usvi-on-line
New parking lot and facilities at big Maho
Jim That is the way many people feel about ALL of STJ -- we have seen it change before our eyes - you call this heartbreaking - the overdevelopment and ridiculous villas are eyesores that keep multiplying and is well beyond a "letdown" on a long term view.mahojim wrote:As a huge advocate for Maho as my favorite beach, this is really a letdown.
If there had been the new lot there years & years ago when I first went, I'd most definately feel different, but having to watch this place get beaten up is tough to take.
I was always more than comfortable while cruising down & into Maho relying on/hoping for one of the hollowed out parking spots that we're all familiar with. However, if there wasn't any available, we'd continue on to Francis and try again the next day.
I've also never experienced folks parking 'on the street', but definately seen Jeeps halfway on the beach.
This really bugs me...If there's no room, why not go somewhere else?!?
Also; to build it on that eastern corner will be dangerous as heck. It already freaks me out a bit.
The serenity of its distance to/from touristy spots and the ease of jumping out of the Jeep & onto the beach will be lost.
Heartbreaking.
We'll see...
Smiles-()
MJ
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Pete (Mr. Marcia)
- Posts: 1471
- Joined: Mon Aug 07, 2006 4:48 pm
- Location: Madison, Wisconsin
Excuse me, I do find this a little hard to comprehend. Until about 10 years ago, very few people went to Maho, because there was very little parking. (You also had Leila Marsh chasing people with a machete-it's amazing what one can get nostalgic for.)Gradually, people destroyed vegetation and wormed their vehicles into all those spots along the road, and next to the old warehouse at the east end. What was 4 or 5 created spaces turned into 15 or 20,,,and more, and more. This was on land that was still 7/11 undivided shares private, but none of the owners were living there anymore. One day last winter I counted 73 cars parked along the road at Maho.
As someone who has shed tears about the Hawksnest parking lot (1988) and the even the first one at Trunk Bay (1973), let me tell you, there are far worse things than parking lots. Are you the same people who tell everyone who asks that they absolutely HAVE to rent a car (SUV,of course) for their entire stay on St. John?
There appears to be what all public speaker are now calling a"disconnect" going on here.
As someone who has shed tears about the Hawksnest parking lot (1988) and the even the first one at Trunk Bay (1973), let me tell you, there are far worse things than parking lots. Are you the same people who tell everyone who asks that they absolutely HAVE to rent a car (SUV,of course) for their entire stay on St. John?
There appears to be what all public speaker are now calling a"disconnect" going on here.
Well
As a new-to-find-STJ vacationer that is excited about only our second visit, I thought I'd drop my 2 cents in here. Our first visit was in June, so Maho was never crowded...and in fact was our favorite beach during that week. I don't think one 50-spot parking lot is going to increase the number of STJ visitors at any given time, so for anyone opposed I think it will just serve to "spread out" the people on-island. Maybe Hawksnest won't be quite so full all the time and more people might get a chance to stop there.
I don't see it as good or bad...it just is. If that land that we were wedging our Jeep onto to stay off the road was private, then I think a Park governed lot is a necessity.
I don't see it as good or bad...it just is. If that land that we were wedging our Jeep onto to stay off the road was private, then I think a Park governed lot is a necessity.
KT
Excuse me for being disconnected.
I've read about the machete wielding lady at Maho,as well as plenty of history regarding St. John. To me it's all a very real-life true romantic drama,smack-dab on one of the most beautiful places on the globe. I have also been going to STJ for only @ 10 years.
Forgive me.
Doesn't mean I have to be tickled by what I've seen since my first trip.
I'm also relatively offended.
Are we not supposed to be concerned/upset about it? Are you speaking sideways? -"...shed tears...", then- " far worse things than parking lots..."?
Have a day.
I've read about the machete wielding lady at Maho,as well as plenty of history regarding St. John. To me it's all a very real-life true romantic drama,smack-dab on one of the most beautiful places on the globe. I have also been going to STJ for only @ 10 years.
Forgive me.
Doesn't mean I have to be tickled by what I've seen since my first trip.
I'm also relatively offended.
Are we not supposed to be concerned/upset about it? Are you speaking sideways? -"...shed tears...", then- " far worse things than parking lots..."?
Have a day.
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Pete (Mr. Marcia)
- Posts: 1471
- Joined: Mon Aug 07, 2006 4:48 pm
- Location: Madison, Wisconsin
Jim, It certainly wasn't my intention to offend you, or anyone else. My point, which has obviously gotten lost in translation, is that the cars are there anyway (a mere 32 yesterday afternoon) and the way it is now, they are parked on the beach, on the tree roots and in the road. St. John has, I believe, 17 car rental companies, and they are sold out in season, with additional cars coming from ST. Thomas.When the NPS built other parking lots on Northshore road, it seemed tragic, because they were over-building, planning for the future, and they destroyed beautiful forest to put in that pavement. Maho would have had a big parking lot a long time ago, if the Park had owned the land. Now they do. In this case, I can't wait for them to put in parking, not because I often have a reason to park there, but because I have to drive through there almost daily in the course of business and family transportation. Not only is it irritating that visitors forget they're in a place where people live real lives and have tight schedules, I really would prefer to look at the beach and the water than the Monteros and Libertys.
It's not the parking lot that's going to change things, it's the number of cars, and people, and they are already here.
I mentioned the machete wielders, not to show off, as you seemed to think, but to try to put in perspective how totally this island, which is my only home, has changed in the past 15 years or so. The explosion of the rental villa market and the vastly increased number of rental cars is obviously the major change. I am NOT in favor of the Park putting parking on the beach side of the road, beyond an additional 3-4 spaces near the Pavilion, but the area at the corner is pretty trashy anyway.
When the Park's proposed plan to institute a shuttle service and limit parking at beaches was mentioned some time back, a lot of people on this forum were outraged.
As a St. Johnian, am I not allowed to be outraged, or at least severely irritated, at certain situations? Can I not find it ironic that the people who deplore parking lots are not inclined to be car-less on St. John?
I've travelled to many other islands--tropical, temperate, Atlantic, Pacific; some I've gone back to repeatedly, some I've lived on. It has never occurred to me to be offended if a native of any of those places expressed something less than ecstatic enthusiasm about tourism, and believe me, they usually have.
Between now and when my grandchildren are dealing with these issues here,I can hope there'll have to be some limits, whether they happen naturally or are imposed by law. I'll stop here, I'm sure some are already planning to remind me that this is a travel forum...Later.
It's not the parking lot that's going to change things, it's the number of cars, and people, and they are already here.
I mentioned the machete wielders, not to show off, as you seemed to think, but to try to put in perspective how totally this island, which is my only home, has changed in the past 15 years or so. The explosion of the rental villa market and the vastly increased number of rental cars is obviously the major change. I am NOT in favor of the Park putting parking on the beach side of the road, beyond an additional 3-4 spaces near the Pavilion, but the area at the corner is pretty trashy anyway.
When the Park's proposed plan to institute a shuttle service and limit parking at beaches was mentioned some time back, a lot of people on this forum were outraged.
As a St. Johnian, am I not allowed to be outraged, or at least severely irritated, at certain situations? Can I not find it ironic that the people who deplore parking lots are not inclined to be car-less on St. John?
I've travelled to many other islands--tropical, temperate, Atlantic, Pacific; some I've gone back to repeatedly, some I've lived on. It has never occurred to me to be offended if a native of any of those places expressed something less than ecstatic enthusiasm about tourism, and believe me, they usually have.
Between now and when my grandchildren are dealing with these issues here,I can hope there'll have to be some limits, whether they happen naturally or are imposed by law. I'll stop here, I'm sure some are already planning to remind me that this is a travel forum...Later.
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Pete (Mr. Marcia)
- Posts: 1471
- Joined: Mon Aug 07, 2006 4:48 pm
- Location: Madison, Wisconsin
You make some good points.
In all honesty, we never have been on STJ in high season, mostly because we don't want to deal with crowds. So, every time that we have been to Maho, there only have been a handful of cars. Finding parking never has been an issue.
I will have to take you at your word that it is a mess at other times. And, true, a parking lot across from the beach, around the bend in the road would not be too awful.
In all honesty, we never have been on STJ in high season, mostly because we don't want to deal with crowds. So, every time that we have been to Maho, there only have been a handful of cars. Finding parking never has been an issue.
I will have to take you at your word that it is a mess at other times. And, true, a parking lot across from the beach, around the bend in the road would not be too awful.
Wisconsin, smell the dairy air
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California Girl
Hugo, I love to read what you say. It is from the heart. The heart of someone born and raised on St. John. We are tourists who pretty much race in, tear up the island for a week, and leave. To us it's WAAAY fun and ever so relaxing to blow off steam in a tropical paradise, but I can imagine as a resident, we are more of an annoyance than anything.
We park where we shouldn't, stray onto the wrong side of the road when driving (guilty!), and drive drunk or drinking (guilty!). I think all of this must be more than annoying to a resident who is not on vacation, not partying, and just trying to get to work, or to the grocery store, or pick up their kids from school. We've discussed before the changes on the island as the influx of mainlanders increases, building villas, etc., but it's kind of too late for that...it already happened. But us tourists always want to put in our 2 cents about this and that on the island, yet we're only there maybe 1 or 2 weeks a year. Please know that I"m not aiming this comment at anyone in particular, because I'm part of the problem. but to me it's kind of hypocritical.
Hugo, please never shy away from posting your opinions here, your words are the best kind of education there is.
We park where we shouldn't, stray onto the wrong side of the road when driving (guilty!), and drive drunk or drinking (guilty!). I think all of this must be more than annoying to a resident who is not on vacation, not partying, and just trying to get to work, or to the grocery store, or pick up their kids from school. We've discussed before the changes on the island as the influx of mainlanders increases, building villas, etc., but it's kind of too late for that...it already happened. But us tourists always want to put in our 2 cents about this and that on the island, yet we're only there maybe 1 or 2 weeks a year. Please know that I"m not aiming this comment at anyone in particular, because I'm part of the problem. but to me it's kind of hypocritical.
Hugo, please never shy away from posting your opinions here, your words are the best kind of education there is.
Soxfan22, I understand where you're coming from as my family and I try to leave any place that we visit cleaner than we found it but MANY MANY other vistors have little regard for their surroundings or we wouldn't have to pick up so much of their left behind trash.
I have been going to STJ for 20 years and have always found the locals to be very warm and welcoming. We have met a few who at first encounter are a bit stand-offish but after some friendly interaction we have never met anyone who eventually didn't return our smiles and good wishes.
We have visited many other islands and vacation destinations but STJ remains out favorite place on the planet. We want it to stay as beautiful as it is so we try to take good care of it while we are there. I think most of us who post here on the forum feel the same way or we wouldn't be so obsessed with the place, would we?
I have been going to STJ for 20 years and have always found the locals to be very warm and welcoming. We have met a few who at first encounter are a bit stand-offish but after some friendly interaction we have never met anyone who eventually didn't return our smiles and good wishes.
We have visited many other islands and vacation destinations but STJ remains out favorite place on the planet. We want it to stay as beautiful as it is so we try to take good care of it while we are there. I think most of us who post here on the forum feel the same way or we wouldn't be so obsessed with the place, would we?