Easter and Honeymoon Beach

With the coming of Easter we set our signal flags to wish everyone a Happy Easter and took the dinghy into church.  We went to the oldest church in the Virgin Islands and enjoyed a wonderful service. 

While anchored we had the pleasure of a visit from a friendly dolphin and a neighboring boat caught this video.

We went to Water Island and anchored in Honeymoon Bay. Water Island was named so because it had a fresh water spring and small lake. The water was used to make rum back in the day, but in the 90s an earth quake shut the spring. Water Island was an army observation base in World War II and so has old Army barracks and a lookout bunker. In the 50’s, so the story goes, a couple of families rented the whole island from the government for $3,000 and then sub rented barrack rooms to friends for $25 a year. Over the years a community developed and they actually built Honeymoon beach by dredging the bay and using the sand to make the beach. They also built the pavilions and baths. It is a great tight knit community for the most part who love the beach and to get together. There is a movie on the beach on Mondays, and Bingo on the beach on Wednesdays.



The beach is alive

dinghies crowd the beach

 

The next week saw us preparing our taxes while enjoying Honeymoon Beach at Water Island. With the taxes sent Honeymoon erupted into the perfect party as Capt. John and his fishing boat Destiny arrived with fish for a pot luck dinner, and Joes Beach Bar celebrated its last weekend, as it had a sale contract, and a battle of the DJs brought hundreds of young people to the beach to merge into a perfect party.

The fish from Destiny

Dinner being prepared

 

Kids had a geat time too

Even a turtle showed up!

 

Hidi's Beach Bar

Joe's Beach Bar

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

There are two beach bars on Honeymoon Beach, Hidi's at the left end and Joe's on the right.

 

 

The beach was full of people including two icons, Foxy from Jost Van Dyke famous for his bar of the same name, and Manfred the sail maker and only resident on Hassel Island.



Foxy and Manfred

riding a board water jet

There was also an exhibition of some wild water jet you could fly. They had a backpack version and board version. It was a wild and wonderful day!

 

 

 

 

 

 

At the Island View

One harbor from Island View

 

Later we celebrated our anniversary with a friend, Gordon, at the Island View Guest House. It has a limited dinner menu available to the public 3 nights a week and as the name suggests it has a fantastic view of the harbor area.

On a trip to St John Island we caught a couple of conch and Leslie prepared them. It takes a good beating to tenderize them and a long soaking in a marinade, but they are delicious!  We are now in St. John waiting for friends to arrive.

conch being tenderized