the archaeology program, covering stipends and other costs for interns and international collaboration with the University of Copenhagen.
•         Cultural Evening at Cinnamon Bay: ($10,000 - funding needed): Replacing the cultural play, we will initiate a new program around cultural music, such as the history of the “African Drum” and its use as a communication tool.
•         Folk Life Festival ($12,000 - funding needed):  2012 markes the 21st anniversary of the festival. This year it will focus on Virgin Islands culture as it relates to farming and horticulture.  It will also feature traditional dance and music, storytelling, arts and crafts.
•         Hassel Island ($21,000 - funded): Conservation of artifacts uncovered at the Creque Marine Slipway and helping open this site to visitation. 
•         Documents for Hassel Island ($7,200 - funded) Publication of a document on Hassel Island which will include reproductions of maps and plans, photographs, rare books and manuscripts.
•         Historic Research Program Support ($16,000 - funding needed) Supports continuation of the research begun in the Spanish Archives and the beginning of research in the British Archives for documents and data related to VI National Park resources.
•         Post-Emancipation Interpretation Program ($15,000-funding needed) Development  and installation of wayside signage recounting the history cattle and their ecological impact on St. John and in VI National Park.

 Education Projects

•          Earth Day Fair and Reef Fest ($6,000 - funding needed): As part of a week of Earth Day activities, an Earth Day Environmental Fair will be organized for local school kids. Through hands-on teaching methods, story-telling, and environmental demonstrations, the youth of St. John will learn about ways to respect and preserve the world around them. In an aquatic component, called Reef Fest, youth will participate in a day of learning on the marine resources of St John.
•         Eco-camps ($51,000 - funding needed) Funds at least 120 school children to attend the Eco-camps, Science camp, and Ranger-in-Training camp at VIERS.  Kids experience 3-5 days in the park learning about marine and terrestrial eco-systems.
•         Marine & Terrestrial Natural Hazards Brochures & Web Pages ($7,300 - funding needed):  Produce brochures, posters and in-depth web pages for “Hazardous Marine Life”, “Other Marine Creatures,” and “Injurious & Poisonous Plants” found in the Virgin Islands National Park and St. John.
•         Scholarship Fund ($3,600 - funding needed):  Provides three $1000 scholarships to VI students studying natural sciences at the university level.
•         School Kids in the Park -- SKIP ($18,000 - funded):  The flagship of our environmental education program for children, the project funds small ($500 max) grants for teachers to use VINP as a teaching/learning resource, and provides transport for ranger-led field trips into the park.  
•         Tektite Interpretation ($18,000 - funding needed) Design and placement of interpretation and visitor experience materials consisting of a wayside interpretation devices and benched to be located at Cabrite Horn Trail overlooking the Tektite site and on a floating dock just offshore.
•         VINP Research Documentary Film ($12,000 - funding needed): Production of a video in collaboration with NOAA that will document the scientific work underway in VINP by NPS, NOAA and its partners. Production costs to be shared with NOAA.
•         Educational Wayside Exhibits and Signs ($36,000 - funding needed) Repair or replace damaged and faded interpretive signs throughout the park to improve visitor experience and understanding of park resources. It is estimated that about 20 signs need urgent attention.

 Natural Resource Protection Projects

•          Accessible Trails ($42,000 - partially funded): Complete the handicapped-accessible boardwalk at Francis Bay. The first half of this ADA compliant nature trail was completed in 2009, over 700 feet of boardwalk remain unfinished.
•         Accessibility Assessment ($9,600 - funding needed) Support for a comprehensive accessibility assessment throughout the park to identify areas of opportunity for improved access and target barrier removal.
•         Trail Rating System (5,000 - funding needed)  Develop a trail rating system for all trails, similar to those used on ski slopes, within VI National Park.  Once the rating is determined for all trails, a new brochure, signage, and web pages will be developed in subsequent phases.
•         Adopt a Trail/Beach ($18,000 - funded): Provides supplies and materials for the trail and beach clean-ups and the Volunteer Walkup Maintenance program and covers the stipend for the Volunteer Coordinator.
•         Lionfish Response ($2,200 - funded):  Support efforts to reduce lionfish populations in Virgin Islands National Park and VI Coral Reef National Monument. This project will primarily be used to put together lionfish capture kits that will be used by NPS, USGS, NOAA and other divers when working in Park and Monument waters. 
•         SCA Trail Crews ($42,000 - funding needed) A Summer Trail Crew program which will involve VI and mainland US kids in trail repair and maintenance.  This year’s crew will consist of four high school students from the VI, four students from the mainland US and 2 crew leaders.  They will repair/improve approximately 10 miles of park trails.
•         Blue Flag Signage at Trunk Bay ($3,000 - funded) Develop and install signage at Trunk Bay regarding it’s designation as a “Blue Flag” beach.

 If you are interested in learning more, or supporting a particular program, please contact Karen Vahling at kvahling@friendsvinp.org

So you think you're a photographer? If you love St John this contest is for you!

This is your chance to promote St John and win $15,000 at the same time!  In partnership with the National Park Foundation, Share the Experience is looking for fabulous photographs of our National Parks. While St John has  a number of absolutely phenomenal photographers (Steve Simonsen, Bob Schleisinger, Yelena Rogers), this contest is only eligible for people who are amateurs in that not more than 20% of your income can be derived from photography.  So, go through your photos and pick out your absolute favorite shots of St John's wonderful beaches and hillsides. 

Here are three photos that have already been submitted all by Kerry Childers (deadline for submission of photos is December 31, 2012 so don't dawdle!):

Jumbie Beach

Solomon beach

Seabird eggs on the beach at Great Lameshur Bay not the 'nest' of white coral

There are categories for: 

• Adventure & Outdoor Recreation, 
• Historical & Cultural, Scenic, 
• Seasons & Landscapes, 
• Friends, Family & Fun(ny) and 
• Wildlife. 

The possibilities are endless! Give it a try and submit your favorite photos of St John!

Christmas Trees decorations helping the kids of St John

Mrs Larson and her class, with mom Petrolina and son Zack. The students are making their own ornaments and decorating

a tree that will be offered by silent auction

Many people who live on St John have an island name. There is Straw Hat Dave (yes, he always wears a straw hat), Mr Wonderful (our friend Leo Maximum who drives a Safari Taxi, builds just about anything, and, yes, is pretty outgoing), Pumpkin (the St John supervisor for VITELCO, St John's telephone company) and, now '

Christmas Tree Martha

'.  

Christmas Tree Martha is a dynamo of a person who has a passion for helping the kids of St John.  Her view, one we love, is that all kids have Abilities, not DisAbilities.  Martha is striving to bring those Abilities alive to shine for all to see. 

Over the years Martha's interests have grown to appreciate kids with lots of different disAbilities and last year, with the support of the St John Community Foundation, she founded the Adaptive Tennis Program for St John. Meeting every Tuesday morning at the St John public tennis court Martha, several volunteers, and a bunch of super eager kids come to the tennis court to experience just how able they are!  

KD Munnelly, Special Education teacher at Julius Sprauve School, with her students and Martha Toomey.

Making paper chains! 

Now, back to Christmas Tree Martha. This year Martha is offering christmas tree decorating services (upstairs at the Starfish Marketplace) and 100% of the profit will go to support her St John programs such as the Adaptive Tennis Program! If you would like to support the kids of St John stop by the Marketplace and buy a tree or a decoration. Not on St John -too bad for you!- but you still can help by contacting Martha directly on her Facebook page (Christmas Tree Martha) and she will be happy to tell you how to contribute to help the kids.  Donate (minimum bid of $100) to win the decorated tree in their silent auction! For more information about the variety of Christmas trees (including one decorated by Sloop Jones take a look at the recent issue of the St John Tradewinds. 

Martha, several volunteers, and budding tennis stars

If you find yourself on St John stop by the tennis court any Tuesday morning (usually around 8:30 AM) to volunteer and meet some of the kids. You will be the better for it!

Our November newsletter highlights new additions and St John (USVI) news

Great Expectations has a new pool (and bedroom)!

One of our favorite repeat guests, Steve Butcher, liked our new Main Villa pool so much, he and his wife, Carrie, literally refused to leave as scheduled!

Steve and Carrie are long time guests of Great Expectations, having first stayed at Great Expectations 10 years ago when they were married on St John. Last month they returned with a group of family and friends to celebrate their 10th wedding anniversary. Well, the day before they all were to leave Steve called us to ask if he and Carrie could stay on for another few days. Luckily for them, we were able to accommodate their wishes (one of our few openings until next May!). Steve said that they lived in our new pool.

In addition to a new pool (and great new pool patio) overlooking the sunset and Chocolate Hole harbor to the west, we have also added an 8th bedroom with its own beautiful bathroom. This bedroom is incredibly versiitle in that it adjoins the first floor bedroom at Beau Geste, the Guest House of Great Expectations, and consequently can serve as a connecting bedroom for parents who would like to have their children close, but also want some privacy (it is a vacation afterall!).

The first floor bedroom at Beau Geste, the Guest House of Great Expectations, now has a sitting area which can be used as a connecting bedroom
with its own full bathroom

This bedroom, aptly called The Sun Room because of its multiple windows, can be configured with two Twin beds, a King bed, or a Day bed when used as a sitting room. The Sun Room has its own entrance, full bathroom, and is air-conditioned so it can be comfortably used as an 8th bedroom for a large groups.

The Sun Room can be used as a bedroom (with beds configured as two Twin beds or a King bed) or as a sitting room with a Day bed

November St John news flashes & fun St John clips:

• Read what Caribbean Magazine reports as the best snorkeling beaches on St John or, come see for your yourself, what we think is THE Best Snorkeling area on the island, Chocolate Hole harbor, just a 5 minute walk from our St John villa! Chocolate Hole harbor is also the site of the only salt pond --formed during hurricanes when the ocean gets trapped in-land -- allowed by the government to be dredged to keep it open to the sea. As a result lots of interesting fish and turtles congregate in Chocolate Hole harbor to feed on the crustaceans which grow in the salt pond and escape to the ocean only to become dinner for some fish or turtle. You cannot get any better snorkeling anywhere than right here! 

•  St John will be alive with great music this coming season! In addition to the live music you will find nightly at many Cruz and Coral Bay restaurants (and bars), this season the St John School of the Arts is hosting the Sis Frank Concert Series in honor of the late Sis Frank who co-founded the School of the Arts. A series of four performances, by world class performers, will be held from early January to mid-April. You will be treated to classical, jazz, improv, and chamber music. What a treat! 

• The Friends of the Virgin Islands National Park Annual Auction starts on November 16th. Support the Friends great work by contributing an item or bidding on one. In years past there have been wonderful items ranging from works of original art, vacation rentals (both on St John and elsewhere), boat charters, and catered meals. You can bid on-line. Check back often for they continually add new items.
   
• Beau Geste, the Guest House of Great Expectations, is currently available for Thanksgiving week. Beau Geste has 3 bedrooms, including a connecting bedroom, swimming pool and hot tub, and, of course, fabulous Caribbean views. Call today to enjoy your turkey dinner in a bathing suit!

Best,

Chuck & Kristin

owners of Great Expectations

P.S. Check out our availability; while we are already booked this winter we have one week available later this month (November 24 - December 1) and then no availabililty until May. We are already taken reservations for 2014 so please contact us soon for your requested dates.

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

Love St John? Love great food? This is an event for you!

The Rotary Club of St John throws a mean party! This event, Flavors of St John, has become one of the most popular go to events of the year.  This year mark November 24 on your calendar.  You can buy tickets on-line or at many of the local businesses (e.g. St John Hardware, Connections, or Chelsea Drugstore).  

Just think you can have an entire gourmet dinner complete with plenty of liquid refreshments and know that you are supporting the Rotary's college scholarship program and their other great community services. 

You can enjoy - and judge - appetizers, entrees, desserts, and, of course the island's best adult beverages.  Here is a sampling as captured by the wonderful island photographer Yelena Rogers:

A delicate scallop to start

Enjoy the delicious fare from famed Asolare

Save room for the sweets

Not going to be on St John November 24? Well, that is a shame, but please consider contributing on-line to support the Rotary's good works for St John's children. 

What do you do when a guest won't leave your St John Villa?

Steve seems to be living in our new pool

We actually have no complaints and thought it was funny when Steve e-mailed to ask if he and his wife, Carrie, could stay on for a few more days!  Luckily for them we happened to be available this week so we said yes, indeed!

Steve and his wife first stayed at Great Expectations 10 years ago this past week when they were married on St John. At that time they rented Great Expectations for their family and friends - 14 in all. The actual wedding ceremony was at Oppenheimer beach and they had their reception catered by our good friend and fabulous chef Laura Samms, owner of Passion Fruit Chefs. 

About a year ago Steve reserved Great Expectations for his 10th anniversary.  This time it was to be a surprise for his wife. Carrie thought that she and Steve would be coming to St John for their anniversary to stay at Beau Geste, the Guest House of Great Expectations (as they have several times over the last 10 years).  Well, instead, Steve invited Carrie's siblings (and their spouses) and several of their friends to join them.  It was only along the way, at the airports when Carrie saw one sister and then another, that she realized something was 'up'! But it was not until she arrived at Great Expectations that she realized that Steve had invited 15 friends and family to celebrate with them! Tears - of joy (luckily!) - flowed and a great week was had.  So great that when their family and guests left on Saturday they could not tear themselves away so they stayed on...a happy ending!

Here is an e-mail we received from Carrie on the first morning of their stay:

"I'm sitting alone on the porch, waiting for the sunrise. Still taking in the events of the last 24 hours! I'm shocked at what Steve was able to pull off!  And laughing at your complicity in it all!  You are all sneaky!
Everyone loves GE....The new pool is absolutely amazing, seems like it was always here. Just a perfect addition to an already perfect place. I know we'll have lots if fun stories to share, but I wanted to just thank you and Chuck now for this week and everything you did to make it happen for us.  It's going to be unforgettable!"  

Here is a picture Steve took, from where he now apparently lives near our new pool, on what was to be his last morning on St John:

Steve calls this is 'bacon 'n cake' breakfast by new pool (obviously, all sense and sensibility has left his head!)

And, the vacation continues....

October Newsletter: St John has a new swimming pool!

Clouds reflecting off the water of our new pool in the early morning
overlooking Chocolate Hole harbor and, in the distance, Pillsbury Sound 

 

We have been hard at work over the summer adding a new swimming pool and patio for the Main Villa at Great Expectations.

 Our new patio area provides a great area to relax with lots of shade

Great Expectations now has a wading pool, dip pool and swimming pool
overlooking  the Caribbean Sea

We just received an e-mail from our current guest who has stayed at Great Expectations several times over the past 10 years:

"The new pool is absolutely amazing, seems like it was always here. Just a perfect addition to an already perfect place. I know we'll have lots of fun stories to share, but I wanted to just thank you and Chuck now for this week and everything you did to make it happen for us.  It's going to be unforgettable!"
 

October St John news flashes & fun St John clips:

• St John rental car fleet to double in size! The current limit for the entire St John rental fleet of 625 cars has not increased since 1994. Doubling the limit is great news especially for visitors who wait until the last minute to try to rent their vehicles!  The VI Motor Vehicle Bureau has indicated that it will also allow new rental company operators to set up shop on St John.
   

• The Terrace Restaurant opens facing Cruz Bay harbor, the Ocean Grill gets a make-over, and Skinny Leg's adds a smoker. If you miss The Stone Terrace restaurant you will be happy that The Terrace Restaurant (located in the same spot as The Stone Terrace) will offer similar high-end French inspired fare.  The popular Ocean Grill is kicking things up a notch with home-made sausage for its gumbo, a smoker for salmon, lots of vegan choices, and an interesting new paint job. Skinny Legs has added a smoker so Uncle Joe's BBQ will have a rival on the east end of the island! Here is Pauly smoking some pork shoulder, brisket, & oysters - yum!
   
• Another St John beach takes top honors! Cinnamon Bay joins Trunk Bay and a select few others world wide to be awarded the coveted 'Blue Flag' by the Foundation of Environmental Education.
   
• 8 Tuff Miles Race Registration is open and spots are going like 'hot cakes' with over 400 people having signed up so far. The February 23 race still has 200 spots for 'off island' folks who want to make the Cruz Bay to Coral Bay race their reason for being on St John during the height of winter (not that anyone really needs an 'excuse').
   
• St John waters are filled with beautiful fish, turtles, dolphins, and - even - deer! Yes, deer!  On his way from Cruz Bay (to his home on Lovango Cay) our friend Dan Boyd captured this great photo of a deer swimming in Cruz Bay harbor!

• Trip Advisor is always a great source for learning about what is hot on St John. Recently a forum guest, a first-timer to St John, asked a simple question - 'What are your favorite beaches, restaurants, bars'? Well, a flood-gate of information and suggestions came foreward proving people are passionate about St John! Oh, did we mention that Great Expectations is rated #1 on Trip Advisor by travellers out of 500 vacation villas on St John!

Come to St John - and Great Expectations - to enjoy our brand new swimming pool & patio and discover your 'favorite' beach, restaurant, and activity.
 

Best,

 

Chuck & Kristin

owners of Great Expectations

P.S. Check out our availability; while we are already booked this winter we have a few weeks available this coming spring and even a couple of weeks available next month (November - check out our last minute special discount!). It is not too early to reserve your time for winter 2014!

Our new St John swimming pool is finished and fabulous!

Early morning view to the west overlooking

Chocolate Hole Harbor from our new pool

What a week this past one has been!  Lots of great work was completed this week by the Carlson Construction crew.  

We re-plastered the existing wading and swimming pools

at the Main Villa

As soon as the pool was plastered we filled the pools with water:

Coby ensures the force of the water does not damage the new plaster

on the existing Villa pools

The existing Villa wading and swimming pools are filled:

As soon as the existing wading and swimming pool were filled with water

the crew then tiled and plastered our new pool

Carlson's whole crew was on site working hard to make our tight schedule:

Abraham laying the dark blue trim tile

on the new pool stairs and underwater bench

After another long, long day the plaster was finished and the new pool was filled with water:

Coby filling the new pool -- it took three truckloads of Henry's Pure Water 

While the rest of us are working in the hot sun,

Chuck (right) and Henry (left) congratulate each other on a job well done!

It took way into the night to fill the pool

but it was not hard duty watching the sun set over the Caribbean 

The next morning it was a pleasure to see the the finished product:

Villa wading and dip pools in foreground and

the new pool in the distance

Great, but physically exhausting week, so there was no better way to end the week but with a massage!

Chuck is ready for Tammi (owner of Massage & Bodywork) to give him a massage while listening to the ocean

break on the shore below Great Expectations

Now that we are 'refreshed' we are on to finishing the new pool patio...

Progress continues on our new pool; the infinity edge has been tiled!

The mosaic glass tile arrived last week by ship and has been installed

We looked all over for tile that would blend into the color of the water and found the perfect tile -- in Canada! 

The tile we chose is called 'bubble glass' since it truly looks like there are bubbles in the tile

Our excavator returned to backfill around the pool and to level the ground next to the pool to form a wonderful new patio area.  Steve Paris, the owner of the excavator company, came himself to personally ensure the job was done to his satisfaction.  We are delighted that Steve proudly displays the 'Digging for a cure' banner, in support of the fight against  breast cancer, on his backhoe).  We think it is perfectly placed:

Steve takes a moment to survey his work - well done!

At the last minute we changed the location of the new pool patio and we are delighted! 

We will have a new  huge patio which will be shaded by our banyan tree (and the views are fabulous!)

While we have been busy building a brand new (HUGE) pool and patio area, we are also re-plastering our current swimming pool and wading pool (very popular with our littlest guests and their parents!):

The guys re-plastering the original Villa swimming and wading pools have good reason to be proud; great job!

This coming week's agenda is a busy one - finish tiling and plastering the pool and install the new pump and filters and fill with water!

Our new St John swimming pool project is on the home stretch!

The pool has been 'unveiled' (aka the wooden concrete forms have been stripped away) and we have lots more work to do but just look at that view!

We now have to let the concrete 'cure' (i.e. have the concrete dry) before we can tile and plaster the pool. The pump house has to be built and then the electrician and plumber can install their wires and piping, filters, and pumps and then - finally - we can add the 'sweet liquid gold' -- water!

Can't you see yourself in it....soon?

Starfish (recycled glass ones) have been placed in our new St John pool -- can water be far behind?

This past week, after receiving our building inspection sign off, we had another big concrete pour. This was an exciting one since it included pouring the pool walls, stairs, and bench seat (which extends along the entire length of one of the sides so you will be able to sit in the pool while looking out over the Caribbean!).

The concrete has been poured into the wooden forms

We made a change in the design last week about which we are excited.  It actually was the suggestion of Dave Carlson, our wonderful contractor.  We were talking about the edge of the pool and how to finish it.  We have always been planning to have the side closest to the water sloped so we would have the feel of an infinity edge that fades into the sea.  Dave suggested sloping the two abutting sides as well.  Maybe you can figure it out, but we could not until Dave explained just how in the world one slopes the top of a concrete wall; as you can see, he did it! A nice touch.

The pool edge will be sloped into the pool

As far as we are concerned, one of the favorite 'signature' marks of a 'Carlson' project are recycled glass starfish! Dave Carlson put them in our Great Room recycled glass countertop they designed and installed this past year and we loved it so much we asked Dave to put some in our pool. The recycled glass starfish come from the Maho Bay Glass Studio (which is a fun place to visit when you are next on St John):

The color of this starfish will be a perfect match with our waterline tile

Dave asked us where we wanted him to place the starfish and we said that we were in his good hands. Well, Dave having great faith in his crew, told his foreman the same thing...use your judgment and place them wherever he felt they should be....perfect!

Starfish are placed along the bench seat

Can't have too many starfish:

More starfish in the stairs

The concrete arrived in big trucks and had to be pumped to the location of our pool. Dave's crew made sure there was not an errant drop of concrete to be seen (no easy task)! Thank you all!

Not a drop of concrete ended up on our sidewalk, patio, or driveway!

What is next? Literally to watch concrete dry!  Once the concrete has cured (e.g. dried) enough the wooden forms get taken down and our friend Rock-a-Rock, the excavator, returns to backfill around the pool.  We will then start 'coping' the pool floor (rounding out the corners and bottom edges of the pool), then we will be ready to install the waterline tile. Another great week in paradise!

Good thing that St John is a little island! Gas prices are crazy!

With gas prices as they are this is how I fill up! Good thing St John is a teeny island!

The USVI Department of Licensing and Consumer Affairs (DLCA) recently issued its territory-wide gas price survey findings. The survey was completed last week, Sept. 13, on St. Croix, St. Thomas and St. John. 

St. Croix 

If you want a full service station, the lowest price was found at Welco Gas Station: $4.89 for premium and $4.59. The 'cheapest' prices for self-service gasoline were $4.47 for premium at Supreme Service Station and $3.99 for regular at U&W Industrial Supply. Gas City and One Love Service Station tied for the lowest price for diesel @ $4.09 per gallon.

St. John

Currently, with only one gas station (E & C self-service station) on St John it is no wonder that we find the highest gas prices in the Territory!  Drum roll please.....premium $5.17, regular $4.88, and diesel at $4.91. Sadly, I don't think that the 'second' gas station currently being built on St John is a solution to the high cost of gas on our island. This is a picture that I took a couple of months ago as they were still building the MASSIVE retaining wall needed to hold back the hill next to where they decided to built the gas station. Any guess of how all that concrete will be paid?: 

Can you imagine what the price of gas will have to be to amortize the cost of the retaining wall?

St. Thomas 

Full service gasoline stations with the lowest prices are currently Boynes Trucking for premium @ $4.55 and Petro Gas @ $4.59 for regular. The lowest prices for self-service fuel were $4.88 for premium and $4.65 for regular at Giant Gas, One Stop and Race Track. Boynes Trucking also had the lowest price for diesel fuel @ a bargain price of  $4.40 per gallon.

The obvious solution -- solar cars!

More progress on our St John Villa Swimming Pool...concrete pour for the walls, stairs, bench seat, and pump house base scheduled for this week!

Another week and our new St John swimming pool is taking more form...pun intended because the work this week was to finish forming -- with plywood and steel rebar -- the walls, bench seat (that will extend the entire length of the side of the pool that faces out to the Caribbean Sea!), stairs (we are building a wonderfully grand stairway into the pool), and the pump room floor (which our contractor calls 'the Dog House').

Our plumber and electrician also worked hard to 'rough in' their piping and wiring to ensure we have the proper pool water flow and lights. 

Here are the fruits of their labor:

View of pool looking out to the Caribbean Sea a patio will be to the left of the pool

The stairs will be grand!

Bench seat will extend the entire way of on wall so you can sit in the pool and look at the Caribbean Sea!

One of our several pool jets which are arranged to move water around the pool & any debris into the skimmer

Get your pool float and feel the water!  Soon....

If you let your kids see this schedule they will 'make' you move to the Virgin Islands!

These kids - and their parents - are doing something smart! Take a look at the scheduled events and tell me that you would not want to have this schedule (instead of your own work or your child's school schedule!):

Homeschooling in the Virgin Islands sure has its benefits if you like the outdoors!

Flamboyant trees mark the beginning of fall on St John (but not the end of 'summer' which is year round!)

From late spring through September the landscape of St John is on fire with brilliant reds dotting the hillsides.  The reds come from the beautiful Flamboyant trees which bloom starting as early as May and last through much of September. 

Flamboyant tree photo courtesy of St John UUF

Flamboyant trees, also known as Royal Poincianas, are not native to the Caribbean but find their roots [pun intended] in Madagascar where, today sadly, they are nearly extinct.  They were introduced to the Caribbean and the Americas during the 17th century.  These magnificent trees which often range from 15 - 40 feet in height also have a huge branch span and provide much desired shade during the summer months.  Their deep and long root systems - and soft wood - makes them ideal candidates to be able to weather hurricanes and other strong winds. However, you dare not plant these beautiful trees near cisterns or swimming pools or their roots will find their way to the nearest water source during the dry months.  

Children and adults alike enjoy using the large dried seed pods as rattles, commonly called Shak Shak's: 

These dried pods make for great musical instruments

We are fortunate to have two of these magnificent trees at our St John villa and - of course - have a hammock under one of them so we can lie in its shade to enjoy the beauty!

Our new St John swimming pool is taking shape...literally!

The plywood forms for the pool walls are up and ready for the plumber & electrician

to run their piping & wiring before they are literally set in concrete

Friday morning we had our regular weekly conference with our terrific contractor -

Carlson Construction

.  What is amazing to us about that is, first virtually nothing on St John happens on a '

regular

' basis! The fact that we have our weekly meetings on schedule is remarkable (and telling about just how good Carlson Construction is!). This leads me to the second almost universally-held feeling -- that it is next to impossible, at least during the construction period, to think of your contractor as '

terrific

'!  Well, terrific they are!  Dave Carlson and Matt Mueller lead our team and are both great craftsmen, honest, good-natured, and

great

problem solvers!  

We are about midway through our pool project and are progressing well on schedule.  This past week we formed the walls of the pool and started the forming of the stairs and bench seat. Yes, a cool amenity of the pool will be a bench seat across the entire east side of the pool so, you can sit in the water and look out at the Caribbean Sea.

Lovely!  

The bench seat is being formed by Phillip, the closest worker

(the seat will extend 20' along the east side of the pool next to the existing tiled patio)

The pool stairs and bench are being formed

(you can see the cut-out for the stairs on the left)

Work is being done on the western side of the pool

which will be curved

(really cool!)

I love the footings!

Stay tuned! 

Walls go up on the newest pool on St John...

The walls - at least in plywood - are up on the pool

Now that the concrete floor has cured, Carlson Construction got to work this week erecting the plywood forms for the pool walls. Plywood will surround the rebar, plumbing, and electrical wiring prior to concrete being poured.  More work to do before the concrete flows but it has been a good week so far for our St John swimming pool project @ Great Expectations.

Newest St John villa swimming pool - soon come!

Last week was sure a  busy one getting ready for the concrete pour on Friday. We had 5 huge concrete trucks arrive on Friday morning, starting at 7:30 AM. Getting the concrete to the construction site was a challenge in that the concrete truck could not make it up the steep temporary construction road from the west to get to where they had to pour the concrete so the concrete had to be pumped through large hoses (like a fire hose) to carry the liquid concrete about 100' to the site. To make sure that we did not get concrete all over our sidewalk and patios Dave Carlson's crew covered our patio and walkway with plywood and tarps and even had one person available whose sole job was to make sure no concrete spilled on the patio.  None did!

The morning started off gray and rainy which is not a bad thing when you are pouring concrete -- actually, it is better to have a bit of rain than hot, hot sun which might cure the concrete too quickly:

A concrete pumper truck in the Villa parking area. The sidewalk is nicely protected.

As is the Villa pool patio

The hoses to carry the concrete are connected

We are ready to pump and pour!

Carlson Construction crew spreads the concrete

The guys worked fast before the 'crete hardened

Lots of great detailing

The two white 'dots' are the pool drains

Looking good

It's a wrap! for the day that is

Five concrete trucks with 42 yards of concrete -- just for the pool floor!  This is going to be one solid swimming pool! Now, onto forming the walls.  The guys deserved a great, long, Labor Day weekend!

Well done!