Francis, Maho & Leinster Bays
22 May 2017 | Leinster Bay, St John
Ros Brice
Bit of a slow start to the day, sleeping in a bit, writing emails (and blogs!) having coffee and more coffee, enjoying muesli and fruit for brekki and generally watching the activity of the bay....it is not hard at all for a couple of hours to slip away. By around 11:00 we had decided to take the tender ashore and to do a boardwalk trail that runs along the salt pond which sits behind the beach.
The bottom of the salt pond is made up of a layer of red algae giving the pond its characteristic red-brown colour. The distinctive 'off' smell of the pond comes from another layer of older red algae, which is found just below an intermediate layer of sand. The saltwater enters the pond by seepage at high tides or sometimes directly during heavy storms. As the pond is below sea level, there is not a lot of water flow back to the sea. Constant intense sunlight and persistent trade winds encourage a high rate of evaporation. When there is no rain for long periods, the saltiness of the water rises. When the salt levels are saturated, salt crystals start to form. The longer the dry period, the higher the temperature and the stronger the winds, the more the salt layer builds up and extends towards the centre. The best salt pond on St John is at Salt Pond Bay, which we visited on the southern coast. At that time, recent heavy rain had just ended a period of good salt crystallisation and we were told the salt is very pure and well worthwhile collecting. The Francis Bay trail runs through the surrounding vegetation on a duckboard track which at intervals offers access to the pond. The bird life is rich on this pond but we should have been there at dawn for the best show. We followed the trail up a hill to the ruins of a substantial home which is protected by the National Park governance. We wondered what stories these walls contained but the mosquitos were too fierce and we couldn't linger to hear what the walls wanted to tell us! We saw several deer in the woodland, which seemed quite tame and in very good condition, but no doubt they were wild creatures, just like the donkeys that roam the island, dating from the sugar cane production days.
Back in the tender we had a reconnoiter around the bay, trying to locate the excellent snorkelling reef we had read about. We had several areas to check out but none looked particularly promising. We kept going into the adjacent Maho Bay, with its long sweeping golden sand and amazing aqua blue water, but again the snorkelling areas were not beckoning. What we did see was a big flock of seagulls having the time of their lives, feasting on a large school of silvery fry that were probably being herded by larger predators beneath the shallow waters of the bay. The seagulls swooped and dived, soared high into the air on the mountain updraft, spiralled down when they were ready for more and repeated the gourmet meal which had been presented to them. This went on for hours and there must have been a big depletion of those tiny little sweet fish. The fry are extremely sensitive to minute changes in water currents and can sense the approach of hunters. In a burst of speed they can move away, but when the attack is from both above and below, the odds of survival stack up. It was a remarkable display of the cycle of nature at work!
We decided to depart Francis Bay via Fungi Passage, rounding Mary Point to enter The Passage and then Leinster Bay adjacent to Waterlemon Cay, which also promised excellent coral. There were 13 moorings to be had and 11 were taken when we arrived. This scenic bay offered good protection from the easterly wind, but the pilot didn't mention the mosquito army that were in combat mode! However, we donned the togs (read budgie snugglers for the boys) and snorkelled across the deep water to the cay. Not surprisingly there was a fair bit of current ripping between the cay and the bay entry and we had to push hard to get into the quieter water on the bay side of the cay. The coral was good and the fish were better, but we have been truly spoilt with our spectacular snorkelling escapades and this garden was not in the running for special awards, although some interesting new fish were sighted.
Back on board, we briefly went to the foredeck to dry off, as is our delight after a swim. Passing dinghy loads of Americans were sniggering about the boys brief swimwear which we know they classify as nakedness! We just smiled and waved knowingly. The mosquito battalion was on the march so we headed below decks to the air conditioning and relaxation for the evening.
As we prepare to depart the USVI, it would be remiss not to mention that on 31st March 2017 commemorated the Danish West Indies becoming the Virgin Islands of the United States. A message from the Lieutenant Governor, Osbert E Potter, stated:
' The people of the Virgin Islands are proud of their American citizenship and yet warmly acknowledge their Danish connection. Having the influence of both countries, the Virgin Islands has benefitted tremendously through language, education, culture, art and architecture. Throughout the century, the Virgin Islands has transformed and developed far beyond what it used to be when uncertainty and impact of being owned by another country weighed heavily on the consciences of the citizens during that time. Today, we stand tall and courageous as a territory that has produced many generations of prominent and notable Virgin Islanders, who are trailblazers in their own rights.'
We wish you well and thank you for your hospitality!