May 23, 2022 | Island News
Wake up, smile and “seas” the day with a different kind of outing along the sandy shores of St. Croix. Freedom Surf Company owner Trevor Fitch offers surfing and swim lessons for all skill levels, offering a gateway to the surfing lifestyle and the freedom it gives. Trevor always knew he wanted to live in the Caribbean. After graduating from high school and gaining work experience, he took a leap of faith and made the journey to St. Croix. “This island is super special to me and has taught me a lot,” said Trevor. “The main difference between here and living elsewhere is that people enjoy life and live in the moment and being here has allowed me the opportunity to do just that.”
Trevor would volunteer his time and skills at local schools to connect with the youth on the island. Determined to share his love of surfing with them, he started a high school program in June 2021 with a total of 12 kids. He got the idea to offer the program after a family approached him on the beach to give them surf lessons. He was thrilled to see how surfing changed their outlook. “You could see the genuine happiness in each student during the summer camp,” he said. From that point on,
Trevor knew he wanted to do more to teach surfing not only to the island’s youth but as many people on the island as possible. Freedom Surf Company was established in August 2021 and the rest is history.
When asked why people should give surfing a try, Trevor shared how therapeutic the sport is. “There aren’t too many activities that help a person’s spiritual, mental and physical health,” he said. “Surfing is a lot like life being that it is a long journey where learning never ends, and the practice of patience is at the center of it all.”
Ready to give surfing a try? Freedom Surf Company offers a money-back guarantee to all customers. They are confident that each student will be able to stand up on their board and ride a first wave to shore by the end of the first lesson. If not, all money for the lesson is returned. Lessons are $75 per person with bundle offers available when 3 or more people take a lesson. They offer weekly sales and promotions with various prizes and giveaways. Visit their website at www.freedomsurfco.com to book your first lesson or call 585.563.9284 for more information.
Article written by Anquanette Gaspard (agaspard@cruzanfoodie.com) for Coldwell Banker, St. Croix Realty
Photo from www.freedomsurfco.com
#stcroix #usvi #caribbean #surfing #surfinglessons #swim #swimlessons #waves
May 20, 2022 | Island News
When a well-renowned restaurant closed its doors on St. Croix in 2020, the entire community was left with a void that many were unsure could ever be filled. Less than two years later, the doors to this former popular eatery opened again. This time, a locally owned fine dining restaurant was discovered on the other side of its doors. With clean, minimalist decor and a warm, inviting ambiance, the true surprise is what awaits guests once they cross the threshold.
Unda de Gooseberry Tree is the vision of owner Michael Rey. “The focus for Gooseberry – as it’s affectionately called – is to keep our local heritage, culture, and traditions alive through food,” said Rey. “As the richness of Caribbean flavors continue to spread across the world, we want to remind everyone – locals and visitors alike – of where the explosion of taste began.” No stranger to hard work in the kitchen, Rey has had his fair share of successful restaurants on St. Croix. From the delicious slices of piping hot pizza slices from Pizza Mar to the hearty, home cooked meals of Oceanview Caf, Rey has fed St. Croix masses for over 20 years. Once he learned that the former restaurant’s location was available, he stepped in to start the process of revamping the space to give it a modern look and feel. “We want guests to have more than a delicious meal, but also a restaurant atmosphere that provides an overall dining experience that keeps you coming back for more.”
Gooseberry focuses on preparing food that combines recipes passed down from generations with bold, new pairings highlighting the darling tangy fruit, the gooseberry. The Caribbean gooseberry differs from other gooseberries found around the world. Green in color and tart in flavor, it is often cooked down into a stew and sweetened with brown sugar, ginger, nutmeg, cinnamon and cloves. Rey has successfully incorporated the fruit in a variety of dishes ranging from appetizers and entrees to cocktails and desserts. Gooseberry opened to the public on February 14, 2022. Much like its predecessor, the restaurant hopes to be around for decades to come as the backdrop for their guests’ most memorable moments. Unda de Gooseberry Tree is currently open for dinner Thursday through Saturday from 6pm to 9pm. To make a reservation, visit their website at www.gooseberrytree.com or call (340) 690-5115.
Article written by Anquanette Gaspard (agaspard@cruzanfoodie.com) for Coldwell Banker, St. Croix Realty
Photo from www.gooseberrytree.com
#food #stcroix #stcroixusvi #caribbean #restaurant #culinary #foodie #virginislands
Apr 28, 2022 | Island News
The Office of the Lieutenant Governor recently had banking board meetings held with local banks territory-wide which include Oriental Bank, Bank of St. Croix, FirstBank, Banco Popular, Merchants Commercial Bank and the Economic Development Bank. The banks reported that they have been approving more construction loans and increasing collaboration with the V.I. Housing Finance Authority which has programs aimed at aiding locals with homeownership. According to the VI Consortium, “the increase in approval of loans tied to home construction and homeownership in the territory follows complaints from lawmakers who argue that while local banks store hundreds of millions of government funds, they have not done enough to make funding accessible to locals looking to become first-time homeowners.” Read the full article here.
#stcroix #usvi #homes #homebuying #realestate #bank #loans #mortgage
Apr 19, 2022 | Island News
Starting today, the National Trust for Historic Preservation’s HOPE Crew (in partnership with the Nature’s Conservancy) will be having a two-week masonry training at Estate Little Princess St. Croix. The Estate Little Princess was established in 1749 and is a historically and culturally important site. The HOPE Crew program brings preservation and preservation trades to a younger audience. In partnership with CHANT’s (Crucian Heritage and Nature Tourism) Invisible Heritage pre-apprenticeship program, HOPE Crew will focus on training five local youth in masonry techniques. Read full article on the St. Croix Source here.
#stcroix #historicalbuildings #preservation #usvi #heritage #nature
Apr 12, 2022 | Island News
The St. Croix ground lizard is so rare. Since 1969, the indigenous lizard had not been found on St Croix, having been eliminated by mongoose, rats, and degraded habitats. Recently, the Department of Planning and Natural Resources has experimentally returned the namesake St. Croix Ground Lizard to St. Croix for the first time in 50 years. It is one of the world’s most endangered reptiles!
In an effort to help recover the species from being endangered, the Division of Fish and Wildlife has reintroduced two experimental populations to St. Croix. Since 2020, a big cooperative project with different partners have tried to create an environment more friendly to the indigenous lizard population.
Organizations involved in the project include: Division of Fish and Wildlife, the University of the Virgin Islands, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. National Park Service, DPNR Coastal Zone Management Division, St. Croix Environmental Association, California Academy of Sciences, and Texas A&M University.
Read the full article here.
Photo from St. Croix Source, credit to Department of Planning and Natural Resources.
#lizard #stcroix #usvi #caribbean #endangeredspecies #preservation #conservation #environment
Apr 12, 2022 | Island News
In March, Governor Albert Bryan announced that he plans on making St. Croix 100 percent solar-powered by partnering with a major energy firm that could build and maintain a solar plant powerful enough to easily energize the 84-square mile island. He cites that the rising cost of fuel could cause utility bills to go up and this could threaten the economy. He hopes to accomplish this in months and said, “I told my people think about it as we need to get the whole island energized in 90 days…” and avoid the high utility costs that the island experienced in 2008 and 2009.
The Virgin Islands Consortium also reported that Governor Bryan why he is prioritizing St. Croix for implementation. He said, “The reason why we’re looking at St. Croix is because it’s the easiest in terms of topography. We already had a 25 megabit plant that we were looking to install here, so it’s just fast-tracking everything.”
To read the full article click here.
Photo by Siemens Energy
#solar #stcroix #usvi #caribbean #solarpower #greenenergy
