Hello Tejas Tom,

You could try out Dorothea for just hanging out, swimming is not reccomended - usually quite rough. Hull Bay is not so off the beaten path but a litle bit. Lynquist is another one you could try. Neltjeberg doesn't get much people. Brewer's again not quite off the beaten path. Have fun.

--Islander

Islander, where is Lynquist? Have any directions?

Neltjeberg doesn't get much people because it is kinda hard to find if you are not local. I remember one time I went there with my brother-in-law and the song "Dueling Banjos" from the movie Deliverance started palying in my head as we made our way down past the junked cars and corrugated iron fences. Creepy!

On another note, is there a road that can take you all the way to the western tip of STT? I want to get all the way to mermaid's chair.

Lindquyst is between Wyndham & Red Hook, it will be prominent because of the chain link fence with one open gate & aa NO TRESPASSING sign near the gate, it is betwen the speed bumps & Red Hook just after the big hill/DIP before you go around the curve to the Ferry parking at Red Hook.

PH

Hello Patrick,

Botany Bay which is next to Mermaid's Chair has a private access road. I don't know of a public road that goes there. The roads that go deep into Bordeaux where the farmers are (which is next to Botany Bay) - are a bit confusing if you don't know where you are going and could fit the same description you used for the Neltjeberg road. Stumpy Bay is another some what off the beaten path beach that is out that way and it has a dirt road.

--Islander

What is Mermaid's Chair? First I've heard mention of it? I also just heard like two days ago that Hull Bay has several features.
1. That it is an awesome looking place from above.
2. That the road down to it is some kind of like 80 degree slope/drop off angle, whatever you call it, and is mighty scary.....and this was a native telling me.
3. The water is so polluted you would never want to go swimming there - something to do with the sewage from nearby homes?

Hello Paul,

Mermaid's Chair is at the end of the West End of the island, passed Fortuna, passed Bordeaux, next to Botany Bay - all the way at the end.

There are several nice look out points from the hillsides of Hull Bay and the surrounding area, the views from Tropaco Point are nice also (penisula off of Hull Bay). I don't think the road is all that scary - no more so then any of the other steep roads on the island - there is a steep turn to get to the beach at the bottom of the hill - but no big deal. I have swam there. About 4 years ago there was a leak in a government sewage pipe not at Hull Bay but at the beach next to it; the pipe was fixed but certainly something could happen to the pipe again - have not heard anything lately though. Other info about it; thats where surfers head when there are good waves - not to the bay itself but to the side of the bay sort of, thats where there are quite a few fishing boats, there is pretty good snorkeling there, its often nice and quiet, popular for locals on the northside, early morning walks with dogs, it has a beachbar/restaurant there thats pretty good, a little dive center shop- Check it out.

If you got to https://www.vinow.com/stthomas/beaches_stt/beaches1.php
there is a picture of Hull Bay and Mandahl Bay (the off the beaten path beach that was talked about in another post)

--Islander

That sounds more like the little cove/lagoon at Mandahl has REALLY brown water. There is one place on the dirt road that goes around the lagoon to get to the big jetty that smells like raw sewage. I was there the first time this past Wednesday & yesterday afternoon, the sewage odor was in the same spot both days.

PH

Hello Parrothead,

The smell at the Mandahl Bay salt pond/lagoon (as far as I know, not much construction or development out there) is natural and the brown water is as well. The limited water circulation in salt ponds of its nature combined with decay of leaves, trees ect creates a pungent salty, rotten smell quite like sewage but not as strong. Those observations the color and smell are traits of salt ponds.

There are quite a few ponds/lagoons like this in the VI - here is one on Water Island and its the same thing.
https://www.vinow.com/waterisland/attractions_wi/hiking.php

Here is some information from a book I have about shoreline environments in the USVI:

"Saltponds act as sediment traps when runoff from the land flows into them, preventing sediment and pollution from reaching sensitive coral reefs and seagrass beds. Protection of saltponds is of great importance in protecting these habitats. The strong odor which ponds often produce are the result of high concentrations of decaying organic matter. This is a natural process that produces nutrients used in the food chain. Despite the drastic fluctuations in salinity of these ponds they provide important habitats for many creatures including crabs, insect larvae and some halophilic plants. Birds, bats and ducks often live around salt ponds. The various colors (brown, browish-pink, orange, green or red) seen at some ponds are the result of brine shrimp and algae in the water."

--Islander

Are there any deer left? Isn't that where they lived?

Thanks, how many months have I been here and not seen the beaches on this very own website? Duh!

Given the recent discussion about seashells, perhaps the copy for Brewers Bay needs to be edited to remove the line " great for collecting seashells"?

Hello Beth,

Yes there used to be deer out in the forested areas of Mandahl. The area by Mandahl Bay is still for the most part not developed but a road system was put in for the purpose of future development/land sale. I haven't seen deer on the northside of the island in many many years. You still see them in some areas of the East End of St. Thomas and in the National Park on St. John.

--Islander