74.7 F
Charlotte Amalie
Friday, March 29, 2024
HomeNewsArchivesApples and Oranges

Apples and Oranges

Dear Source:
I am writing this letter because I believe that St. Thomas's identity has been misunderstood by National Geographic Traveler Magazine and by those who contributed to its St. Thomas rating.
St. Thomas happens to possess one of this region's finest seaports. Because of that fact, St. Thomas was destined to have a lively and raucous history, a great historic district – I understand ours is one of the largest intact historic districts under the American flag, and a lively and beautiful present.
Yes, we have cruise ships arriving at breakfast time and leaving at or shortly after sunset every day in season and most days off-season. In season, we often have several in port at one time, (although I have never seen 10, occasionally there are seven). From my perspective, as I make breakfast on our gallery overlooking the harbor, there is nothing more beautiful than the great silent boats gliding in, the sun hitting only their easterly flanks, ushered carefully in by the tiny pilot boats and coast guard cutters. Even though these boats are modern and big they do not look out of place in this setting of red roofs, shutters, white walls, step streets and turquoise waters of this old harbor town. I have been making breakfast in this spot since 1993.
As the harbor wakes up, I can see traffic on Veterans Drive snaking along the water's edge. First are the trucks of construction workers and delivery men, then folks bringing kids to school and going to the office or the legislature, and the workers in the downtown shops and vendors plaza setting up their wares. In Frenchtown, the fishermen have returned at dawn with their fresh catch sold there and in Market Square and in Hospital Ground. The newspaper hawkers have been up and at it from the start keeping everybody posted on goings on in this community and the world.
Meanwhile the day is underway. Ferry boats are coming in and out of the harbor from St. John and Tortola; the sea planes are landing and taking off for San Juan and St. Croix; day sailors are heading out; and, in season, the crews of mega-yachts moored directly on the harbor apron are polishing and provisioning their gleaming charges. Downtown is full of hustle and bustle on foot – probably it always has been this way. However, if you get off the shopping drag and take a historical tour, guided or not, you will see some great Danish tropical architecture, cool step streets, hidden courtyards, hidden views, lush trees and flowers, much magic in the old town.
The harbor is again the focal point as the day draws to a close. As the shops close, the cruise shippers go back on board, the commuters gradually clear the street, and quiet descends on Charlotte Amalie. On the Western side of the harbor, Frenchtown, Hassel Island, East Gregorie Channel, Water Island and Elephant Bay with its sailboats at anchor join sky and sea to provide the most beautiful sunsets in the world. Harbor lights come twinkling on. The cruise ships are all lit up and look like big white wedding cakes as they silently pull away from the dock towards the open seas, one by one; the little pilot boats and coast guard cutters giving them a safe send off and then zipping home themselves.
This community is tremendously diverse and has always been so. There were the days of the pirates, then the days of the slave traders, the colonizers and the freed black community, then the days as re-coaling port for the great steam ships, then the transfer to the US and its military administration and its popularizing of recreational scuba diving, to finally, the modern age of tourism and district and territorial governance. During all these eras there were people of all races, creeds and colors, just as in the rest of the world's great seaports. St. Thomas today is an amazing melting pot. One third of St. Thomas' population is foreign born and almost all of these are from the other Caribbean islands. St. Thomas is only about 10% white, and not all of these are Americans. Two hundred years ago, there was a major in-migration of French from the island of St. Barts. And there are still descendents of original Danish and Dutch colonists. The island's culture today is a rich blend of people from the Virgin Islands – our proud hosts, and people from Dominica, St. Lucia, St. Kitts, Nevis, Anguilla, Tortola, St. Martin, the Dominican Republic, Haiti, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and from other Caribbean islands, as well as African American and white American transplants.
Of course St. Thomas is more than a port. It is a beautiful island of white sand beaches, uninhabited off shore keys and mountains sweeping down to the turquoise sea. It was inevitable that it would be developed for tourism early and greatly, with such easy access provided by seaport and airport and a ready market of Americans ready to travel. It has its pristine areas, but it is not an eco-tourism destination. It is, however, proud to support St. John's ecotourism environment by enabling people to live and visit on St. John. It does so by receiving and shipping goods, foodstuffs and building materials, by providing air access via airport and seaplane, by providing the district hospital that serves St. John and administers St. John's community health center, and by providing much of the labor that commutes to St. John every day to do the work of tourism and construction there. St. Thomas also hosts retail outlets of food and household goods that St. John depends upon and that St. John residents take the barge over to go to – Cost U Less, Home Deport, PriceMart and Kmart to name a few big ones. This modern commercial activity may not be pretty, but it is well zoned and it sure enhances survival for us all.
Can St. Thomas improve? You bet! And for the wake up call factor alone, I almost didn't write this letter. But the reality is the National Geographic Traveler article was comparing apples and oranges when it included St. Thomas with eco-tourism islands. I would like to see us compared with other great historical port islands to see if the extras we have to offer in our beautiful resorts, in our opportunities to enjoy sand and sea, in our wonderful cultural tapestry, in the sheer loveliness of the surroundings doesn't just put us right at the top of the list.
With good will to all islands everywhere,
Pam Eckstein
St. Thomas

Editor's note: We welcome and encourage readers to keep the dialogue going by responding to Source commentary. Letters should be e-mailed with name and place of residence to source@viaccess.net.

Print Friendly, PDF & Email
Keeping our community informed is our top priority.
If you have a news tip to share, please call or text us at 340-228-8784.

Support local + independent journalism in the U.S. Virgin Islands

Unlike many news organizations, we haven't put up a paywall – we want to keep our journalism as accessible as we can. Our independent journalism costs time, money and hard work to keep you informed, but we do it because we believe that it matters. We know that informed communities are empowered ones. If you appreciate our reporting and want to help make our future more secure, please consider donating.