Chocolate Hole Webcam, another popular escape
This is Jim and Susan Murphy. The couple bought Villa Serendipity in 2005 and three years later, like St. John Spice, they did something they did not know would change the daily routines of thousands of St. John lovers. They installed a Webcam.
“I did it for two reasons,” Jim tells us. We live in the Northeast and I wanted to be able to see my view during the frigid months, but I was also looking to increase exposure for the villa.”
And that worked. The Webcam, which went live in March of 2008, was featured on the USVI-ON-LINE.com travel forum shortly after. Its pristine shot of Chocolate Hole and St. Thomas over the hill went from just a few hits a day to about 4,000 a day now. “Rental inquiries have doubled since I installed it,” Jim says.
Jim also just changed the angle a bit.
“I was sitting on the deck Saturday watching one of the most beautiful sunsets I’ve ever seen, and I noticed the Webcam was missing it. So I got on a ladder the next day and moved it about 15 degrees.”
February 26th, 2009 00:26
A few months ago, after a rain blew through, the lense was rather spotty…I wrote them and asked if they might be able to clean the lense…a few days later the lense was clean!!!! I like that they leave the camera on later into the evening so we can see those sunsets adn the lights of St. Thomas!
February 26th, 2009 07:06
and I thank you, Jim
February 26th, 2009 07:07
WOW, what a great view !! I want you both to know that you will be directly responsible for a greater loss in productivity from me on a daily basis. This will increase my daily viewing to way over the 59 minute average. Even though it is trying to warm up in Boston today (to 40 degrees) this will “warm us up” until we can get back down there. Jeff, thanks for sharing ……
February 26th, 2009 07:27
I check out the webcams every single day several times a day! THANK YOU!!
February 26th, 2009 07:39
I’ve been checking this out for months and wondered where it was being shot from. Very nice to see the view when off island and the occasional barge coming in over the point. Good thing the latitude means not having to adjust for sunsets often. Thanks for doing this!
February 26th, 2009 08:20
I found this webcam while trying to find our house this summer. I liked being able to see it before I got to it and even tried to jump up and down from across the bay while there to get on the camera. Alas…I was too small to be seen
February 26th, 2009 08:48
Thank you sooooo much for installing the webcam! It’s how I start my day every day and watch several times each day! Makes me yurn to be there!!
February 26th, 2009 09:09
Great shot of Chocolate Hole.Maybe we can catch the people who are stealing dingys from the beach or water.
Great view too.
Thanks for the web cam view…It shows the beauty of our island in real time.
February 26th, 2009 09:14
I cannot see the East End of STT from my home on Crown Mountain so I use this cam every day to check out the weather that is out there in Pillsbury Sound before I head out sailing – when I am off island it is the best way I have to see what is happening on a daily basis. Thank you Jim and Susan.
February 26th, 2009 10:01
I check this webcam a few times a day in hope that one day soon this will be my view all the time!
February 26th, 2009 10:10
Jim and Susan, thanks for the webcam, I check daily too!
February 26th, 2009 10:24
I like the new view! Thank you.
February 26th, 2009 11:22
John-
Thank you for your webcam! It brightens my day-everyday!
February 26th, 2009 11:27
Sorry Jim. I called you John in the message above-thanks again!
February 26th, 2009 17:15
Just took my first look Fantastic!!
February 26th, 2009 17:59
Rob…so that was YOU jumping up and down…I was watching the cam and saw someone on a balcony jumping…it was that ONE day…it was sunny yeah the there were sailboats out on the bay…yeah that’s the ticket…. and…and the palm tree were blowing in the breeze…yeah…remember it like it was yesterday…I was watching with my wife, Morgan Fairchild, whom I’ve slept with….
http://snltranscripts.jt.org/85/85jliar.phtml
February 26th, 2009 18:26
Love this view!! It was our view from the last villa we stayed in in Chocolate Hole.
February 27th, 2009 14:58
Great idea, what is the cost to do this. I have a villa I would to do this with.
February 27th, 2009 17:45
This is Great !!! Love the View! What a fantastic idea.
February 28th, 2009 17:27
Hi Frank,
The cost for the webcam equipment alone was $1600. There are less expensive camera’s on the market out there, but the Netcam XL from StarDot Technologies was my choice after much research. The picture quality (3 Megapixels), ease of setup, and the ability to transport myself to St. John at the click of a mouse button softened the pricing pain considerably. – Jim
January 19th, 2010 08:06
We are leaving for STJ on the 28th of Jan. I can’t wait so I sit and watch your web cam…It is Great!