stairs at Isaac's?

say it's not true...what a freakin shame!!!

say it's not true...what a freakin shame!!!

I thought about going out under the cover of darkness with a power drill and loosening all the screws, but that would be wrong, right?

IT

I understand your concern, but look at it from my point of view. I've never been able to enjoy those beaches because I could not get to them. Now maybe I can.

It's an isolated beach; not everyone is supposed to be able to get there. I know that sounds elitist, but I don't want every beach on STX to look like Rainbow or Cane Bay. There is value in keeping it remote. It's also a major nesting site for sea turtles. I can't imagine the SEA people will be thrilled with this development.

IT

I tried to get to the beach once, but was intimidated by the eroded and dangerous path.

Cast my vote for safer access.

It belongs to the Nature Conservancy of the Caribbean.

http://www.nature.org/wherewework/caribbean/usvi/work/art31431.html

being ecologically conscious is a joy and part of that joy when going to jack's and isaac's bay was that there were hardly any people there ever at one time...you could sit on the beaches all day and just chill while checking out all the ways that nature was working...pure peace it was...nothing disturbed...clean...you would stand in the water and see straight through to the sea floor with hundreds of fish swimming and pushing against your body...you could walk out so far without the water ever going past your waist, enabling you to become one with the sea...coral, shells, sea urchins, starfish...the vibe was indescribable...unspoiled by TOURISTS and people that leave waste. it had an awesome wow factor...roughing it through the bush, making your way down the hills was part of the package...it seems like stairs will just spoil it...for those of us who love it like it is and for the wildlife that live there...EVERYTHING does not have to be accessible...EVERYTHING is NOT for EVERYONE...i do not climb mountains i cannot walk up...does that mean that because i and others want to climb mt. everest that they must install paths, pretty walkways and stairs? no...i leave those treks to those that can make it naturally...on their own...without modern conveniences. all paths are not meant to be walked by all.

It is indeed another sad day in Paradise. As Joni Mitchell once sang... "they paved paradise, put up a parking lot". While i sympathize with access for those who may be challenged to get there, Isaac's was just about the only beach left where you could just go and be without worrying about being hassled since it was work to get there. Now I fear it will be just like Shoys, just like Cane Bay...just like so many others. I believe we have plenty of beautiful beaches with "access" and it would have been a joy to have the one reamining remote and difficult to get to beach left just the way it is. The workmen have already left a basket at the top of the stairs which is filled with candy wrappers, dorito bags along with their tools. I can only imagine the garbage that will now be on this once pristine place. . A pox on you nature conservancy for this very poor decision.

Irijah,
Where would we be Without planes, boats,cars. As one caveman said to the other the weather was much nicer before the bow and arrow. (Now Stairs Yikes)!

All wonderful things Lizard - but please keep them where they belong ... we have them everywhere and there is value is recognizing and saving what we have before we lose it... and no im not a bed wetting tree hugging liberal. Isaac's is a special place, this is likely a road to ruin. Yikes is right. Can we please leave one beautiful place alone the way it should be?

stxfoodie,
The Beach has been used for years, even with stairs it will not get a lot of traffic, except soap box chatter,8-)

Isn't that the only nude beach on STX?

For the past couple of years you have been able to hike in from the Grape tree end without scrambling over the rocks so I don't see that have another easier access is going to increase the number of people at Issacs. It still is a one mile hike to get to the stairs.

Jim

So sad. Those were my favorite beaches.

roadrunner,
Didn't you just recently move to St Croix. You got to use those beaches as a tourist "no".

Progress? The last pristine beach. Oh well I just hope the Nature Conservancy keeps access under control and is a good steward of Isaac's.

PPllease, has tan tan taking tourists to tide pools ruined it?

We should be Grateful that there is another destination to bring tourists in. If you guys haven't noticed yet Hovensa is still doing really poorly, that was one of our biggest sources of incomes, we need every tourist dollar we can get.

@Lizard: Yes, I did recently move to St. Croix. So my opinion doesn't count because I wasn't born here? What a sad, boring place the world would be if everyone never left their hometown. I never said that there's anything wrong with tourists specifically. Locals can be just as destructive as tourists. The problem is the massive numbers of people that easy access allows, regardless of who those people are.

@Hiya!: In my opinion, yes. There are almost always people there, and the trash that comes with them.

Those who are willing to work hard to get to a beautiful place tend to respect it more than those who arrive via stairs or a Jeep.

Hi

Here are a few facts you might like to know.

The old pathway down the gut was creating a lot of runoff and non-point pollution. That is why the new one was designed and built; to minimize the siltation and damage to the reefs there where the nature conservancy is the steward, and beyond, down current. VIRC&D won and administered an ARRA grant for erosion monitoring and control.

Hikers to East End Bay have left their share of debris but the majority of the litter in East End, Isaac's and Jack's bays comes from the sea. I have been packing trash out of those bays for many years now, and access has lessened the amount of litter over time and made my job easier. The Grapetree trail is well maintained and hasn't overburdened the bays with traffic. I wouldn't expect the EEB trail to be any different.

TanTan Tours has increased the access and traffic to Annaly bay, but their impact has been minimal. Trash at Annaly is at an all-time low in my experience--much lower than it has ever been at EEB/Jack's/Isaac's. Hopefully one day the road will be changed to minimize siltation there too, but the tour folks are leaving the place beautiful.

Unofficially, Jack's and Isaac's have been recognized as our "nude beaches" but they aren't often used, and officially, you could still be arrested if caught, though it's unlikely.

roadrunner,
Your opinion counts as a resident and tourist. The point is that tourists have not destroyed the beaches!" Oh the US Virgin islands does not belong to the people born here", It belongs to the private property owners and Gov owned Properties on the islands. If Tourists or Residents want to use the stairs available or Jeeps that's OK for them to do so. If you want more control of a Virgin Island move to the BVI, but I don't think they will let you!

I don't want more control. I just want everyone to appreciate and respect these beautiful islands so we can all enjoy them.

Again, I never said tourists, specifically, destroyed the beaches.

Hey roadrunner,
{Locals can be just as destructive as tourists]:-o Who said that:S

Believe me, the average person has no clue how bad off Hovensa is (unless they tried to call an employee with a company cell phone today and learned Hovensa's AT&T account is disconnected for non-payment that is.)

PPllease, has tan tan taking tourists to tide pools ruined it?

We should be Grateful that there is another destination to bring tourists in. If you guys haven't noticed yet Hovensa is still doing really poorly, that was one of our biggest sources of incomes, we need every tourist dollar we can get.

The name "Nature Conservancy" is the dead-giveaway.
Obviously they are up to no good and don't know what they are doing.