USVI-On-Line

We just returned from 9 days on our beloved isle (TR to come) and was very disappointed by a few things we saw.

People flying remote controlled DRONES at Trunk (2) and Maho (1) - This just really ticked me off. I want to enjoy the beauty and scenery and not drones flying over my head. For those flying the drones, is it really too much to expect they might consider the space being shared with everyone else and maybe that it might not be appreciated by everyone. Too much to ask??? The two idiots at Trunk were conferring about their drones but I didn't have the guts to say anything.

I've also never seen so many people at Trunk EVER!!! And rude like blocking off a huge space and trying to not allow people through. We make an obligatory trip to Trunk once per trip - typically to show it to newbies and reminisce our first visit on our honeymoon...but after this trip I don't know...

The other thing that ticked me off was the number of people totally oblivious drinking from glass bottles on the beach. Maybe I'm being unreasonable for expecting people to know this but it still ticks me off when I see it.

OK rant over. It was a lovely trip with lots of new experiences. Will write about it soon.

A couple trips ago we were (accidentally) at Trunk on a cruise ship day. I'd checked the cruise ship schedule and there weren't supposed to be any ships in port that day, but there was some kind of error because we got there, paid to get in, and then shortly thereafter, cruise ship people arrived.

I shuddered as they were being herded like cattle, but then out came the drone.

There was a young couple, and they were being obnoxious with the drone, flying over beach-goers. Then a park ranger told them that it was illegal and the woman FLIPPED OUT. I mean, I have never seen such a scene made in public in my entire life. She was pacing around, stopping her feet, yelling and swearing things like "this f#$%*!ng island sucks, I'm never coming back here again!"..."I can't wait to get back on the cruise ship and out of this $h!thole."

You can always call the park service when you see illegal activity...let's just say that they were my heroes on our trip this year

From:
https://www.nps.gov/viis/contacts.htm

To contact a Law Enforcement ranger to report an incident call 866-995-8467

Drones are illegal in the park - you should have gone to the entrance booth to report to the ranger (or called) which sucks because I totally get it's a pain - I HATE drones by the way

I hope you had a great rest of your vacation

Pia

For quiet and beauty, no cruise ships and the like, try Dominica, Bequia, St Croix or the BVIs. St John has become an extension for St Thomas. Having lived on both I can say the other places I listed here are much nicer. If the marina/resort project, in Coral Bay, goes forward St John will explode with visitors. Expand your horizons in the Caribbean, St John as we have known and loved is fading away.

Drones are not the only thing illegal on park beaches. So are glass bottles. Report violations to the Park Rangers. They are short staffed and could you a little help with enforcement.

I didn't know at the time that drones were illegal or would have reported them.

About drones and glass bottles - will definitely say something next time if it happens again!

We hit the beaches early every morning so had a lot of unspoiled time to ourselves at Denis, Hawksnest, Cinnamon and Maho (even early at Trunk).

. try Dominica, Bequia, St Croix or the BVIs.

Sadly I've seen drones several times on Jost

We had a drone hovering all around our pool deck one day on St. Croix but we just laughed it off thinking they must be really bored.

Teresa_Rae Thank-you for the Ranger info! Everyone should have this in their phones!

Trunk is so stunningly beautiful that we can't not go at least once a trip. We're all decently early risers so we just pack breakfast and some bloody marries or mimosas (in plastic!) and go really early and have the beach to ourselves. When is starts to get busy we pack up and head somewhere else.

Drones can provide some of the most beautiful videos of empty beaches, but they are such a distraction when they are flown while people are on the beach. It is such a selfish activity.

I heard this on the news and would love to see this in action!

"Police in the Netherlands are taking a unique approach toward unwanted, and potentially unsafe, drones. They’re the first in the world to use birds to hunt and catch drones that are being used illegally.

These eagles are trained to see the drones as prey. Using their hunting instinct, they intercept the device mid-air and carry it to a safe landing place."

http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/dutch-po ... al-drones/