Photo: Marti Greason "Extra-Virgin" Island Escape, St. John, U.S. Virgin
Islands Highlights:
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Trip Number: 09401A Price: $1695 Deposit: $200 Capacity: 13 Leader:
The Trip This trip is to show off and gain a respect for this mountainous island through snorkeling, hiking and paddling. Find out why St. John is so pristine. Who and what prevented this island from being similar to St. Thomas. where hotels claim the best beaches and private homes dominate the views?Credit philanthropist Laurance Rockefeller for the bulk of what is right about St. John today. The Virgin Islands National Park is mostly on and around St. John. comprising 3/4ths of the island, making St. John one of the most non-commercialized of all the Caribbean islands. So, come along with us on this island adventure. Get up close and personal with nature. See how the Virgin Islands National Park and United Nations (UNESCO) Biosphere Reserve protects St. John 's various and fascinating habitats.
Day 1: All participants will be picked up at the Cruz Bay Dock by 3 p.m. for a leisurely trip to our remote and rustic eco-camp, Virgin Islands Environmental Resource Station (VIERS) at Little Lameshur Bay on the southeastern side of the island. The nearest airport is St. Thomas. A ferry from Red Hook, St. Thomas runs frequently to Cruz Bay. Early in the evening, we will have a get acquainted party and evening meal at VIERS. Day 2: Hike to Ram Head to a cliff 200 feet above the Caribbean Sea. for magnificent windswept scenery. Along the way, we will pass by a unique blue cobble beach then switchback up the hillside. Return to VIERS, grab your swimsuit and head off to Little Lamshur Bay for sunning, swimming, snorkeling or working on getting rid of jet lag. Day 3: Gather your snorkeling gear and swimsuit, we are meeting a National Park Service Ranger for a private hike/snorkel off Yawsi Point. In the afternoon, we will hike Reef Bay Trail through moist and then dry forest which incorporates a variety of plant life. We will go off trail and view an old Danish plantation home. From there, we will pick up Petroglyph Trail, and search for the rock carvings attributed to pre-Columbian Taino people. If it has abundantly rained recently, we may get an extra treat in seeing the waterfall by the pools.  Photo: Arawak Expeditions Day 4: We'll catch an early breakfast and drive to Cruz Bay for an all day kayak/snorkel/swim. We will paddle to Henley Cay and Lovango Cay. Did you know cays are basically small islands that have low elevation? Lunch on beach. Dutch treat dinner in Cruz Bay that evening. Day 5: Since we know the drill on early breakfasts, we will do it again! We will drive to the north shore and hike Leinster Bay Trail by waters edge, with a National Park Service Ranger. The trail meanders through a mangrove forest. It follows along brackish water which provides good bird habitat. Later we will climb to the Annaberg Sugar Mill Ruins. We will see cultural demonstrations. And learn the history of producing raw cane-sugar and its two valuable byproducts, rum and molasses. Later we will travel to the most eastern side of the island and visit Sloop Jones studio. The studio is filled with whimsical island clothing, made colorful by using paint. Day 6: Another day in paradise! We will hike Drunk Bay Trail to Salt Pond Bay Beach. Iguanas have been known to frequent this area. The trail skirts the north side of Salt Pond, which is good for viewing wading birds. Turtles are commonly seen here. Then we go up and over the hill and down to the waters edge. Here we will gaze in wonderment at the natural outdoor art on the shore. Later we will see ecotourism at its' best. Come along and tour the Concordia Eco-Tents where there are creature comforts for all creatures.  Photo: Arawak Expeditions Day 7: Private Boat trip on a 40-foot trawler where marine interpreters guide us on a snorkel tour though the undersea world. We will hear local history and sea stories and learn about Tektite, Hurricane Hole, and the nursery school of the sea, the mangroves. This is the most remote snorkeling spot on St. John. Be prepared to go around sea caves that are abundant with snapper (friendly) fish and other marine life. Whew! After all of that, you deserve an afternoon at VIERS, scouting out on your own, or taking advantage of Little Lamshur Bay's sandy beach. Day 8: Today, we will pack up and clean our cabins as we prepare to leave VIERS by late morning for Cruz Bay. Departing flights from St. Thomas should be scheduled for late afternoon. Please note: Most evenings after dinner, we will have discussion regarding present and past island life, animal and human. These will be casual open discussions with time for questions and answers. The staff at VIERS will lend a hand during these sessions. The majority of the staff is comprised of volunteers. They have been volunteering at VIERS over the years. The staff is a wealth of information! Just wait and see! The leaders will make every reasonable effort to meet the goals outlined in the itinerary. Please keep in mind that weather or other conditions beyond our control may cause us to modify the itinerary in order to ensure the safety and well being of the group. We have Plan B ready to go just in case! This is definitely a shorts/cutoffs/swim suit trip. Pack accordingly. Transportation from Cruz Bay to VIERS has little room for luggage. Do not worry about wrinkled clothing. This trip is not a fashion show. If you pack more than you need, you may have to park it on your lap. Is your lap big enough? I hope not! This will become cumbersome during the 45 minute trip to VIERS over narrow hair-pin curve roads. You may bring your personal snorkel gear, however, you could save some space and rent this gear on the island at Coral Bay. Getting There There are numerous daily flights to St. Thomas. From St. Thomas air terminal, you need to take a taxi to the ferry dock. There are two ferry docks in St. Thomas called Charlotte Amalie and Red Hook. Charlotte Amalie and Red Hook both provide ferry service to Cruz Bay. St. John. You need to take the ferry that will get you into Cruz Bay no later than 3 p.m. on Day 1 of the trip. On Day 1, we will meet you at the dock in Cruz Bay no later than 3 p.m. for the ride to VIERS.
 Photo: Marti Greason VIERS is situated at the base of Bordeaux Mountain on the southeast shore of St. John. VIERS remote location provides many opportunities for visitors to easily discover the local environment. At VIERS you are “in nature”, you are part of the eco-system. You are just minutes from being able to hike to a mountain top or swim in the Caribbean. We will have single-bed dormitory-style accommodations at VIERS, a remote and rustic eco-camp consisting of 18 buildings, cabins, classroom, library, office, restrooms, outdoor showers and a dining hall with kitchen. The kitchen staff provides 3 meals a day in the dining hall. Oh, and yes, the master menu has a vegetarian option! We will help in the dishwashing and housekeeping responsibilities. We will have dinner at a local restaurant one night (not included in trip cost). Our first meal will be dinner on Day one.
Kayaking is physically challenging and participants should be in good shape to enjoy the full day of kayaking. The majority of the week will be spent snorkeling, and hiking in that order. Snorkeling is challenging also, especially swimming off the trawler, some 60' to the mangroves, then in the opposite direction to our undersea guided tour. Being fit aerobically will increase your chances of a pleasant trip! Most hiking trails are hilly and exposed to the sun.
Bring quality rain gear, a water bottle, insect repellent, a daypack, snorkeling gear (or you may rent it on the island), personal first aid kit. Expect warm days and cooler nights, with rain in the late afternoon. Sun protection is critical. You will need a long sleeve “travel” shirt, sandals, light fleece, shorts, swimsuit and support walking shoes. Cotton or cotton blend is more comfortable than polyester in the tropical weather. Please bring a camping mug or cup marked with your name.
Maps: ITMB Publishing Ltd., “U. S. Virgin Islands : An International Travel Map.” Books:
Conservation VIERS is operated by Clean Islands International, a U. S. non-profit, non-governmental environmental organization dedicated to providing educational and technical assistance to Caribbean Island communities for the preservation of their environment. Among other projects, they run special experimental studies on water conservation and solar energy.
See the How to Apply for an Outing section for more details on registering for this trip and details about our Reservation and Cancellation Policy. The payment of a deposit does not confirm you as a member on the trip. Participants must be approved by the trip leader. After signing up for this trip, you will be sent a confirmation packet containing approval materials (Participant Approval Questionnaire, Medical Form, Liability Release Form). Each applicant (including those on the waitlist) must fill out these forms and promptly mail them to the trip leader. The leader will review the approval materials and notify you of your acceptance in a timely manner.
General Notes About Sierra Club Trips
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Marti Greason began leading Sierra trips 10 years ago on the east coast of Florida. She has led folks to different areas of the USA and abroad. She likes to expose travelers to new landscapes, different cultures and creatures. Marti has traveled to Europe, Africa, the Orient and the Holy Land. Her modes of travel range from backpacking to business travel. She lives in Tucson, AZ, where she docents at Tohono Chul Park. You can enjoy the unique and diverse wonders of St. John with Marti. Feel free to contact Marti if you are interested in this trip, have questions or just want to discuss the big blue oceans!
Kathy Wells' involvement with Sierra Club National Outings began in 1997, when she joined a Club backpacking trip, and had such a great time she trained and began leading Sierra Club trips the following year. She feels there is really something special about the camaraderie of people coming from all points to share their common interest and love of the outdoors. She enjoys planning trips, particularly discovering new food ideas, and she dehydrates many of the ingredients she uses on trips. Her other hobbies include cycling, kayaking, reading, sailing, scuba diving, and skiing, and she also volunteers at her local humane society. She is a certified wilderness first responder.