Time is something to be ignored when visiting Virgin Islands National Park. Pay no attention to your wristwatch; better yet, don't wear one. Forget about trying to cram too many things into your visit. Instead, adjust to"island time" and go with the flow. Leave the wetsuit at home; you won't need it for diving the warm waters off the coast of St. John. The Virgin Islands rank as one of the Caribbean's premier diving and snorkeling locations.
At left, a shot of the Cruz Bay harbor. Gallows Point condos on hill, upper right.
Two thirds of St. John is a U.S. National Park, and here you see what the world is like when nature takes care of itself. Spend day after day on beach after beach, each with its own panoramic view. Cruz Bay is the largest town on St John.
Car ferries make the trip from Red Hook, St Thomas to Cruz Bay every 30 minutes, or so - or on "island time".
Peace Hill is a scenic grassy overlook with old sugar mill tower and fallen figure of Christ. 2.8 miles from Cruz Bay just off the Northshore Road.
View of St Thomas from Peace Hill.
Annaberg Sugar Plantation today is set up as an open history museum. It teaches visitors about the Danish Plantation days and the function of a sugar mill and factory. A historic walking trail takes you through factory ruins, slave quarters, windmill and other remains. Through visiting Annaberg you will learn how sugar was produced, about the people who ran the plantation and about this time in history.
The windmill was built possibly between 1810-30, and was among the largest in the islands. Thirty four (34) feet in diameter at the base and twenty (20) feet at the top, the mill stands thirty eight (38) feet high. The windmill was used to crush the sugar cane. The juice ran by gravity through gutters to the factory. When there was no wind to work the windmill, a horse mill would be used. The horses or mules were plodded in a circular motion; this turned the upright rollers in the center of the platform. Slaves passed cane stalk through the rollers and a box at the bottom caught the juice. The juice continued to the factory's five copper kettles for processing. Three to five hundred gallons of juice could be produced in an hour.
Annaberg is a fascinating place to visit. On certain days of the month living history demonstrations, local craft demonstrations and talks are given by Park Service personnel.
Looking across to Tortola, British Virgin Islands!
Having a VERY nice dinner at Ellington's in Gallows Point Condominiums Cruz Bay. Ellington's features continental cuisine with a romantic sunset view over Pillsbury Sound out to the lights of St. Thomas twinkling in the background. Specialties include lobster, fresh fish, steaks and pasta.
Did I say Gallows Point has a fantastic sunset?!
BTW, the whole reason we were in St John was to be married in this little Lutheran chapel in Cruz Bay. Yeah!
