Читать книгу VI Settler's Handbook - Mr. Cheyenne Harty - Страница 24

St. John is special. Lush mountains drop to white beaches and postcard bays. A getaway for the rich and famous and average Joes, this tiny island serves as a retreat for Crucians and St. Thomians. The Virgin Islands National Park, consisting of approximately two-thirds of the island, is a major attraction for the more than one million people who visit yearly.

If you are in St. Thomas, you can ride a ferry to St. John by going to the Red Hook Visitor’s Center, a 15-minute ride. In St. John, see the Cruz Bay Visitors’ Center for maps and tour information, and browse through the best collection of books you will find on the different islands. Taxis are available for island tours or you can rent a car. It can take a half day to see the island if you rush it, but you can relax and make it a full day, or plan to spend more time at one of St. John’s inns, condos, or hotels. You can also take a ferry from downtown Charlotte Amalie on St. Thomas versus the taxi ride to Red Hook at east end.

Established in 1956 by the U.S. Congress, the seeds for the Park were sown by philanthropist Laurance Rockefeller who bought and donated 5,000 acres of land on the island. Over the years, the acreage has expanded to 7,200 acres of land with 5,650 acres offshore.

The Park offers gorgeous beaches, camping, prime cruising, snorkeling, and hiking trails.The underwater snorkel trail at Trunk Bay, on the northwestern shore of the island, is world famous. For a glimpse at the island’s sugar legacy, visit Annaberg Estate Plantation on the northern shore near Route 20. Lovingly restored by Park artisans, the Estate’s stone mill dominates the skyline. The Park often has basket-makers, cooks and other crafts-people on hand to demonstrate and share their skills. On the southern side, the trip through the Reef Bay valley past ancient ruins and stone carvings called petroglyphs dating back to the day when sugar was king, gives hikers a real chance to enjoy the natural beauty of the Virgin Islands.

Visitors can hike on well-maintained trails or through the bush, but keep in mind that some of the land within the Park boundaries is privately owned. The Park strictly enforces the laws that protect the Park’s fragile environment. Take only pictures and leave only footprints.

Cruisers will find pristine anchorages and top-notch sailing when they wend their way through the Park. During the winter months, keep a lookout in Pillsbury Sound between St. John and St. Thomas for breaching whales.

To give everyone a chance to enjoy the Park’s beautiful waters, sailors are limited to 14 nights per year in the Park. You might want to stop in Cruz Bay and pick up a box lunch before visiting the Park. However, most of the time lunch, restrooms and cool showers are available at Trunk Bay and Cinnamon Bay. Hawksnest Beach has restrooms. Francis Bay, Salt Pond and Lameshur Bay have natural rustic facilities.

Within the Park boundaries, you will find Cinnamon Bay Campground, Caneel Bay Resort and a collection of private homes for rent. While the Park is the island’s focal point, St. John has much more to offer. The main town of Cruz Bay is now a bustling port. While it doesn’t begin to rival St. Thomas for traffic, you will see cruise ships’ tenders dropping off passengers nearly every day during winter season, sail boats clearing into the territory through the U.S. Customs facility, and barges hauling construction materials. If you want to absorb the local flavor, spend an hour sitting in Cruz Bay Park, just across from the ferry terminal, and watch an entire cross-section of humanity pass by.

Stop at the local Elaine Ione Sprauve Library just up from Cruz Bay center off Route 104, called South Shore, which after Fish Bay continues as Giftt Hill up to Centerline Road.

The collection housed in the Enighed plantation great house, includes some pre-Columbian pottery and artifacts from the sugar mill. The library hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. You can browse its collection of books on the Caribbean. Call the library at 776-6359 for more information.

To see more of the island, rent a car at any of the handful of agencies in Cruz Bay. You can take Centerline Road, which goes straight through the island, or the North Shore Road, which is winding and passes many National Park beaches and scenic lookouts. On Centerline you may encounter truck traffic, so it’s slower, with no room to pass. Drive along Centerline Road, Route 10 from Cruz Bay, towards the east end, to the sleepy community of Coral Bay, which is ever expanding. Once out of Cruz Bay, the pace slows. Fill up on gas before you leave, since St. John has only two stations at this time, E & C and Racetrack.

Once you leave the residential and commercial area of Cruz Bay, you will find green hills and spectacular views on the 20-minute drive. When you get to Coral Bay, turn right and head down Route 107 and see one breathtaking view after another.Watch for places to stop and take pictures. Also watch out for goats and donkeys that roam the roads. They will put quite a dent in your rental car if you hit one. Also drive slowly and on the left. It is very narrow. If you are truly intrepid, follow the up-hill and down-dale road past Salt Pond to Lameshur Beach for an afternoon of snorkeling, sunning or dozing in the shade. Explore the ruins of the old Lameshur plantation that hugs the western end of Lameshur Bay beach.