Virgin Islands

Virgin Islands National Park St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands National Park Service U.S. Department of the Interior A Treasure Trove of Discoveries Time is something to be ignored when visiting Virgin Islands National Park. Pay no attention to your wristwatch; better yet, don't even wear one. Adjust yourself instead to St. Johns slower pace. Forget about trying to cram too many things into your visit. Ignore this advice and you'll depart less enriched than those who have made a successful transition to "island time." Above Waterline 1 Great blue heron 2 Magnificent frigatebird (male) 3 Brown pelican 4 White-tailed tropicbird 5 Brown booby Rumor has it that pirates buried fortunes throughout this Caribbean area. Todays island visitors find treasures of greater value than gold and silver. Awaiting discovery are a wealth of beaches, coral reefs, plantation ruins, and diverse plants and animals. This national park is indeed a treasure trove filled to the brim. You will be rewarded! Below Waterline 6Seagrass bed 7 Shaving brush 8 Southern stingray 9 Queen conch 10 Smooth trunkfish 11 Long-spined black urchin 12 Tarpon 13 Sea fan 14 Flamingo tongue 15 Staghorn coral 16 Foureye butterflyfish 17 Stoplight parrotfish (adult) 18-Fire coral 19 Hawksbill turtle and Remora 20 Great barracuda 21 French angelfish (adult and juvenile) 22 Large star coral 23 Spotted moray with cleaning goby 24Gorgonian 25 Blue tang (adult and juveniles) 26 Brain coral and Christmas tree worms 27 Fireworm 28 Pillar coral 29 Trumpetfish 30 Sea whip 31 Spotted eagle ray 32 Queen triggerfish 33 Bigeye 34 Sun anemone 35 Fairy basslet 36 Orange flower coral 37 Sergeant major 38 Elkhorn coral 39 Moon jelly 40 Rock hind with isopods attached to head 41 Basket sponge 42 Reef squid Reefs Round the World Coral reefs, shown in red, grow in tropical waters, shown In blue, w h e r e the sea temperature is more than 7 0 ° F throughout the year. Many are unprotected and face destruction from pollution, sedimentation, anchors, and overfishing. The cover illustration by John Dawson depicts the rich wildlife of the U.S. Virgin Islands. Nearshore Waters The Island of St. John Beaches Throughout history, people seeking paradise on Earth have traveled—or dreamed of traveling—to a tropical island where they could find beauty, refreshment, and refuge. Today, just over half of the small rugged volcanic island of St. John is protected as a natural paradise within Virgin Islands National Park. Among the earthly delights of this faraway place are tropical forests, wildlife, wildflowers, and breathtaking views. Just offshore, dazzling natural riches are preserved within the park's marine areas. Combined, the land and waters of St. John are, in many ways, a world apart. The white sand beaches of the Virgin Islands have a well-deserved reputation for being among the most beautiful in the world. Picture-postcard beaches fringe Hawksnest Bay, Trunk Bay, Cinnamon Bay, Little Lameshur Bay, and many of St. John's other sheltered coves. Scurrying Lizards Lizards scurry about day and night. M a l e s extend colorful dewlaps and do push-ups as a part of territorial and courtship displays. Like most Caribbean islands, the natural world of St. John has undergone tremendous, sometimes overwhelming, changes. Forests were cleared over almost all of St. John for sugar plantations, farms, and houses in the 1700s and 1800s. Foreign trees and shrubs, brought over to provide food or medicines, invaded the native forests, and, by the early 1900s, no sizable original stands were left. Animals, too, were introduced by man. Some, such as the weasel-like mongoose, which developed a taste for the eggs of ground-nesting birds and sea turtles, have had devastating effects. Bananaquit T h e everpresent bananaquit is the official bird of the Virgin Islands. With its long, d e c u r v e d bill, the bird feeds on the sweet nectar of tropical flowers. cal forest and much of the island's native wildlife are protected. The island's remarkable variety of over 800 species of plants includes the teyer palm, which is St. John's only native palm tree; the bay rum tree, whose aromatic leaves once provided the oil for the world-famous bay rum cologne; and rare, brilliantly colored wild orchids. St. John is a sanctuary for animals as diverse as corals, sea turtles, and reef fish; insect- and fish-eating bats; frogs; gecko, anole, and iguana lizards; and, of course, birds. More than 20 species of tropical birds breed on the island. They include the bananaquit, the black, parrot-like smooth-billed ani, and two species of Caribbean hummingbirds. Many warblers and other birds seen in the continental United States in the summer spend their winters in the dense forests. On St. John, island life can flourish, and does. The reefs also act as the first line of defense for the beaches; they reduce the full force of incoming waves that otherwise would cause serious erosion. On stretches of St. John's rugged coast that lie exposed, and unprotected by reefs, the shoreline is made up of cobbles and bare rocks. \ i>-: Kreuter 1 Stranglerfig 2 Turpentine 3 Bromeliad 4 Bay rum 5 Teyer palm 6 Monkey-pistol, or Sandbox 7 Rock wall of former plantation 8 Kapok John Dawson Mangrove Nurseries T h e mangrove swamps of the park's coastal areas are a productive nursery for sea life. In turn, t h e young fish, juvenile lob- Only by snorkeling can one enjoy what this marine wonderland has to offer. Be observant. Fish, lobsters, and feather duster worms disappear and reappear within mere seconds in one location! sters, and other organisms that live in the maze of underwater mangrove roots provide m e a l s for green herons, other birds, and large fish. Coral City Builders T h e tiny coral polyp, shown here at more than 1,000 times its size, is mostly soft stomach, stinging tentacles, and mouth surrounded by a hard limestone skeleton. Working together in huge colonies, these simple animals have built all the world's coral reefs. Edging parts of the island, between terrestrial and marine ecosystems, lie the ecologically important mangrove communities. Red mangroves, with their distinctive prop roots, occur in shoreline areas where reefs or bays afford protection from waves. Undersea meadows of coant-3S3 beds also n refer these calmer waters. 9 Termite nest 10Genip* 11 Pinguin, or wild pineapple 12 West Indian locust 13 Painkiller* 14 Wattapama 15 Overgrown sugar factory ruins 16 Pipe organ, ordildo cactus 17 Century plant 18 Salt pond with White-cheeked pintails 19 Turk's cap cactus 20 Sea grape Raymond Coleman John Dawson Migrating Thousands A popular island riddle g o e s "Ah lib o n Ian' an' walk a b o u t . But always h o m e in or out." Give up? It's the soldier crab, w h o takes up residence in abandoned shells, particularly those of the West Reefs have been compared to underwater cities. Alleys, streets, and cul-de-sacs twist between high-rise coralline structures where vacant dwellings are virtually nonexistent. Wispy cleaner shrimps dance about to attract their more-thanwilling finned hosts. Moray eels, spiny lobsters, deflated porcupinefish, and crimson squirrelfish spend their days holed up in reef crevices. eggs in the warm sand, the female returns to offshore waters. W h e n the youngsters hatch, they instinctively turn toward the sea. Despite laws protecting them in numerous c o u n t r i e s , they are still hunted in some areas for their shells and meat. Except for sunbathers and swimmers, the beaches can appear to be lifeless. Not so. Sandpipers and other shorebirds visit the beaches and probe along the water's edge in the sand for small crabs, mollusks, and other burrowing creatures that live off morsels of food the waves bring in. Sea turtles, who spend most of their lives in tropical seas, visit beaches only occasionally, but when they do it is for a very important purpose—to lay eggs. Beaches are essentiai to the survival of these rare, critically endangered species. semi-arid cactus scrublands on south-facing slopes and rocky, windswept peninsulas. Inviting park trails wind through forests that today are a mix of native and introduced* species. "Magical." "I always see something different." "Unbelievable colors and shapes." These are ways snorkelers and divers describe the fascinating underwater world of the coral reefs at Virgin Islands National Park. The kaleidoscope of changing colors, the variety of unusual shapes, the diversity of coral, fish, and other life combine to make the reef a priceless, neverto-be-forgotten experience. Mangroves and seagrass beds provide food and shelter to an astonishing variety of organisms. S e a Turtles Two endangered sea turtles, the hawksbill and the g r e e n , are commonly seen in St. John's waters. T h e hawksbill, shown h e r e , c o m e s ashore on remote St. John beaches to dig its nest and lay eggs. After burying the Only at Night Largest of island blossoms, the vanilla-scented, night-blooming cereus is pollinated by bats and may be s e e n , true to its n a m e , only at night. But today, with an ample part of St. John's natural resources managed by the park, the tropi- A R i c h n e s s in P l a n t l i f e More than 8 0 0 species of trees, shrubs, flowers, and other plants grow in the different forests of St. John, from the moist subtropical forests of the interior mountains to the Sand—the key ingredient to any beach—is brought to the island's shore by waves, tides, and currents. Where does all that sand come from? Primarily from two sources within each bay—from marine algae that grow just offshore and from living coral reefs. Both, when broken down into tiny fragments, make sand. Without the algae and the reefs, the ready supply of sand would disappear, as would, in time, the beaches. Coral Reefs I n d i a n top shell w h e l k . Found all over the island, these crabs come down to the beach by the thousands in annual August migrations to breed and lay eggs at the water's edge. John Dawson Schools of Grunts French grunts are o n e of many reef fish that begin their lives hiding in seagrass beds, w h e r e they feed on crabs, shrimp, and marine worms. Adult grunts hover in huge schools over reefs by day, but each night they leave the safety of the reef to once again f e e d among the undersea grasses. The submerged prop roots of the mangroves are encrusted with a colorful assortment of algae, tunicates, sponges, anemones, hydroids, barnacles, and oysters. Secure from predators, juvenile snappers, grunts, groupers, doctorfish, and sardines find shelter amidst the maze of roots. When larger, many of them venture out to spend the rest of their lives on the coral reef. Turtle grass and manatee grass predominate in the seagrass beds. Their gently undulating blades provide food for sea turtles, fish, and sea urchins. Roaming throughout this area are such unusual animals as sea cucumbers, batfish, spotted eagle rays, goldspotted eels, and queen conch. At night, the city is transformed into an eerie nether world where octopuses slither about and parrotfish seek protection resting in their veillike mucus cocoons. Coral polyps emerge from stony skeletal homes, stretching their tentacles out to feast on plankton. Throughout both day and night, lacy-looking sea fans, sea whips, sea plumes, and other soft cor- Beach Builders W h i l e f e e d i n g on algae that grows on coral, parrotfish ingest some of the hard coral skeletons, later excreting the undigested calcareous matter. O n e study estimated as much as o n e ton of sand per acre per year passes through the intestinal tracts of reef fish. als undulate in the current. They create the appearance of an underwater garden, but nothing could be further from the truth. This is a garden that cannot afford even the slightest dam- Don Kreuter Snapping Shrimp Anything but silent, the underwater world is punctuated by many sounds. Seeking protection at the base of a ringed anemone, the red snapping shrimp defends its h o m e and stuns prey by snapping its enlarged claw to make a pistol-like sound easily heard by snorkelers. age. The fastest growing corals add only two to three inches of growth per year, and large brain corals are hundreds of years old. Carelessly placed anchors, an errant flipper, and excessive sediments running off newly cleared slopes can devastate reef life. Virgin Islands National Park preserves what is fast becoming a disappearing natural phenomenon worldwide. Fish-Cleaning Fish At reef "cleaning stations," small fish like the sharknose goby eat parasites from larger fish such as Nassau groupers, who stop by—and sometimes line up—for this special service. John Dawson Virgin Islands National Park St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands Virgin Islands Park Travel Advisory Visitors to Virgin Islands National Park and the island of St. John should be aware of a few park regulations and safety tips (see list below) and a few U.S. Virgin Islands Touring the Park Only a five-minute walk from the public ferry dock, Cruz Bay Visitor Center is open daily from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The ideal place to start your park explorations, the center contains exhibits, a park video, brochures, maps, and books. Park rangers can help plan your visit, which may include guided island hikes, historical tours, snorkeling trips, cultural craft demonstrations, and evening campground programs. Advance registration and transportation fees are required in some cases; schedules are available and program reservations may be made at the visitor center. A Different Time Adjusting to "island time" is more than just a change in attitude. The Virgin Islands are in the Atlantic standard time zone. In winter, this means the time here is one hour later than eastern standard time. In summer, when the continent goes on daylight savings, the time becomes the same. Medical Assistance Emergency medical services are available 24 hours a day; call 922 for help. Many Points of View Numerous roadside pullouts compete for the "best of the best" award; America's Paradise Each of the three main U.S. Virgin Islands has its share of year-round tropical pleasures. St. John, where Virgin Islands National Park is located, is the least developed. Next door is the bustling tourist mecca of St. Thomas, with its magnificent cruise-ship harbor of Charlotte Amalie. And on distant St. Croix, life moves at a leisurely pace amid quaint towns, rolling hills, and pastoral landscapes. Island Hopping Passenger ferries run between Cruz Bay, St. John, and St. Thomas (as well as the British Virgin Islands); see large map for routes. The Red Hook ferry runs hourly from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m.; the Charlotte Amalie ferry runs less often. Water taxis also can be arranged. Frequent flights connect St. Thomas with St. Croix. Area Services and Accommodations Car, jeep, and motorbike rentals are available on the islands. Taxis and "safari" buses operate from Charlotte Amalie to Red Hook on St. Thomas. Land, sea, air, and underwater tours are given, and boats and snorkeling and scuba gear may be rented. Other major services, including medical care, are available. Lodging ranges from campgrounds to luxury hotels; make reservations well in advance. The peak visitor season is December through April. Other National Parks Christiansted National Historic Site preserves picturesque architecture of Christiansted, St. Croix, as it was in the 1700s and 1800s when these islands were a colony of Denmark. Daytrips to the remote island and coral reefs of Buck Island Reef National Monument north of St. Croix can include snorkeling, glass-bottom boat tours, and hiking. For information, write these parks at P.O. Box 160, Christiansted, St. Croix, VI 00820. Information For further information about the park, write Virgin Islands National Park, 6010 Estate Nazareth #10, St. Thomas, VI 008023406. For general information, including lodging services, write Virgin Islands Division of Tourism, P.O. Box 200, St. John, VI 00831, or call (809) 776-6450. There are several ways to get around and enjoy the beauty of St. John. Cars, jeeps, and motorbikes can be rented in Cruz Bay. Two-hour guided island tours begin and end at the public ferry dock. They stop at overlooks with stunning panoramic views of the beaches and surrounding hillsides and at historic ruins such as Annaberg Sugar Plantation. Departing from the public ferry dock, regular taxi and safari bus transportation is available to north shore beaches. Beaches Beautiful St. John's beaches are ideal for sunbathing, and the clear turquoise waters are a fantasy come true for swimmers and snorkelers. The beach at Trunk Bay is one of the most beautiful in the world. Facilities include an underwater snorkeling trail, bathhouse, snack bar, souvenir shop, and snorkel gear rentals. Cinnamon Bay has a water sports center that rents snorkel gear and windsurfers and can arrange day sailing, snorkeling, and scuba diving lessons and excursions. Call (809) 776-6458 for more information. Hawksnest Bay has change rooms and is the closest park beach within driving distance of Cruz Bay. Lifeguards are on duty daily at Trunk Bay and Cinnamon Bay. Roads and trails lead to other, more remote beaches. Several picnic areas are located on beaches around the island. Each has tables, grills, and restrooms. Underwater Explorations The Virgin Islands rank as one of the Caribbean's premier diving and snorkeling locations. Trunk Bay has a 225yard, self-guiding snorkeling trail marked by underwater signs that identify coral reef life. Fish can appear tame, but please do not feed them; they will live a healthier life by maintaining a normal diet. Several dive shops rent snorkel and scuba gear and run trips to offshore reefs. O T3 0> CO d E to island explorers, each panorama seems more spectacular than the last. The scent of bay rum trees at higher elevations such as Bordeaux Mountain, elevation 1,277 feet, recall a time earlier this century when the leaves were harvested to produce St. John's famous Bay Rum Oil. Breathtaking views of the British Virgin Islands may be enjoyed from Centerline Road (Route 10). Sugar Ruins You can walk through sugar plantation ruins at Annaberg on Leinster Bay Road; at Hammer Farm just off Centerline Road; and at Cinnamon Bay. See map above for locations. Boating and Sailing The U.S. and British Virgin Islands contain a multitude of hidden harbors, beaches, and dive spots to cruise and explore. Charter operations provide excursions lasting from a half day to several weeks, power or sail, crew or uncrewed "bare-boat." Caneel Bay, Francis Bay, and Maho Bay are popular anchorages for overnight stays. Anchor in sand well away from coral and seagrass beds, or use mooring buoys where provided (fee charged). Living aboard a boat within park waters is limited to 14 days in any 12-month period. Powerboats may be rented in Red Hook on St. Thomas. Contact the park for a copy of the Boater's Guide with more details. Fishing Park waters are open to fishing with hand-held rods. Fishing is not allowed in all of Trunk Bay and in buoy-designated swimming areas. Possession of spearguns within the park is prohibited. For world-class deep sea fishing, charter boats are available in Red Hook, St. Thomas. Safety Precautions and Regulations The tropical sun can be a delight and a curse at the same time. Protect yourself from overexposure by using sunscreen lotion and by wearing hats and T-shirts. If you burn easily, remain indoors or in the shade between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. Some plants, such as manchineel, are poisonous and can cause rashes or are toxic. Do not touch or taste unfamiliar plants. Despite their innocent appearance, wild donkeys can bite and kick; please do not feed them. Pets must be leashed at all times; they are not permitted on beaches, in the campground, or in picnic areas. I safe boating, do not rely on this map. Use NOAA nautical charts 25641 and 25647, which show navigational aids and hazardous areas, such as coral reefs, in detail. Watch out for other boats and swimmers. Divers and snorkelers are required to fly a standard divers flag; stay 100 feet away. If you plan to go to the British Virgin Islands, carry your pass- port or birth certificate; you'll need it to pass through customs. And remember, an island courtesy includes greeting others with a cheerful "Good-day!" Carib Warrior The Caribs pursued and enslaved Arawak Indians 1 while extending their territory from South America through the Lesser Antilles. In 1493, during his second voyage, Columbus skirmished with Caribs in the waters off St. Croix. He found St. Thomas and St. John uninhabited. A Cultural Crossroads The nearly five centuries of the Virgin Islands' Hiking Trails range from easy walks to difficultural history is as colorful and enthralling as cult climbs, from well-maintained to brushy. a carnival parade. Humans inhabited the area Obtain a trail guide at the park visitor center. long before Columbus' arrival. Archeological disGuided park hikes of Reef Bay Valley (five h o f J i s ) \ coveries show that Indians, migrating northward provide opportunities to visit mysterious-in-origin" '-ITi canoes from South America, lived on St. John petroglyph rock carvings and the ruins of as 710 BC. They hunted and gathered foods primarily from the sea. Like most of its John's last active sugar mill. During thejweter— months especially, the Francis Bay Trail i s a o ^ Caribbean neighbors, the island later (c. AD 300) excellent place to go birdwatching for sjjeh speupported a small population of Arawak Indicies as the West Indian whistling-duck, yellow""aqs who chose sheltered bays for villages, made billed cuckoo, and some of the other more than pottery, and practiced agriculture. 160 species known to these islands. While hi ing, please stay on trails and do not climb on Columbus may have named the islands, but no ruins. Wear loose clothing to protect yourself lasting settlements were in place until the 1720s. Sea urchin based on against sunburn, insects, and thorny vegetation. Attracted by the lucrative prospects of cultivata photo by Don Kreuter Insect repellents are helpful against mosquitoes ing sugar cane, the Danes took formal possesLarge, shore-breaking and sand flies. sion in 1694 and raised Danish colors in 1718, waves—especially in winthereby establishing the first permanent Euroter on the North S h o r e pean settlement on St. John at Estate Carolina are dangerous; they are Facilities and Services park's greatest cause in Coral Bay. Campgrounds Camping is restricted on park the of injuries. Use extreme land to Cinnamon Bay Campground. Accommo- caution when entering or leaving water when surf Rapid expansion followed, and by 1733 virtudations include bare tent sites, sites with tentally all of St. John was taken up by 109 cane covered platforms already set up, and cottages. is high. Do not bodysurf and never swim alone. and cotton plantations. As the plantation econPrepared sites and cottages are equipped with For your own and the omy grew, so did the demand for slaves. Many cooking supplies and linens. There is also a reef's protection, do not who were captured in West Africa were of tribal camp store with food, other supplies, and a caf- stand on reefs, touch or nobility and former slave owners themselves. eteria. Reservations can be made by writing Cin- scrape coral and other marine life when snorkelIn 1733, they revolted and an island-wide masnamon Bay Campground, P.O. Box 720, St. ing or scuba diving. Nasty, sacre of families occurred. Six months passed John, VI 00831, or by calling (809) 776-6330 slow-to-heal cuts may before the rebellion was quelled. or (800) 223-7637. Maho Bay Campground is a result. privately run camp with "tent-cabins" containScuba diving is not pering cooking supplies. Facilities include a camp mitted off designated The emancipation of slaves in 1848 was one of store and central dining area where meals are swim beaches. several factors that led to the decline of St. served. For more information, write: Maho Bay John's plantations. The population plummeted, Waterskiing and the use Campground, P.O. Box 310, St. John, VI 00831, and by the early 20th century cattle and subof jet skis are prohibited or by calling (809) 776-6226 or (800) 392-9004. in park waters. sistence farming and bay rum production were the main industries. Beach fires are proIsland Accommodations and Services Besides hibited. the two campgrounds, St. John has a range of A Century of Change "Of white people there accommodations to fit any budget: guest houses, are only a Danish official who is stationed there homes for rent, and exclusive beach resorts as a local judge and Chief of Police, and a few such as Caneel Bay, built by missionaries, who attend to the spiritual welLaurance Rockefeller fare of the 900 negro inhabitants of the island." among the ruins of an Not long after this 1900 report, St. John graduold Danish sugar St Croix Landmarks Society plantation. Cruz Bay has grocery stores, restaurants, gasoline stations, marina, post office, bank, laundry, Immigration and Defacing, breaking, or Customs, police removing any natural or historical features on the station, and first aid island or in the water is clinic. It's a good place prohibited. Do not climb to stock up on food, on structure ruins; they drinks, and other supplies crumble easily and can cause serious injury. before heading out into the park. Several picnic areas are located on beaches Lock valuables in your car around the island. Each has tables, grills, or take them with you. and restrooms. Call 922 on the telephone for It is illegal to dump litter emergency medical services. in park waters or on land. AGPO 1991-281-954/20131 the Virgin Islands, the rules of the road call for driving on the left side. The park's mountain roads are narrow and winding; drive carefully and observe speed limits. For I St. John's Historical Heritage Virgin Islands National Park and St. John More than half of St. John is national park land; the rest is small towns, shops, homes, and undeveloped territorial or private lands. The park also includes much of the offshore waters. Getting Here Major airlines fly from the U.S. mainland to St. Thomas and St. Croix; flights also land in San Juan, Puerto Rico, where connecting flights can be taken. Many cruiselines serve the islands. local customs. Private property exists both within the park boundary and adjacent to it. Please respect land owners' rights: don't trespass. On St. John, and throughout National Park Service U.S. Department of the Interior Eastern National Park & Monument Association Annaberg Sugar Mill Remnants of the windmill, horse mill, and factory buildings tell the story of sugar production at Annaberg. ated from a sleepy out-of-the-way map dot to a place very much in the public eye. The United States purchased the islands in 1917, and by the 1930s the seed of a tourism industry had sprouted. Word spread quickly of this untouched Caribbean paradise. In 1956, Rockefeller interests purchased land and transferred it to the Federal Government to be designated a national park. In 1962, boundaries were enlarged to include 5,650 acres of submerged lands. Planning for the Future Today the park works closely with local and Caribbean-wide conservation-minded interests to preserve the area's natural and cultural resources. In recognition of the significance of its natural resources, the park also is a part of the international network of biosphere reserves. As the future unfolds, both the park and Territory will strive to insure the preservation of America's Paradise. At Work and Play Some lifeways disappear while others persist. Sugar cane (left) is no longer harvested on St. John though it is on some islands. A few St. Johnians still make traditional market baskets out of hoop vine (above). Steel bands, mocko jumbies (right), and other masqueraders celebrate "mas" each July 4 during St. John's dazzling carnival parade.