There are literally pieces of crumbled homes in all directions. It’s hard to imagine what it must have been like before the Hurricane Irma hit St John in the US Virgin Islands.
Regardless of a hurricane or not, the views are undoubtedly amazing. Vibrant, teal water, and postcard white sand. And you think to yourself, “oh yeah, this is the Caribbean”.
Reality clicked in again as we drove down the hill and past the rusting, abandoned cars and huge, piles of concrete and twisted steel.
Just another day in coral bay
People are smiling and waving at us. We nod and wave back.
Yes. There’s carnage. It has completely leveled some places, but there’s a whole community here just rolling with it. It’s a constant stream of social events and any reason to party is a good one.
In our first few days, we went to the local hardware store’s 20th birthday party, which put on free food and live music. Open mic night at another the next. And they’re busy. Full of locals.
It’s really quite remarkable. Some people still do not have a physical roof over there heads (and it does rain on occasion) but the mood is full swing fiesta.
And there’s no division. They’re all in it together. A mixbag of characters having a good time on an island waking up from a bad dream.
So what’s it like?
The place, though in a state of limbo (waiting to see what happens in the next hurricane season) is surprisingly vibrant.
You can also have the whole beach to yourself, all day. And it can be a sandy beach or a pebble beach or a rocky beach. You can party with a welcoming group of locals any night of the week. And, you can drink a beer while driving your car, legally.
St. John, it’s like an apocalyptic movie set with the cameras turned off and everyone’s just doing what they want. I think we will enjoy the next couple of months here. For more on the Virgin Islands, stay tuned.
Boats still sit, crumpled into the shoreline of a once thriving mangrove
Before and after
This short video will give you an idea of the devastation of Hurricane Irma St John.
St. John – Hurricane Irma from Dellios Design on Vimeo.
Things to do on St John USVI
Here are some tips for driving on the island, and the best things to see and do:
- Things to do in St John USVI
- 15 Best St John Beaches
- Day trip to the BVI’s Virgin Gorda
Aaron is one of the co-founders of The Dharma Trails. His background in marine eco tourism and writing have blended together to create the eco travel platform read by users around the world.
