Thanks to a big volunteer effort, the Coral Bay Community Council recently led a cleanup of two Coral Bay area beaches often overlooked by visitors. More than 50 volunteer hours went into cleaning up Calabash Boom and Johnson Bay. It was part of the International Coast Weeks Cleanup, and also included help from the Coral Bay Yacht Club, KATS and the Johnson Bay Homeowners Association.
“Both of these beaches are good swimming beaches, and it is great to see the trash and debris disappear so that people can enjoy these areas with safety,” says Sharon Coldren of the Coral Bay Community Council. “At our request, DPNR has been doing weekly water quality testing at Johnson Bay for over two years and the water quality has always tested excellent for swimming.”
If you’re curious, here’s a Beach Break from about a year ago at Johnson Bay. Beautiful.
We’re not even sure this plate belongs to an On-StJohn.com reader. It’s a reconnaissance photo captured on the Garden State Parkway near Long Beach Island.
OSJ reader Joe Jackson sent it to us, along with a request. “If the owner of the plate contacts you, please put them in touch with me. I want that plate!”
Joe runs a construction business in NJ called…Cruz Bay Construction. (Looks like he does a little work for the rich and famous too.)
Here’s more of Pat’s work at Octopus Ink. These feet belong to mother and daughter Samantha and Maria who say they got these tattoos in July, during one of their two trips to St. John this year.
“We love them! Every time we look down at our feet it reminds us of our favorite place to be,” says Maria.
Good Morning America resident veterinarian Dr. Marty Becker launched his new book, “The Ultimate Dog Lover” on the show last week. And there on the cover of the book is resident Big Fish mascot Lilly.
“Marty is a regular St. John vacationer, and when he was down last year we had his family over for drinks one night,” says Big Fish owner Christy Dove. “He took a picture of Lilly that night and a few months later he contacted me to ask if he could put Lilly on the cover of his new book.”
This is Lilly’s second brush with stardom. Last year, she showed up on the CBS Morning Show as part of a feature called Around the World For Free, when producers visited the island and went on a hike with Christy and Lilly.
Marty is returning to St. John over the Thanksgiving Holiday (and staying at fellow author Homer Hickam’s Carolina house) and Christy hopes to put together a book signing by the author and the model at the store.
Lilly seems to be taking her celebrity status in stride, but as for her owner? “I think I’ve become a stage mom,” says Christy. “She’s quite photogenic.”
Hurricane Omar’s powerful core slipped right between the Virgin Islands and St. Martin overnight, moving on after drenching the VIs with endless heavy rains.
“They were very, very lucky,” the AP quotes Lixion Avila, a hurricane specialist at the U.S. National Hurricane Center as saying.
Captain John Brandi submits some late afternoon video, including images of a house under construction just past the mini golf course that slid down the hill, and a shout out sure to be appreciated by one On-StJohn.com reader and Mom.
If you are heading down to St. John in the next day or two, please check with the management company you rented from. Most, if not all, are preparing for the pending storm by closing up houses, relocating guests or telling them not to come at all.
That’s St. John Brewers’ Cheech Vyas, draped with beautiful women after winning a really big beer glass. Cheech, and business partner Kevin, were named “Best Overall Brewer” at the Central Florida Beer Festival in Orlando. More than 60 breweries competed, including big names like Sierra Nevada and Blue Moon.
St. John Brewers has distribution deals in Miami and Orlando now too.
(Cheech, in Orlando, with island groupies in tow. Right to left: Cruz Bay Colette, Coral Bay Christy and STT Hull Bay Sarah.)
Nope. Not a stove. A real, live, genuine Viking is in charge of the kitchen at the Beach Bar now and he’s shaking up the daily specials.
Don “Red” Hauge has just returned to St. John after a three year hiatus in Boston. Red has places like Chloe’s, Asolare and Aqua Bistro on his resume, but this time, wanted to try something different.
“I’ve been in fine dining most of my life and I love doing it, but who wants to work at a place that does 15 tables a night in season? This economy isn’t about $42 steaks,” he says. “My goal is great, fast and moderately priced local flavor with inspiration from all over the globe.”
So look for new specials at the Beach Bar like Lobster Rolls, calamari baskets, tuna melt wraps, pot pies and Greek salad. And Fridays are now “SlideDay” at the Beach Bar. Sliders, Red’s way, means four mini burgers with toppings that change every Friday.
Red, who is a Minnesota native, also calls himself “the loudest and purplest Vikings fan on island.”“I am aware of my Scandinavian heritage, and who knows…maybe Lutefisk and Lefse might grace the specials board come Christmas.”
There are still a few weeks left in hurricane season. We prefer calling it the more romantic rainy season. And rain keeps coming.
A tropical wave could bring as much as 5 inches of rain or more to Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands through Monday night. A flood watch is also in effect.
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