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Trip Report 11/25-12/2/06 -Part 5 REEF BAY
Trip Report 11/25-12/2/06 -Part 5 REEF BAY
Wednesday, November 29, 2006
OK, so this day does not bring romantic vow renewals on the beach nor wantan wontons, but I finally get to see Reef Bay! In all our trips to St. John I've always wanted to hike the Reef Bay trail with the park ranger, but Mark does not see the point. The only trail he will hike is the Lind Point Trail because it's relatively easy and leads to his favorite beach. Well this time I am at least determined to see Reef Bay, so we drive out South Shore Road past Chocolate Hole for the very first time. We have directions to the trailhead at Parret Bay, found in "St. John Off the Beaten Track" and trailbandit.org. We even enter the coordinates from tailbandit into our handheld GPS. Past Gift Hill Road intersection we go into the unknown...directions say take South Shore to Fish Bay Road, OK, there are no street signs on this island, but we do see a sign saying Fish Bay Estates. This part of the island is really nice, very lush and tropical. Uh Oh, dirt road ahead, but only for a short while until we are back on some nicely paved roads. Cross over 2 one lane bridges, the directions say continue to the intersection of Marina Drive and Reef Bay Road. And guess what we see ahead??? Road signs indicating that we are at this intersection! Woohoo! So far so good. Now we bear left onto Reef Bay Road up the hill. We are supposed to turn left after the concrete strip and proceed a quarter mile further, looking for a wood shingled house with a green metal roof (gotta love this place). The concrete strip did not end (must have been paved after the book was published) and we missed the left turn, compounded by the fact that you can never tell what's a road and what's a driveway around here! Just wondering, does a street map exist for this island? How does anyone find a person's house?! How do the police/medics find a house? Do you think mapping the streets could be a lucrative project?....back to our trek, we manage to turn around and go back and turn where we thought we should but didn't think it was a road and the husband asks where the GPS is pointing, grabs it, says it's pointing in the opposite direction, and is about to have a meltdown, when, there, before our weary eyes appears a wood shingled house with a green metal roof!
And there's the utility pole with the electric meter, indicating the trailhead!
We park across from the house as instructed.
This is the view:
We check out the trail, complete with rope to hold onto, and decide it's too much work:
and head on back for lunch and a North Shore beach.
I think we ended up at Francis this day, it was the calmest we could find. The wind has really picked up and there is a small craft advisory. Saw a couple stingrays on my snorkel, but no turtles. Dinner of chicken and ribs from Uncle Joes (chicken is definitely better), washed down later with a bushwacker at the Beach Bar. As we are there, a couple pulled right up to the beach in their dinghy with their dog, tied the dinghy to a tree, and proceeded to the bar. Can't beat that....
OK, so this day does not bring romantic vow renewals on the beach nor wantan wontons, but I finally get to see Reef Bay! In all our trips to St. John I've always wanted to hike the Reef Bay trail with the park ranger, but Mark does not see the point. The only trail he will hike is the Lind Point Trail because it's relatively easy and leads to his favorite beach. Well this time I am at least determined to see Reef Bay, so we drive out South Shore Road past Chocolate Hole for the very first time. We have directions to the trailhead at Parret Bay, found in "St. John Off the Beaten Track" and trailbandit.org. We even enter the coordinates from tailbandit into our handheld GPS. Past Gift Hill Road intersection we go into the unknown...directions say take South Shore to Fish Bay Road, OK, there are no street signs on this island, but we do see a sign saying Fish Bay Estates. This part of the island is really nice, very lush and tropical. Uh Oh, dirt road ahead, but only for a short while until we are back on some nicely paved roads. Cross over 2 one lane bridges, the directions say continue to the intersection of Marina Drive and Reef Bay Road. And guess what we see ahead??? Road signs indicating that we are at this intersection! Woohoo! So far so good. Now we bear left onto Reef Bay Road up the hill. We are supposed to turn left after the concrete strip and proceed a quarter mile further, looking for a wood shingled house with a green metal roof (gotta love this place). The concrete strip did not end (must have been paved after the book was published) and we missed the left turn, compounded by the fact that you can never tell what's a road and what's a driveway around here! Just wondering, does a street map exist for this island? How does anyone find a person's house?! How do the police/medics find a house? Do you think mapping the streets could be a lucrative project?....back to our trek, we manage to turn around and go back and turn where we thought we should but didn't think it was a road and the husband asks where the GPS is pointing, grabs it, says it's pointing in the opposite direction, and is about to have a meltdown, when, there, before our weary eyes appears a wood shingled house with a green metal roof!
And there's the utility pole with the electric meter, indicating the trailhead!
We park across from the house as instructed.
This is the view:
We check out the trail, complete with rope to hold onto, and decide it's too much work:
and head on back for lunch and a North Shore beach.
I think we ended up at Francis this day, it was the calmest we could find. The wind has really picked up and there is a small craft advisory. Saw a couple stingrays on my snorkel, but no turtles. Dinner of chicken and ribs from Uncle Joes (chicken is definitely better), washed down later with a bushwacker at the Beach Bar. As we are there, a couple pulled right up to the beach in their dinghy with their dog, tied the dinghy to a tree, and proceeded to the bar. Can't beat that....
Thnx ATG - it's good to see where we are going and what we are doing on the 21st. I didn't think my son would want to do the guided tour, so didn't mention it until last week, but he surprised me and said he wanted to. I called the NPS and made arrangements. Yikes, I'm so glad the trip back is by boat. I'm pretty sure I can make it down, not sure about back up. 
Coden
-
Bob & Anita
- Posts: 611
- Joined: Tue Aug 08, 2006 11:20 pm
- Location: Charlotte, NC
Actually this is the start point down to Reef Bay, but not the NPS trail. It is actually a short trip down and well worth it. Lots of rocks on entry to the bay, but nice and secluded.
Coden wrote:Thnx ATG - it's good to see where we are going and what we are doing on the 21st. I didn't think my son would want to do the guided tour, so didn't mention it until last week, but he surprised me and said he wanted to. I called the NPS and made arrangements. Yikes, I'm so glad the trip back is by boat. I'm pretty sure I can make it down, not sure about back up.
It's so fun to see your photos - thank goodness I am flying home today you're making me homesick
Anyway, the "rope" actually takes you to Reef Bay - you were miles away from the actual Reef Bay Trail as the start of that trail is on Centerline Rd just before Chateau Bordeaux. If you had gone down that "trail" (the roped section is steep but very short - 30 seconds or so) it is an easy climb down to the beach - approx 5 mins or so.....sooooo I guess another trip to STJ is in order
Pia
Anyway, the "rope" actually takes you to Reef Bay - you were miles away from the actual Reef Bay Trail as the start of that trail is on Centerline Rd just before Chateau Bordeaux. If you had gone down that "trail" (the roped section is steep but very short - 30 seconds or so) it is an easy climb down to the beach - approx 5 mins or so.....sooooo I guess another trip to STJ is in order
Pia
We stayed at a villa only steps away from the trailhead down to Reef Bay. Thanks for the memories. I'm sorry you didn't head down the trail. The first 15 feet are a bit of a doozy, but the rest is relatively easy and the beach is very nice...private, quiet and you can walk all the way down to the Reef Bay Trail...
There's that trail!
I tried to find this trail back in June!Couldn't find it.Now maybe next time I can!Thanks!!!!
HELLO FROM MICHIGAN...
reef bay trail
I was thinking of trying the reef bay trail next time we are on STJ. We didn't go to that side of the island the last time. I am wondering if my husband and kids will go for it. My husband didn't like the Lind Point trail because of the bugs and heat. I loved it. Do you think it is worth the hike for the snorkeling? Is there a lot of marine life there?
reef bat hike..
Back in June I hike the Reef Bay trail with out a ranger.I wanted to see the great house that the park service doesn't take you to.I also visited the rock carvings as well.I'm 42 years old and walk a lot at work so this trail down and back up didn't bother me at all.You have to pace yourself the last bit of the trail [going up].I also used up 2 bottles of water. Next time I will take three!Reef Bay reminds me of the Great Smoky Mountains trails!
HELLO FROM MICHIGAN...
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Jan&MikeVa
- Posts: 1084
- Joined: Mon Aug 07, 2006 5:32 pm
- Location: The Chesapeake Bay
ATG, our paths keep crossing.......
That was "moving" day for us. Once we left our villa we headed over to the South Shore and drove ALL over the place. All the way out on Ditliff Point (they were surveying like crazy), down every road (and often driveway
) we could find. We probably passed each other!!!
Hubby got tired of turning the Jeep around so we headed to Hawksnest to play in the waves!
Loving your report and pics..........thanks
Jan (akaCharlie)
That was "moving" day for us. Once we left our villa we headed over to the South Shore and drove ALL over the place. All the way out on Ditliff Point (they were surveying like crazy), down every road (and often driveway
) we could find. We probably passed each other!!!Hubby got tired of turning the Jeep around so we headed to Hawksnest to play in the waves!
Loving your report and pics..........thanks
Jan (akaCharlie)
