A casually cool downtown eatery overlooking the harbor. Owner operated since 1988, Bumpas serves breakfast and lunch from 7:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. seven days a week. Favorites include fluffy French Toast, Steak & Cheese Hoagies, Bloody Mary’s, Pina Coladas and a variety of icy cold Island Oasis drinks to quench your thirst while you escape from the bustling crowd below. Owners Roland and Bonnie Spell offer a variety of fresh, home cooked specials while you gaze at cruise ships, sailboats and seaplanes just a stone’s throw from your table. (town map)

Antares is the brightest star in the constellation of Scorpius, the Scorpion. Scorpius is one of the few star groups that actually look something like its name suggests. From Antares look slightly to the east and you can find a string of fainter stars that form the scorpion’s body and long curved tail.

The three bright stars that dominate the sky overhead are Altair, Deneb and Vega. Each is in a different constellation, but since they form a large triangle that is visible during summer nights up north, they form what is known as the Summer Triangle. Brightest of the three and highest in the sky is Vega, in Lyra the Harp. To the east of Vega and closer to the eastern horizon is Deneb, the tail of Cygnus, the Swan. Slightly to the South is Altair in Aquila the Eagle.

Arcing across the sky from Cygnus down to Scorpius is a hazy band of white light. Since people first gazed skyward, they must have wondered about that band of light. It was not until the early 1600’s that people would begin to understand what caused this band. It was Galileo who looking through his telescope first wrote of the Milky Way being made of millions of stars. An historical footnote, Galileo did not invent the telescope. He was however the first to use the telescope to make astronomical discoveries.

The Milky Way we see in the night sky is the light from billions of stars so far away that you cannot see each one as a point of light. Earth is our home, the solar system our neighborhood and the Milky Way our city of stars in the universe.

Pina Colada

1 ½ ounces Light Cruzan Rum
2 ounces Coco Lopez
2 ounces fresh pineapple juice
1 cup crushed ice

Pour rum, Coco Lopez and pineapple juice into a blender. Add crushed ice. Blend until smooth. Pour into a chilled glass. Garnish with a slice of fresh pineapple and marachino cherry. Serve immediately.

Island Bushwacker

½ ounce of dark rum
½ ounce of Frangelico
½ ounce of Amaretto
½ ounce of Crème de Cocoa
½ ounce of Kahlua
½ ounce of Bailey’s Irish Crème
Ice
Whipped cream
Grated nutmeg

Blend all ingredients with ice cubes until smooth and creamy. Top with whipped cream and grated nutmeg. Serve immediately.

The following are some of our favorite Virgin Island beaches...

Noted for its tranquil turquoise waters, Coki Beach has great snorkeling and scuba diving right off the beach. Take your first scuba lesson or learn how to snorkel from one of the dive shops on the beach. You will find hair braiders, chair rentals, taxis, beach waiters serving drinks and vendors selling t-shirts, sunblock, art work, bags, wrap skirts, towels and more! Or if you want to see the marine life without getting wet, visit Coral World right next door. There is parking available just off the road close to the beach but not a whole lot.

Morningstar Beach

This is the main beach for the Mariott’s Frenchman’s Reef and Morningstar Resorts so you will find lots of hotel guests there and lots of things to support guest lounging and comfort. The watersports operation
offers paddleboats, kayaks, sailboats, jet skis and more. Chairs, umbrellas, snorkel gear and floats are available to rent from the hotel. A beachside restaurant and bar lies conveniently at water’s edge. This beach offers beautiful view of the departing cruise ships in the afternoon.

Sapphire Beach

You’ll be entertained for the entire day at this gem of a beach. Windsurfing lessons, snorkeling, beach chairs and umbrella rentals are just some of the available amenities. Fill your day with sun and fun, and then sit back with a cool drink from the full service bar. Water is for the most part calm and the snorkeling is quite good to either side of the beach. If you want to learn windsurfing then this beach is great. Most of the time the wind blows in towards the beach making the return sail a breeze!

Lindquist Beach

Located on the East End of St Thomas, this beach is the only other beach, operated by a government Authority, that charges an entrance fee ($3). It is a very natural beach lined along the shore with indigenous plants and trees with no development within sight. Popular with the locals for years even though it was private land, it was recently bought by the VI government and turned over to the Magens Bay Authority for public use. Long, fine, white, sand beach with calm, pristine, crystal blue water. A beautiful Caribbean beach!

Magens Bay Beach

Named one of the world’s most beautiful beaches, Magens Bay, the largest beach on St. Thomas, offers changing rooms, bathrooms and showers. The mile long beach is very calm with no waves, unless posted by the front gate that there is surf present. Beach chair and float rentals are available along with a restaurant and bar. A water sports operation rents paddle boats, kayaks and sunfish. There is a $5 per person entrance fee to this public beach. This beach can be very crowded on heavy cruise ship days.

There is only one truly French restaurant on St. Thomas- Hervé. Each day, but especially in honor of Bastille Day, Herve Paul Chassin and his wife, Paulette Keffas-Chassin, roll out the red carpet for all to savor the flavor of France. A special Prix Fixe four course meal has been offered over the years in honor of Bastille Day and the response from the French community, as well as many other St. Thomas residents and visitors, has been tremendous. This year, the celebratory dates will be July 12, 13, and 14 and reservations are strongly suggested for this popular event.

Full menu will be served in addition to their Prix Fixe four course menu. Seafood is featured on the menu and a nightly special is a rich Bouillabaisse: lobster, sea bass, mussels, scallops and shrimp in a fragrant saffron Pernod broth with the traditional rouille on the side to spice it up if desired and plenty of fresh-baked, crusty French bread to savor every drop. Hot spinach salad flambé prepared tableside.

“We serve contemporary American cuisine and classic French favorites with a Caribbean accent,” said Paulette. Other menu items are fresh sea bass with a mango dill beurre blanc, black sesame crusted tuna with a raspberry-ginger sauce, as well as expertly grilled steaks, lamb chops and venison. To complement your savory selection, twenty-five wines by the glass just brush the surface of Hervé’s award-winning wine list.

“This restaurant is a labor of love,” states Paulette. “Our mission is to share a truly fine dining experience with our customers and patrons for a memorable evening of attentive service, and outstanding cuisine acompanied by classic music in a beautiful, romantic setting.”

Hervé is open daily for dinner. Call for lunch hours. Call 340-777-9703 or visit www.herverestaurant.com

Their slogan “Get up close and personal “ couldn’t be more appropriate. See tons of marine life without ever getting wet. See and learn about the beauty and magic of Caribbean marine life in a stunning setting. View life on a coral reef from their unique underwater observatory. Visit the shark pool where you can pet a shark or hand feed a stingray. Visit with the Lorikeets which will flock to your arm when offered a cup of nectar. And if you don’t mind getting wet bring your bathing suit so you can swim with the sea lions or try a Sea Trek Helmet Dive.

St.Thomas Skyride to Paradise Point

This unique attraction offers visitors a tram ride up to Paradise Point, 700 feet above sea level, where you can enjoy sweeping views of Charlotte Amalie Harbor, especially impressive when many of the cruise ships are in port. The tramway operates six cars, similar to those used at ski resorts, for the short ride to the summit. At the top, you can take in the amazing scenery and visit shops and the popular restaurant and bar. A visit at sunset is particularly beautiful. Recently added to Paradise Point is a new Bungie Jump. Located on the Main road in Havensight.

This is a wonderful family attraction which will be remembered and enjoyed by all from kids to adults. This is a real, very high tech submarine which takes you below the surface of the ocean in a calm area right off the coast of St Thomas. See abundant sea life from the comfort of the sub without ever getting wet. Thousands of visitors have been amazed by this once in a lifetime underwater experience. They can only accommodate a limited number of passengers so call ahead to make a reservation. They are currently offering a free T-shirt with the purchase of a regular priced admission!

Mountain Top

This viewing spot is at an impressive height of 1,500 feet above sea level, offering spectacular views of both the US and British Virgin Islands. In fact, National Geographic has rated this view of Magens Bay as one of the ten best views in the world. It features a casual shopping area for browsing and a bar which is the home of the world famous Banana Daiquiri. It is a great place to see the island chain. Vast panoramic views span from St. Thomas and St John to the British Virgin Islands and include a total of 20 islands. Just breathtaking!

Estate St. Peter Greathouse Botanical Gardens

Nestled high in the mountains of St. Thomas sits St. Peter Great House and Botanical Gardens. Originally, in the 1800’s, this scenic location was part of the 150-acre Plantation St. Peter owned by a family of French decent who settled in the Virgin Islands. Today, the Great House boasts classic West Indian architecture with lush Botanical Gardens and a Nature Trail, streaming waterfalls, tropical bird aviaries, fish ponds, more than 20 varieties of orchids and 150 species of Caribbean plants and fruits.

Duty Free Shopping

St. Thomas is widely known as the best shopping spot in the Caribbean and one of the 10 top shopping areas in the world! Many duty-free bargains can be found such as perfume, liquor, electronics, china, jewelry , watches and clothing. Many of these items can be found at prices that are 30 to 40 percent lower than in the United States, with no sales tax, making it worth your while to pick up some things to take home. The duty-free allowance is $1,600 per person including children So a family of four can take home a total of $6,400 worth of duty-free items.

Historical Charlotte Amalie

The downtown Charlotte Amalie area is full of history. From the Danish street names such as “Kongens Gade” or “King’s Street” to the yellow brick West Indian style buildings – the evidence of its rich past lie right before your eyes every which way you turn. The long warehouse buildings, running from the waterfront to Main Street, once housed goods which were traded to colonial New England and to Europe such as indigo, sugar, and cotton. These buildings now house the many fabulous shops of downtown Charlotte Amalie.

The Reef Bay Trail /St. John

The National Park Service offers guided hikes down the Reef Bay Trail. Transportation is provided from the National Park Visitors Center in Cruz Bay to the head of the trail. An experienced park ranger will act as your guide. In addition to the Reef Bay Trail, the walk will include the spur trail to the petroglyphs and a visit to the Reef Bay sugar mill. From the beach near the mill, you will be met by a boat, which will take you back to Cruz Bay, allowing you to avoid the more strenuous walk back up the trail. This popular activity is offered for a modest fee by reservation only.

Day trip to Other Islands

A day trip to some of the other nearby islands is as easy as jumping on a ferry or a seaplane headed towards your destination. If you travel to the British Virgin Islands you are required to have your passport with you. Otherwise travel to and from Puerto Rico, and St. Croix is done with your driver’s license or other photo ID. There are regular Seaborne Airlines flights between the BVI and St. Croix (see Seaborne Airlines ad). There are regular ferries to Tortola and Virgin Gorda (see Ferry Schedule page). St. Croix offers the picturesque towns of Christiansted and Frederiksted plus the world class golfcourse at Carambola. In Virgin Gorda you will find “The Baths”.

Magens Bay Beach

If you are visiting for a few days be sure to leave yourself at least a half day for relaxing and sunbathing on Magens Bay Beach. Noted as one of the worlds most beautiful beaches by both Condé Nast and National Geographic it is a must see. Lots of things to do besides swimming and sunbathing like hiking the nature trail, kayaking, paddle boat and sailboat rentals. A nice bar and restaurant with a shop for chair rentals, suntan lotion, bathing suits and many other items you might need while at the beach. Indulge in a milkshake from the St. Thomas Dairy on your way home. Be sure to have a designated driver as these milkshakes pack quite a punch!

The islands lie in the path of soft tradewinds blowing direct from Portugal. Which perhaps accounts for the fact that “Santa Cruz” was among the first islands to be sighted by Christopher Columbus on his second voyage westward. He then sailed northeast, passing St Thomas, St John and Tortola and called them collectively Las Vierges.

Slaves were imported early to work the growing number of sugar plantations. The islands were also used as a base for re-shipment of slaves to other areas. After the Danish abolished slavery in 1848, planters began to abandon their estates and the population and economy dwindled.

Threatened by German expansion during World War I, the U.S. bought the Danish West Indies (now the American Virgin Islands) on march 31, 1917. Even then the islands were expensive real estate – almost $300 an acre. In 1927, residents were granted U.S. citizenship. Until 1931, the islands were administered by the U.S. Navy. Then they were placed under the Department of the Interior with a Governor appointed by the President. A locally elected legislature (15 members from all three islands) has operated since 1852 but it wasn’t until 1970 that islanders could vote for their own Governor, and in 1972 a delegate to the U.S Congress. Though U.S. citizens, residents have no vote in national elections. Nor does the Washington representative have a vote on the floor of the house.

Historical Postcard Collection Courtesy of Ron Lockhart

High in the southeastern sky is a bright star-like object, which is not a star at all, but the largest of all the planets, Jupiter. At this time of this year, Jupiter is seen against the background of stars of Sagittarius, the Archer. Sagittarius looks nothing like an Archer, most stars groups or constellations look nothing like you might expect. Some people can see a tea pot there, with the pot, the spout, a top and a handle. West of Sagittarius and Jupiter is the bright red star Antares. Since Antares is bright red, it is sometimes called the rival of Mars, the red planet. Antares is the heart of Scorpius, the Scorpion. Most people can at least see the Scorpion’s long curved tail.

Once your eyes have adapted to the darkness, look between Sagittarius and Scorpius
and you should be able to see a hazy band of light. This is the Milky Way, our city of stars in the universe. Galileo was the first person to point a telescope at the Milky Way (by the way, he did not invent the telescope). When he looked through his telescope he discovered that the band of light was really an uncountable number of stars. Today we know that the band you see is light from millions and millions of stars so far away that you cannot see them as individual stars, just as a hazy band of light. When you look at the Milky Way in the direction of Sagittarius, you are looking toward the center of our galaxy.

Showers of shooting “stars” are seen throughout the year, but by far and away the best is the Perseid meteor shower. In July 1862 a comet was “discovered” and named after the two men who reported seeing it, Swift-Tuttle. Actually, a review of historical records showed sightings as far back as 69 BC. Every August the Earth passed through the debris left behind by this comet and we seen a shower of shooting stars. Each shooting star is really a pebble sized matter burning up some 30 miles over your head. The best night for seeing this meteor shower is between midnight and dawn the night of August 11-12th. A typical Perseid meteor showers provides about 50 meteors per hour.

One of the biggest attractions in the Caribbean is what lies below the surface of the sea. Teeming with plant life, coral and fish, the clear waters surrounding the Virgin Islands present an inviting canvas for undersea photographers.

Whether you simply want to take home a few snapshots or are a serious photographer, you won’t be disappointed with the variety of subject matter. You will, however, have different requirements in terms of skill and equipment.

Snorkelers can get some great photographs of coral, fish, sea urchins and the like, but won’t be able to get shots of some of the more spectacular life and colors below the surface. For that, diving is required.

A word of caution when using point-and-shoots: The built in flashes are rather weak, so the light will not travel far – no more than six feet underwater, Sharon notes. That means you’ll have to get up close to your subject, especially as you go deeper and ambient light decreases. To get clearer, brighter pictures, you’ll need to carry additional light.

For the more serious, much higher levels of diving skills and equipment are required. Sharon says that serious underwater photographers must be good divers with excellent buoyancy.

You also need a high quality underwater camera system. While cameras vary, some basics apply. Sharon currently uses a Nikon D-100 Ikelite digital camera with a special waterproof housing. She also carries two strobe lights to get the brightness needed for those vivid photos. Then there are various wide-angle and macro lenses.

Carrying all this equipment makes it essential for underwater photographers to be in top physical condition. "You have to stay in shape to do it," Sharon points out, noting that fighting currents is hard exercise. In addition, she notes that "people who are overweight or out of shape are more prone to decompression sickness."

As with many underwater photographers, Sharon opted for a digital camera over film because of the added capabilities and ease of handling. With film, she says, "you don’t know if you got anything" until the film is developed. With a digital camera, you can see right away if you captured the essence of your subject. Also, with film "you only have 36 shots and have to change the film after every dive."

Shooting pictures underwater is "totally different" than on land, Sharon notes. Besides lighting, camera settings are different and if you are using film, low speed is a must.

Some underwater photographers prefer to pre-focus their cameras before heading to the ocean’s depths. That means setting the distance, aperture, strobe position and optical viewer for a preset distance. Others, similar to Sharon, prefer manual adjustments on the spot. Though she uses automatic focus for everything but close-ups, Sharon adjusts everything else manually.

Getting the Shop

Sharon started diving as a teen and is a certified technical instructor, the second highest certification – only certifying other instructors is higher. In addition to teaching scuba diving for years, Sharon spent many years working in software development on oceanographic research ships. She also was part of the Pentagon’s 9-11 Project Team.

Never interested in land-based photography, Sharon started taking pictures under water about 10 years ago out of curiosity for what she saw. "I kept asking, ‘what is this fish’?" she says. She took pictures of them so she could look them up later. From there, her interest in photographing the undersea world evolved to the unusual and often unseen.

Her advice for getting the best shots includes "when you think you are close enough, get closer." She also recommends getting lower than your subject and shooting at an upward angle. Oh, and wait for your subject to come to you. You’ll get a much better shot than if you are trying to chase it.

Some of the creatures in Sharon’s photographs are only about a 1/2 (half) inch long and she often gets pictures of them sticking their little heads out of coral or cracks in rocks. She says she keeps an eye out for "something that moves in straight lines." She also looks for patterns, really bright colors, combinations of fish and plant life, and unusual behaviors, such as fish eating fish or fighting with each other.

When it comes to more ordinary subjects (sea urchin, fish and corals, for example) Sharon goes for the details rather than the overall perspective. She likes to get up-close and personal, so to speak.
As for the best spots for tourists to get good underwater shots, Sharon recommends St. Thomas’ Secret Harbor. "I can find fun stuff whenever I’m there," she says. But you can also make things happen.

By digging in the sand, you can attract sea turtles who come to see what’s going on. And squid often will follow. To attract fish, crumble a dog biscuit in the water.

If you prefer a guided tour, try one of the many dive shops on St. Thomas and St. John. The dive masters know all the good spots and can give you hints on picture taking. Some dive shops even rent higher end equipment so you can record that perfect memory of your perfect Caribbean vacation.

Sharon Pool is available at 775-5859 or e-mail sjpool33@surfvi.com.