A BIT OF ST. JOHN GEOGRAPHY . . . The 12,600 acres of paradise appeared above sea level approximately 120 million years ago and, primarily volcanic in its origin, it has a varied terrain offering moist subtropical forests as well as arid desert vegetation.

St. John is the most mountainous of the US Virgin Islands and unlike St. Croix there is very little coastal plains. St. John is the most mountainous of the US Virgin Islands. Its highest point is Bordeaux Mountain, 800 feet at road level and 1277 feet at the top. Hiking the extra 477 feet rewards you with a tremendous ocean view and strikingly cooler temperatures.

Today's forests are vastly different from the ones in the early colonial period which were subsequently cleared for crops. Many of the slow growing hardwood trees that originally covered the island are rare now in the second and third growth forests. The annual rainfall on the island can vary from 45-55 inches in the moist forest areas to 25-35 inches in the drier parts. The moist forests can be found mostly along the island's north shore and at higher interior island elevations where evergreen and deciduous trees can grow as high as 75 ft or more. The eastern and southeastern areas and the low lying coastal areas have a much dryer forest vegetation with many sorts of cactuses. Along the shoreline you will find the mangrove forests - where mangroves grow in the ocean, their roots protecting the shorelines and acting as havens for many marine creatures.

The clear warm waters surrounding St. John support a diverse and intriguing complex of coral reefs. The term coral reef refers to an integrated marine community, a functioning assortment of creatures. Sunlight, clear water and the warmth, between 70 and 80 degrees, along with the cleansing water currents nurture the slow growth of a coral colony. Anchors, a swimmer's flipper, and the runoff of sediment from shore edge development can destroy instantly what has taken decades, even centuries to grow. Preservation of the reefs is one of the Virgin Islands National Park's primary goals.

February, March and April the winds blow away from the islands causing the driest months. Around May the winds shift back flowing again towards the islands and eventually by August they are loaded with moisture bringing the much needed rain. With the exception of Cruz Bay all the water for the island's inhabitants is either collected from the roofs and routed to the cisterns or transported over by ferry from St. Thomas.

There are over 800 species of plants on St. John many sporting vividly colored flowers such as the large and showy Prickly Cactus blossoms. The tall and aromatic Frangipani trees and many brightly colored Hibiscus plants. Tropical fruit trees such as guavaberry, sugar apples, mangos, and bananas are also in abundance.

St. John is a sanctuary for animals as diverse as sea turtles, and reef fish, mongoose, deer, gecko and iguana lizards. More than 30 species of tropical birds breed on the island including the The Bananaquit, also known as the Sugar Bird, the black smooth-billed ani, and two species of Caribbean hummingbirds. Many warblers and other birds seen in continental United States in the summer spend their winters in the dense forests.

The Sugar Bird is the official bird of the Virgin Islands and can be seen in large numbers swooping into the open aired restaurants offering bowls of sugar to attract them.