Page 34 - The Virgin Islands

In the mid 1900s the Virgin Islands saw the dawn of new times, more
prosperous times. Tourist seeking the warmth, beauty and relaxation
the USVI offers, vacationed in the islands. Hotels, restaurants and
shops began popping up on beachfront properties and in main towns.
With the rise in business and economy came a rise in the population
as immigrants from neighboring islands flocked to the USVI to work.
Today the population of the USVI is made up of people from all over
the Caribbean. The islands entered the new millennium as one of the
premiere destinations for tourist visiting the Caribbean.
Overall, the United States Virgin Islands is one of earth’s most fantas-
tic places to visit. Visit St. Thomas, St. John, St. Croix, Buck Island
(both), and then you will have had the vacation of your lifetime. On
St. John there are gorgeous turquoise bays for easy, wonderful snor-
keling in such nice spots as Hawksnest Bay, Cinnamon Bay and the
most famous Trunk Bay. These are all within St. John’s Virgin Islands
National Park. Then there are St. Thomas’ equally beautiful beaches,
such as Magens Bay, which is often rated one of the world’s 10 most
beautiful beaches. Snorkelers and fellow ocean lovers also enjoy Coki
Beach. On St. Thomas’ south side the incredibly beautiful and busy
port of Charlotte Amalie is the home of many snorkeling tours for
the legions of tour boats that take groups of divers and snorkelers out
to Buck Island, where the novice snorkeler is usually treated to a nice
view of underwater reef life, including both the green sea turtle (tortu-
ga verde) and the hawkbill turtle (tortuda de carey). When cruise ship
passengers are being shown the colorful reefs for their first time, see-
ing sea turtles is a huge thrill. Probably only the sighting of dolphins,
which is much less common, is more exciting than seeing sea turtles.
This Franko Map shows you just where United State Virgin Islands are
in the Caribbean, plus helps you put into perspective the geographic
relationship of the main islands of St. Croix, St. John and St. Thom-
as, plus all kinds of smaller, but significant islands and bays are, such
as Savana Island, Inner Brass Island, Outer Brass Island, Little Hans
Lollik Island, Hans Lollik Island, Thatch Cay, Grass Cay, Mingo Cay,
Congo Cay, Lovango Cay, Trunk Bay, Hawksnest Bay, Cinnamon Bay,
Coral Bay, Flanagan Island, Leduck Isand, Magens Bay, Saba Island,
Water Island, Hassel Island, Buck Island (Buck Island off of St. Thomas
and Buck Island National Monument off of St. Croix), Great St. James
Island, Little St. James Island, Dog Island, Pillsbury Sound, Cruz Bay,
Coki Beach, Capella Island, Charlotte Amalie, Cane Bay, Frederiksted
and Christiansted.
There are so many wonderful things to see and do amongst the United
States Virgin Islands. These maps are dedicated to promoting the Vir-
gin Islands’ fabulous underwater scenery, and will inspire the viewer
to love the reef creatures that inhabit the waters around these belov-
ed islands. This chain of islands and islets look like emerald jewels
spread out across the gorgeous, deepening shades of ocean turquoise.
The map also includes a miniature globe map for a perspective of just
where in the world the Virgin Islands are, as they sit far out on the
edge of the Continental Shelf where the warm Caribbean meets the
vast Atlantic Ocean.