Cruz Bay, St. John Well Past Irma
The drive up the hill from Cruz Bay along North Shore Road had always filled me with excitement for what was to come. Ahead lay miles and miles of hiking trails, historic ruins, and some of the finest beaches anywhere in the world. All around would be incredible sea- and landscapes showcasing St. John, her surrounding island neighbors, and scintillating blue seas, the whole scene absolutely ideal for our style of uncommon adventuring. On my latest visit back in May, though, my usual excitement upon cresting the hill was replaced with anxiousness for what we’d see behind us. Hurricane Irma had barreled through St. John just nine months prior. Would the sight of Cruz Bay from the lookout point atop the hill show lasting scars? As you can see in the featured image above, the answer, in large measure, was no. Aside from a handful of roofs bearing blue tarps, it’s hard to tell that Irma passed this way at all.