Chapter 2
Getting Acquainted...
AROUND the UNITED STATES VIRGIN ISLANDS
Even though the three islands, St. Croix, St. John and St. Thomas, have many similarities with their neighbors in the Caribbean, their differences are considerable. St. Croix’s terrain encouraged agricultural development and a general spreading of the population throughout the island. St. John’s size and natural beauty led to preservation of a national park on the island. And St. Thomas, with her steep inclines and a natural deep harbor, became a world-class port. So each island is different due to terrain, beneficial intervention and surrounding water, developing delightful and individual personalities and styles. As a result, the three sister islands of the United States Virgin Islands are beautiful examples of life in the Caribbean. They share qualities of the quintessential American paradise, but, like sisters in many families, they are strikingly unique, fiercely independent, usually squabbling, yet quite loyal to each other should outsiders interfere.
AROUND the ISLANDS - ST. CROIX
The island of St. Croix has two charming towns, Christiansted and Frederiksted, with other major shopping area such as Gallows Bay, Sunny Isle and Sunshine Mall, plus a rain forest, scenic drives, outstanding watersports activities, three golf courses, tennis courts all spread out across the island’s approximate 84 sq. miles.
Christiansted
Our round-the-island tour begins with the historic city of Christiansted. Several blocks of the wharf area have been designated a National Historic Site by the National Park Service. The town features narrow streets and sturdy architecture similar to the style of the 18th century neo-classical. The strict requirements of the Danish building code, established in 1747 for fire and hurricane, spared the town from the dangers that have destroyed many historic areas elsewhere.
Among the most striking of these Danish structures is Fort Christianvaern, which currently serves as headquarters for the National Park Service and is a perfect place to begin an architectural tour of the town. This bright yellow fort overlooks Christiansted Harbor, Protestant Cay (home to Hotel on the Cay and once a burial ground for Protestants barred from the island cemetery by the French Catholic administration), scores of yachts, St. Thomas, and St. John. A prime example of colonial military architecture, the fort contains posted descriptions of the town’s historic buildings. These include, the Danish Customs House, the Scalehouse, Government House, Danish West India & Guinea Company Warehouse, and the Steeple Building, which all date from the earliest period.
Fort Christiansvaern and the Steeple Building are open to the Public. The fort is open seven days a week except Thanksgiving and Christmasfrom The Steeple Building is open weekdays from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Call 773-1460 for more information.
Frederiksted
Our island tour continues with St. Croix’s other major town, Frederiksted, also known as “Freedom City.” If you should arrive by cruise ship, you will dock at the new pier in Frederiksted where much of the town has been named an historic area. This turn-of-the-century town charms visitors with wide tree-shaded streets, a lovely waterfront, and several blocks of arcaded sidewalks. As a National Historic District, the city features such structures as the Old Customs House, the Fleming Building constructed of bricks from destroyed sugar mill chimneys, St. Paul’s Anglican Church, dating from 1812, and the restored Fort Frederik located just to the left of the pier as you disembark. Built in the mid 1700s, the Fort has been in continuous use for military and other government purposes. The Fort is now a venue for cultural events as well as a Museum specializing in the history and architecture of Frederiksted, with rotating exhibits of local artists and craftspeople. Their open hours are: 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Monday through Friday. Closed holidays. For further information call: 772-2021. Wherever you drive, you will find remnants of sugar mills in the landscape of the island. At the height of the plantation era, in the 1700s, St.Croix had 114 wind mills,14 ox-mills and was divided into 275 plantations, or estates. The island was once considered the premier sugar-producing area and the “bread basket” of the Caribbean. Most areas still carry the plantation or estate names that reflect the owner’s thinking. Check a map, or, on your drive through the island, look for names like: Good Hope, Judith’s Fancy, Lower and Upper Love, Barren Spot, Humbug, or William’s Delight.
While St. Croix offers many variations in topography, the East End with Point Udall, the easternmost point of land in the United States, offers breath-taking sea vistas, gentle hills dotted with cactus and an unobstructed view of Buck Island, just six miles away. To get to Point Udall, follow Route 82 past Cramer Park, past the National Radio Astronomy Observatory, and east along a newly paved road to the very tip, where you will find a monument at this point. As you stare out on the vast ocean, remember that the next major piece of land is Africa!
The Buck Island Reef National Monument features snorkeling, swimming, beautiful waters, sandy beaches, good hiking, and is a frequent stop— not only for the day-charter boats, but also the locals on weekends. Note that signs on occasion may be posted closing some of the walking trails for nesting turtles and wild bird or endangered animal protection. Most boats stop first at the sheltered sandy beach along the island’s west shore, where you can practice snorkeling.
A few minutes sail to the east end puts you at the famed underwater trail. Put your mask, fins and snorkel on, then splash into a dream world of beautiful coral and fish. Also note that there are only a few moorings placed at this end and you cannot drop anchor any other place here. These moorings were strategically placed to protect the coral and the underwater park. Only a few charter boats have their license to moor in this vicinity. If you can’t swim, guides can tow you with a float. If you don’t want to get wet, take a glass-bottomed boat for a glimpse of the island’s superb marine life.The coral reef, lying just under the surface of the water, is a great mass of elkhorn coral extending like a horseshoe around the eastern side of the island. Within its protection are thousands of hard and soft coral formations in an astonishing range of sizes, shapes and colors identified by underwater markers and an equally dazzling array of fish. All this is at a depth of only about 13 ft.
There is no fishing or ”take” whatsoever inside the park boundaries which extends 3 miles out from the coast of Buck Island. Possession of firearms, fishing, hunting gear, and spear guns are prohibited. You must stay off the fragile coral, and while on the shores and beaches, you must not collect any souvenirs. This is a nationally protected island on land and underwater.Also, before anchoring anywhere along the shores of St. Croix, look for mooring balls, put there for boats to tie up to and not drop their own anchor. Do not mistake fishermen’s markers for fish pots for mooring balls.
St. Croix’s mid-island area has many special sites to visit. On Queen Mary Highway, Route 70 on the map, look for the St. George Village Botanical Garden sign, a right turn off Queen Mary when you are heading west. You can spend as little as an hour or as long as a morning wandering around its lush gardens, tropical rain forest and restored village buildings.The Garden is open daily from 9-4 except for Christmas (692-2874).
History comes alive at Whim Plantation Museum (also on Rt. 70) as you walk among the historic 18th century buildings of this former sugar estate. The stately, authentically furnished Greathouse welcomes you with gracious guides waiting to tell you stories of past inhabitants and the reality of plantation life. Managed by the St. Croix Landmarks Society, this 12 acre site features a fully restored windmill, sugar factory ruins, cookhouse, tropical tress and a small sugarcane field. Call 340-772-0598 or visit www.stcroixlandmarks.org