Under the Sea with Your Little Mermaids

By Renee Sklarew

My kids and I are underwater chasing sea turtles. It is winter break, and my family and I have escaped to the Caribbean island of St. John in the U.S. Virgin Islands. Back home, folks are braving the cold and shoveling snow. But here in paradise, another hot, sunny day beckons us under the sea to the magical world below the surface.

St. John is a two and a quarter hours nonstop flight from Miami to St. Thomas, the closest airport. Then travelers must take a ferry from St. Thomas to land on St. John. It's a long day of travel, but those obstacles make this American outpost feel like worlds away from life as we know it. As you embark from the plane on an open- air stairway, your senses are beguiled by the warm winds, the wild growth of tropical foliage, and from almost every view, the azure sea.

The next morning we're at the beach on Jumby Bay where an enormous circle of pristine coral awaits us. We don our masks, flippers and snorkel tube, then slide into the only ocean that's ever been warm and clear enough for me to feel completely comfortable. I follow my nine-year-old as she gracefully moves through the transparent turquoise water, and watch in wonder as she points out the graceful stingray, speckled with neon purple polka dots. We keep a safe distance now, since the tragic incident of the Crocodile hunter who met his match with the slicing tail of another stingray. Next, spotting four bobbing squid above the sea anemones is a reward for the slow and patient swim along the coral. She pokes up her head and asks, "You see how cute they are?" After watching these animals peacefully floating in the surf, I promise my daughter never to eat calamari again.

Two-thirds of St. John was donated by Laurence Rockefeller to the National Park Service in 1956. The Park Service maintains miles of hiking trails and most of the public beaches. Their guides offer educational tours for adults and children to visit the sugar mill ruins or go star gazing on a moonlit hike. Most nights you can clearly see the Milky Way and Saturn burning brightly in the sky without a telescope. Joe Kessler, 57, President of the Friends of the Virgin Islands National Parks, says their seminars are very popular, and some people plan their vacation around the dates. Kessler explains, "We use experts, who are volunteers from the community or park staff, to lead our seminars." Sign up for a reptile hike, Afro-Caribbean drumming or a sea turtle sail with a turtle specialist, for those of you who want a sure thing.

The most famous St. John beach is Trunk Bay, often pictured on covers of travel magazines when they rank the most beautiful beaches in the world. With water tepid as a Roman bath, Trunk's coastline remains startlingly clean and crystal clear with visibility up to ten feet deep. The popular snorkeling trail is disturbed by heavy traffic, but a good place to learn. Actually, you don't need a mask in Trunk Bay, because you can plainly see anything that happens to swim past you. Along the beach trail, keep your eyes out for feral cats, lizards, hermit crabs and iguanas perched in the banyan trees.

The savvy St. John visitor seeks out beaches farther away from the main town of Cruz Bay; beaches that afford privacy and preservation. A twenty minute drive from downtown Cruz Bay, where the ferries from St. Thomas and Tortola dock, is a hidden treasure called Waterlemon Cay. Driving north along twisting, hilly roads, you continue until a clear view of the West End of Tortola comes into view. Leinster Bay's minimal parking suggests the exclusivity of this destination. An outhouse and a shady, tangled path along the shore attempt to deter you from seeking the magnificence ahead. Treading under a canopy of tropical bushes, here the beach is only two feet wide. You must continue to walk beyond, until you reach close proximity to the mini-island that appears like a shipwreck in Leinster Bay. This is Waterlemon Cay, a shocking wonder of coral reefs that draw diverse sea life, often starfish, eels and schools of exotic fish.

There will be a few companions with whom you must share this oasis; pelicans dive bombing the minnows, and privileged sailors moored about in their sloops. They won't prevent you from feeling like Robinson Caruso on Treasure Island as you swim methodically around the isle. You're hoping your mask doesn't fog, or you might miss a mysterious denizen of the deep snuggled between the rocks.

When you return to your car, before you strap in for the trip back to civilization, climb the hill above the parking lot. This is the entrance to one of St. John's most enduring legacies, the Anaberg Sugar Mill ruins. The Park Service also maintains these structures built in the 1700's, made of coral and stone, to preserve the history of St. John. You and your kids will be able to imagine how this environment prompted the first major slave revolt in the Western Hemisphere by reading the signs posted around the area. This is one of those teachable moments. The view from the ruins offers a panorama of other Virgins: Tortola, Jost Van Dyke, in a bay that looks close enough to swim across.

Make arrangements to explore other parts of the island to experience the culture of St. John. Don't miss the original arts and crafts for sale around town or by the docks. St. John is a haven for practicing artists. The island is rich with local music, cuisine and Caribbean architecture. For the stout of heart, traveling by rental car is the optimum chance to meet up with wandering wild goats, or better yet, spicy conk fritters. The downside of driving for Americans is that Virgin Islanders drive on the left side of the road. This is confusing and scary when added to steep hairpin turns and roundabouts. Take your time to adjust, or just rely on the dedicated taxi drivers who will go anywhere for the right price. My kids think the open air taxis are terrific fun. Be sure to ask for Maria at Caneel, a great tour guide and willing advisor.

In some parts of St. John there is a feeling of time standing still, and that the original inhabitants still own the place. That would be the donkeys and the goats of course. The wild livestock do not have official owners and are free to roam about eating any vegetation or handouts they find. On my last visit, I watched them devour the athletic field of the local school, and turn around and eat grass in a graveyard.

A vacation in St. John promises to bring you and the children close up to nature both above and below the sea. Whether you prefer an eco-lodge on the edge of the world, like the brand new Concordia eco-tents or upscale luxury at a private villa, you will find both adventure and peace on the shores of St. John. And good luck chasing those turtles.

(Renee Sklarew is a contributor to Island Vibes Magazine and writes about Caribbean culture. For comments, please feel free to contact her at editor@islandvibesmag.com.)