There are 3 different kinds of Sea Turtles on St. John or the Virgin Islands in general: Leatherback, Green Turtle and Hawksbill.
Tag: nature
This is not an easy trail. It is a steep and steady incline, gaining gaining 719 feet of elevation in less than one mile. But the breathtaking view you will have from the top (pictured above) will totally be worth it.
A simple definition of freediving is: “at least and inch underwater on a breath of air”.
Freediving is about exploring the underwater world holding your breath until resurfacing rather than using a breathing apparatus such as scuba gear. You will get a feeling of true ease and relaxation under water, many people describe the feeling you get while free diving as soft, smooth, quiet, serene & peaceful.
Iguanas are everywhere on St. John, you just sometimes have to stare at the same space for a while until you actually see them! The species found on St. John is called “Green Iguana” but that does not mean they are actually green (they are after birth but then change into various colors).
The donkeys on St. John were imported in the 16th century to work on the sugar plantations. The slaves were freed and the plantations went out of business then another few centuries later the first cars showed up on St. John and the donkey were let go free. And they still roam around on St. John.
The secrets of St. John’s tropical forests, petroglyphs, freshwater pools and sugar mill ruins come alive on the three-mile Reef Bay Trail Hike. You will also see a 40ft waterfall, various plants and animals like deer, bats, land crabs, termite nests.
At Francis Bay there is a short loop trail with 2 entrances which is great for bird watching. You will also see deer and land crabs.
Lots of seagrass has been washed onto St. John’s shores overnight, so question that naturally pops up on this island where food is notoriously expensive, is it edible?
Ok, snorkeling and freediving is great on St. John, we have established this. Now how about after your snorkel, you try to identify the fish & other marine life that you have seen? We came across this totally amazing website. This is a website with over 4000 (!) photos of fish and other marine life, all taken while snorkeling on St. John.
Mangroves are flowering trees that live in saltwater or brackish water in mudflats near shorelines. Red Mangroves (Rhizophora mangle) are the most distinctive, with their complex ariel prop roots. These root systems, when submerged, support a diverse community of sponges, ascidians, algae, corals and crabs