USVI-On-Line

OK, if you are on STJ right now here is todays St John Source re: water quality and a small section of the article (this is common after heavy rain)

Pia

http://stjohnsource.com/content/news/lo ... s-inviting

"On Friday DPNR issued a notice advising the public to refrain from using the waters throughout the territory until these effects subside. There may be an elevated health risk to anyone swimming in storm-water-impacted areas as a result of increased concentrations of bacteria.
Storm-water runoff may also contain contaminants or pollutants harmful to human health. So, DPNR is advising parents to instruct their children to keep away from storm-water-impacted beaches, manholes and storm-water flooding and for everyone to avoid areas of storm-water runoff, like guts, puddles, and drainage basins"

Thanks for the heads up Pia. Are there any beaches that may be safer than others?

Ouch!! That's not fun for anyone!!

Poor Maggy - first her trip gets wiped out by the volcano.

Then - when she gets to make it up, it rains a lot, no doubt putting a crimp in some of her plans.

Then, the water (she's a scuba enthusiast for those that don't know) is messed up from all of the runoff.

I hope she and her hubby are having a great time regardless.

I've seen comments about this before after big rains, but I don't recall what sort of time frame it takes for things to clear up. A day, a week, a month, or ?!?! And has the trough bringing the rain moved on, or is it still around?

On a related note, I seem to recall that mosquitoes come out in force a week or so after big rains, is that about right? Do they stay strong for a few weeks or ?!?!

Thanks for any info...

irbgolfin

Thanks for posting. So, any particular beach to avoid? We have been to Hawksnest, Jumbie and Maho today (and been swimming and snorkeling). Didn't see any warning signs.

I have saved scuba for Virgin Gorda and hope dive conditions improved then. VG is usually drier than STJ.

Thanks for your concern Augie. We are trying to stay positive.

Maggy - since most of the diving is done offshore -- it shouldn't be as much of an issue as closer in to the runoff from land beach snorkeling - the offshore keys and rocks have no constuction sites and very little free soil to speak of.

This was a Territory -wide warning-- but in spite of all the rain this month, here it has been gradual (long rains have been gentle, and hard rains very short) and I would doubt that any of St. John's North shore beaches have any problems. The guts have not come through the beaches in any areas I'm aware of. St. Thomas may be different.
Beaches adjoining heavily populated areas are the ones to be wary of, due to sewage. Maho Bay also frequently has bacterial problems, apparently due to problems from the campground.
The Power Swimmers are all out there right now!