St. Croix

 

Real Nice…It’s a State of Mind

 

Geography

The US Virgin Islands are part of the Antilles chain which separates the Caribbean and Atlantic. St. Croix, the largest of the three Virgins, is 28 miles long and 7 miles wide. This intriguing jewel lies 17 ¨‚àû 45′ north latitude and 64 ¨‚àû 45′ west longitude and is one of the most beautiful resort areas in the Caribbean. We are on Atlantic Standard time, which makes us one hour ahead of Eastern Standard time in winter months when you set your clocks back one hour. Ruins of more than 100 sugar mills and great houses sporadically cover the island and offer an insight into the past and present culture of St. Croix. The fascination and allure of St. Croix belongs to its rolling hills, long stretches of white, sandy beaches, and an array of landscape from dry cactus in the east to a lush rain forest in the west.

Climate

AAHHH!! Warm! The sun shines year-round with an average temperature of 80 degrees during the day and around 70 degrees most evenings, summer being a little warmer. Trade winds coming from the East blow seductively across the island to keep the humidity low. When it rains, the showers are over in a few minutes. We average 50 inches of rain a year, with September and October being less dry than the winter months. During rainfall, rooftops not only serve as musical instruments but a passageway to the cistern, which collects the water. Water is scarce, so please use it sparingly.

Populace

Since 1960, the U.S. Virgin Islands have nearly tripled in population. Estimates put the figure at over 50,000 on St. Croix, 50,000 on St. Thomas and 4,000 on St. John. St. Croix was ruled under many different flags and to this day, islanders represent many nationalities and backgrounds with the most being of African descent.

The Natives

The natives of St. Croix, called Crucians, are very friendly but reserved people. Behavior that is loud and boisterous is often times frowned upon. A smile and a greeting such as “good evening” will surely help you fit in. Mostly everyone speaks English, however, the Crucians do have a slightly modified version of English, also called Crucian. Linguistically, Crucian, defined as Creole,  is spoken throughout the West Indies with accents varying from island to island. Crucian was born during the slave trade and matured by influences of Portuguese, Danish, French, Dutch, and English.