Eco Adventure 2

Less than 24 hours back in Bakersfield and I decided it would be best to write this column while the memories are still island fresh in my mind. Part two of an Eco adventure/awareness story. Back from a 5 day adventure to the Virgin Islands, I am still suffering from a common ailment known as Island Fever. There is no cure, just the pending boring everyday rituals which makes it slowly subside. The nice thing though is that pieces of the fever remain in the body indefinitely.

I arrived in St. Thomas on Friday afternoon and made my way across the island to catch the ferry to St. John so I could finish off the grueling 16 hour journey which had brought me here. With this being visit number four to the Virgin Islands, I knew the final pay off was so worth it. As the ferry approached St. John, I laughed looking over to the rocky area where I had thrashed a rental boat three years before. No foolish decisions would be made this time. The ferry arrived at the dock and I headed into the village in search of a rental car. The only problem though was that I didn�t have a reservation. After walking in the heat loaded down with luggage, I was eventually able to secure a Jeep Wrangler for $50 per day. "What a bargain!" I was thinking as I drove off from the lot. Minutes later I realized this bargain included no AC and bald tires which were only going to make this adventure a bit more interesting.

Heading across the island I was happily reacquainting myself with every twist and turn. Eventually I had made it to my final destination the Maho Bay Campgrounds. At the front desk, I was told I would be staying in A-20 which was supposed to have one of the best views of the 114 units. As I walked along the winding wooden stairways to my unit the peaceful reality was starting to sink in. This was where I would be staying for the following three nights. At A-20, I opened the screened door to reveal a very comfortable lodging unit. A vinyl couch which could function as a sleeping area was included with a plastic table and chairs in the living area. The was a large ice chest and vinyl storage tote along with silverware and dishes. The sleeping area consisted of two adjoining single beds and a much appreciated fan to keep the bugs off at night. The unit was on a raised platform with wood slat flooring. A perfect sized viewing deck complimented the unit as well while offering some knockout views down to the water.

The units are spaced a reasonable distance from each other with the tropical landscape providing a decent privacy barrier. Almost immediately I became aware I wasn�t alone at my unit. A strange bird landed on the deck and proceeded to stare me down. I said a few words to it and was shocked to see its head start bobbing as though it was actually listening to me. Later, I learned that this was a Pearly eyed thrasher which was explained to me as being one of the boldest birds on the island. Over the next few days my new feathered friend and I shared a few apples while watching a two foot iguana who spent most of its time in a nearby tree branch. The eco experience appeared to be in full force!

The first evening, I headed up the pavillion style restaurant and enjoyed a Prime Rib dinner followed by St. John nature movie which was being presented by a local boat captain. By 10 o�clock the campgrounds had disappeared into the darkness and I was ready for some sleep before Carnival the next day. The following morning I made it back to the dock for the 11:00 AM ferry back to St. Thomas for Carnival. The main street for the parade was packed, so I walked a few blocks and was able to get a front row view. Everything from Steel Drum bands, baton twirlers in colorful costumes and various parade queens passed in front of me, all with a booming musical backdrop. Some of my favorites included the Mocko Jumbies who perform on stilts in an attempt to chase the spirits off the island. About three hours later rain started falling and I knew it was time to head back to St. John. That night I drove over to Coral Bay for dinner at Shipwreck Landing which is one of my favorites restaurants on the planet. I tried a so/so veggie hamburger along with some top notch blackened shrimp and a drunken pirate�s fair share of Rum Punch.

The following morning I was up by 6:00 wanting to make the most of the day. I took a long hike which led me down to a deserted beach I had never been to before. The views were incredible but my stomach was rumbling. Back to the Jeep and I was headed to Coral Bay to decide on where to eat. Some friends had recently raved about a new waterfront restaurant in Coral Bay called Island Blues. Their recommendation was well received as I devoured something known as Kentucky Brown sandwich. The bartender invited me back later in the evening when a local reggae band called Equal Rights would be performing. Invitation accepted I headed off to one of my favorite beaches named Francis Bay. This place used to be considered a secret, but obviously no more as I pulled up to see a mass of rental cars lining the road. Even with the number of cars, the beach still seemed un-crowded. After a long swim and a lot of sun, I headed back to Maho to prepare for my last night of partying back at Island Blues.

Returning back to the restaurant, I was glad to see the band situated on the beach and jamming to a nice selection of old school reggae covers. I sampled some watery clam chowder which was a bit disturbing, but the atmosphere and drinks made up for it. The band eventually played its last song and I was then on my way back for a final night at Maho. It was already silent by the time I returned to my eco-unit. My balcony provided the final show as I spent a few minutes staring at the star filled sky before heading to bed.

Monday morning I was up early again for a beach walk which was interrupted by some mighty no see um� bugs which take great pleasure in sucking the blood from your scalp. After breakfast I met with a few of the people who run the Maho Bay Camps. They took me on a tour around the area and showed me some of the highlights. Above the Maho units are the Harmony Studios which are self contained apartment style units which have their own bathrooms and kitchen areas. These solar powered units were constructed with a majority of recycled materials and are extremely energy efficient. Very appealing to those who wish to have their own bathrooms and bug free environments. Next we headed off to see the activities area which offers glass blowing, pottery programs and many other interesting projects which the public including children can join in on.

The whole Maho Bay Camps experience proved to be a true Eco adventure. Last month I tried to define eco traveling as: responsible travel to where flora, fauna and cultural heritage are the major attractions, while the journey should provide personal growth and offer new ways to survive more efficiently. Based on my personal experiences, this can be true of almost any adventure in the Virgin Islands.