1st Beach Tradition

Bigcheeze · Post by **Bigcheeze** » Fri Jan 31, 2014 11:21 pm

Perhaps asking for a 1st Beach Tradition...would indicate there have been other trips to STJ that would 1. been there more than once to ACTUALLY CREATE A 'TRADITION'...LOL 2. I CAN'T THINK OF A # 2

For what ever reason, Hawsknest is the kids fav beach for the 1st Beach day...Perhaps it was the waves or the calmness or the snorkel or seeing their parents in their LA LA peace of mind...or it was close to town and the villa...or was it the changing rooms...or the grilling of Hot Dogs on the grill...or it was their 1st beach that lingers in their collective memory bank....and does it matter really as long as we are "There'....

I do know this...we can't go anyway but the 1st beach that 1st full day on the island. Kinda cool that the kids have a sense for tradition.

mindehankins · Post by **mindehankins** » Sat Feb 01, 2014 5:28 am

Bigcheeze wrote: Kinda cool that the kids have a sense for tradition.

I've only had one trip to STJ with my child, but I see this happen at Christmas time, and it warms my heart! Not so much a tradition around the gift part, but the other aspects of the season. It makes me so happy to see something "passed on" to the next generation. I hope that eventually we'll have a first beach tradition with the next generation, on STJ.
Blaine and my traditional first beach is Francis if our first day is Sunday or Monday. Otherwise, it's generally Vie's.
Soon, I'll be bringing my sister to STJ for her first trip - can't wait!

PA Girl · Post by **PA Girl** » Sat Feb 01, 2014 6:50 am

Maho has been our first day beach for years. It was here that my son had his first dip in the water as a baby.

If anyone is there tomorrow, watch for the now nearly 9 yo blondie and his bald daddy racing into the water around 11 am.

Beth Cruz · Post by **Beth Cruz** » Sat Feb 01, 2014 8:01 am

Interesting topic--made me stop and think.

We're always on autopiolet our 1st day, with no discussion. For at least the past 20 years it's been pack up and off to Francis. To us it's a feeling of coming home.

Oh, one more thing---we have our "same old spot" under the same old tree on the beach.

Bob & Jean

Wolfhound · Post by **Wolfhound** » Sat Feb 01, 2014 8:28 am

Our "tradition" is that if there is parking at Gibney--we park. If that fails, on to Maho or Francis.

KTinTX · Post by **KTinTX** » Sat Feb 01, 2014 9:09 am

Always Maho for us. Not sure how we made that decision the first trip, but five later we will still be there for our first beach.

cliffnchristi · Post by **cliffnchristi** » Sat Feb 01, 2014 10:06 am

For us, its Hawksnest and when it starts getting crowded we move on to Jumbie to finish out the day.

Michigan Girls #2 · Post by **Michigan Girls #2** » Sat Feb 01, 2014 10:14 am

The Michigan Girls have only been to St John for the past couple years but we are coming again in April, making it our third year and we have already decided that our first beach day is Maho. We love this beach and of course Heidi loves to snorkel with the turtles. We are going to venture to a few new beaches this trip so we'll see if Maho stays our favorite!!!! See you soon St John!!!

Agent99 · Post by **Agent99** » Sat Feb 01, 2014 10:24 am

My kids, especially #2 son has always been all about ritual so not only do we have a first beach tradition- just about everything we do the first couple of days and sprinkled through has become tradition.

Since we always arrive late afternoon:

First dinner- Uncle Joe's to go
First night - hot tub star and jewel box of STT watching
Later- Austin Powers on dvd

First full day-
beach- Gibney -always up and out early so parking never a problem
First day late lunch- Shipwreck
Late afternoon swim/snorkle off Gallows
Pizza or snacks
Hot tub
Movie

Rinse and repeat subbing various beaches/ lunches/dinners and can't forget to crash the Westin pool at least once.

Fun to think about!

BillVT · Post by **BillVT** » Sat Feb 01, 2014 10:39 am

I think it is usually Francis. It never seems quite as crowded as the other north shore beaches. It is sandy with a decent snorkel with a nice ride out along the North Shore road. It is especially good if you have new visitors with you who have ridden in a cab through some pretty unattractive sections of St. Thomas. They tend to breath easier after the ride along the north shore. We usually park by the stone buildings and hike in past the salt pond. It is a nice walk and you don't have park in the catch 'n keeps.

An adjunct question: Do you have a first bar to hit after you get off the ferry? We do the paperwork on our car, put our bags in it, leave it in the lot and head over to the Banana Deck for a Pain Killer. We've been doing this for years. We used to go to the Crows Nest at Pussers when it was where the Balcony is now.

Agent99 · Post by **Agent99** » Sat Feb 01, 2014 11:09 am

I was Just thinking about Pussers and wondering how many years it's been gone- maybe 12?

54b · Post by **54b** » Sat Feb 01, 2014 11:38 am

Love tradition...wife, son and our friends always go to Gibney too on first full day. Not just Gibney, but a specific spot on at the far left side if you're facing the water. There's a spot where the beach goes a little further back under the palms. Great shade for later in the day. The spot feels very isolated too, like you've got the island all to yourself.

We usually try to go at like 8am to make sure we get the spot. The tide is usually up a bit so we have to walk in the shallows near the Gibney beach houses and sometimes give a quiet knowing nod to the guests there who are up early drinking coffee.

After setting our stuff down, I go get in the water. It's usually fairly calm, like glass, that early in the morning and I just float, hardly moving a muscle, about chest deep out.

That's when the world finally stops and I feel like I've arrived and on vacation.

Backtotheislands · Post by **Backtotheislands** » Sat Feb 01, 2014 11:41 am

First day for us has always been Maho. We get back in the groove of snorkeling at a nice calm beach and it's easy to get to! Always early to bed the day we arrive because of a long travel day.

BillVT · Post by **BillVT** » Sat Feb 01, 2014 11:56 am

Agent99 wrote:I was Just thinking about Pussers and wondering how many years it's been gone- maybe 12?

I'm thinking maybe 15 - 17 years as of this March. The stairs up to the Crows Nest were really steep and I have always thought that they closed that down because someone took a header after multiple Pain Killers. I also recall they had several strengths of Pain Killers. It was a great spot to watch for friends arriving on the ferry and watching sunset. At one time you could rent it as an apartment.

RickG · Post by **RickG** » Sat Feb 01, 2014 12:03 pm

Agent99 wrote:I was Just thinking about Pussers and wondering how many years it's been gone- maybe 12?

1998? It was there in 1997 and gone in 1999.

Cheers, RickG

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