- rock gypsy
There is a place in St John where you will find a whole community of rock people. There must be dozens of pirates.
Hike past Salt Pond Bay past the actual Salt Pond to Drunk Bay.
You will be greated by a wonderland of rock shapes ready to have you add your own creations.
Everytime we go there we like to create something to add to the crazy mix. People just take things they find on the beach and create.
Once we made a huge spiral-like-labyrinth to walk along. The kids loved it.
- rock dog
- father and son
- Pissazz!!
- The hike at sunset leading to Drunk Bay
My son, Jeremy, grew up in St John.
He lived in a house we shared with Diver Dave above Salt Pond when we first arrived in 1983.
He lived on a boat in Cruz Bay when he was almost two.
We moved back to the states till he was six then we moved back and lived in a tent on a plateform on our property in Coral Bay.
Most of his growing days were spent hiking the hills, playing on the beach, splashing in the waters, sailing the winds of the Virgin Islands.
He moved off the island for part of high school and college, making his life outside of the island; always holding a special place in his heart for St John.
It only makes sense he would bring his soul mate to the Isand and propose to her at Salt Pond.
She said YES!
Road past Vie's, East end
View of East End
Jeremy and Keri
I’ve added a few more videos for your enjoyment. There are more in the sidebar.
An interview with producer Steve Simonsen about his project commemorating the park’s 50th anniversary. The video talks about how St John became a National Park and shows 1950 film footage of how St John looked back then. It also lets you know where you can purchase this documentary.
This is a story of how I came to know Ram Dass. We have met in person but I am referring to when he was first introduced into my life.
Christ of the CaribbeanI was living in a van with my boyfriend in 1980. We would winter in Key West then drive slowly up North visiting friends and any cool park along the way. Someone gave us the book “Be here now”. My biggest memory is sitting on a picnic table at a Gainesville college campus reading the book and being blown away with the deep insights that were totally mind expanding to both of us. We were so young with such a free lifestyle. We just soaked all the Ram Dass energy right up.
About 12 years later “Grist for the Mill” was delivered by a spirit. My partner’s mother died. On the plane ride home from St Kitts, the island his mother spent her entire life living on until the day of her death, he found a book left behind by a previous passenger. He brought it home. It was “Grist for the Mill” by Ram Dass.
This was odd for two reasons.
#1) this book is all about death and how we relate to death. It felt like his mother was comforting him.
#2) The fact that he actually brought it home. Starbo doesn’t really deal with anything that doesn’t belong to him. He grew up with a West Indian background. The only used stuff they would take was from close family. He would frown if someone gave me hand-me-downs for the kids. Whereas, I grew up getting excited about free stuff. Also Starbo is not much of a book reader but yet he brought this book home.
What are the odds that this book would appear in the very seat he was assigned; sounds like a message from somewhere ethereal.
I first met Ram Dass after hearing him speak on a hill overlooking the Caribbean ocean. It was when the Christ of the Caribbean statue was still at Peace Hill. The air was fresh and the sky blue. It was a gorgeous day, not unlike most days in St John. There were over a hundred people on that small hill. I have no recollection of the question I asked but I remember the warm smile I was delivered and the gentle handshake I received.
I took this picture in 1991
Visiting St John? What cell phone company do you use? If it is not AT&T, T-Mobile or Sprint than you will be paying a large amount per minute. Verizon charges $1.99/minute. If you have to use Verizon then text messaging is the way to go. Text messaging with Verizon is not included in this fee structure. You are charged according to your plan.
There are many places the reception is not good even with the two main servers. The towers just can’t reach in all the valleys around all the mountains. If you try to talk while driving you will notice many dead spaces. Our house in Zootenvaal gets good reception.
AT&T sometimes charges you roaming fees when you are in Coral Bay. This is due to picking up the Tortola Tower. You need to check your bill for the time period you are there. Tortola charges AT&T but AT&T cannot charge you as it states it somewhere in your contract that they service all areas in St John. Just call them and point it out. They have always been very good about taking it off my bill. One thing though, they will not take it off unless you call them and point it out. So look for these roaming fees.
![yard 2[1]](http://www.stjohnretreat.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/yard21.jpg "yard 2[1]")
![yard 4[1]](http://www.stjohnretreat.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/yard41.jpg "yard 4[1]")
We planted these tall beautiful green lush plants.
We were attempting to make the house look good when you walk up to it.
What we actually did was set up an eating feast for the donkeys. They are so happy, they visit every day.
I would like to say to them, “Glad someone (donkey) is happy but this is not yours, it is mine. I left you five acres to eat. Go eat the catch-n-keep or the wild pineapple, I hear they are yummi.”
Don’t think they would pay me any mind.
Oh well, guess we have to build a fence.
Raina on porch
stone wall bench at Cinnamon Bay store
Love City Grocery-Finding liquor in Coral Bay is not a problem
Irvin and Juma
Went to St John middle of April, Starbo, the Kids and me. We spent most our time getting the house ready for short-term rental after being long term for three years.
Being out in Coral Bay was so relaxing. It is a very laid back scene with no traffic. I forgot how much fun it was driving around the bay with all the boat activity, mangroves, and goats.
My favorite time is the evenings. I love everything about the night; the air, the sounds of the waves and frogs and mostly all the stars shinning so bright.
The kids went to the beach as much as they could, even in the rain. I made it to the beach only once for two hours and even that was stealing away from everyone working.
I want to go back and just sit on the beach every afternoon and hike the rest of the time.
I did not realize how much I missed it.
Here are some pictures of our trip.
Coral Bay grocery-Love City
Juma inside Love City grocery
Mosquitoes, rain, heat and possible hurricanes. What does all this mean?
The most beautiful, lush, green, aromatic, non-crowded island St John can be.
Is it worth putting up with all this?
No if you like everything meticulous and don’t mind crowds.
Yes if you like an adventure.
The less people, the more laid back the locals get. The better the vibe of the whole island is.
A good time to take pictures, meditate, enjoy the open spaces on the beach. The better deals on activities, mementos and overnight accommodations.
lush beach
rain=green
"what am I going to eat?"
rainbow after light shower
our hike to Rams Head
another view from house
Small view of the Atlantic
I’ll certainly recommend William’s Retreat to any of our friends should they want to visit Coral Bay after seeing our pictures.
We felt very much at home.
Reality has had a hard time pulling me back this week. I’m putting up a good fight but will have to give in. I can always look at our pictures… I attached a particularly nice one from early Wed AM after a squall blew through. It was magical.
Take care,
Rob Ellen Mariel and Matt
