OK, you've been such good amigos I have to reveal my favorite, secret beach. It's DENIS BAY. If you aren't in the know you'll bypass it for more accessible and popular beaches. People who come here say hello to you "knowingly" like: "We know the best place don't we?"
So now that you know the WHERE you'll have to swear an oath not to tell anyone and you have to learn the secret handshake.
Not like this is a BIG secret, people know about it, it's just that it's forgotten, not at the forefront of people's minds when they think beach. There are many beautiful beaches with parking and bathrooms, but they don't have the feeling of unspoiled peace Denis does. And people just don't want to lug their chairs and stuff down the goat path, just like they don't want to take the hike to Solomon or Honeymoon (second favorites). This short bush walk is what transitions you from the real world to an island idyll where you could be the only person alive.
To get there you park at the Peace Hill lot. It looks like you're going to the windmill ruins, but there's a goat path to the right about 20 feet up the dirt road . You go about .2 miles and come out on the prettiest, most natural and secluded beach on STJ.
In my opinion.
Part of Denis Bay is private property, there will be signs where that land starts. All beaches on STJ are public, but you can't trespass on private land to reach them. You can access them from the water or in this case, along a path on National Park land.
The house behind the beach is part of the old sugar plantation - of course. You can't sneeze without stubbing your toe on some sugar plantation ruin. Later it was a residence, a guest house, and fishing club but the members didn't fish. They socialized.
The pylons are all that remain of a dock. See? Nobody!
The ruins are in good shape - lots of smaller piles of rock and 3 gable ended structures all the same size laid out in a row. I'm making a guess they're storage buildings, the product would have been shipped off from the beach, but they may have been group living quarters for the enslaved workers. I don't know, they're just cool. They're romantic, surrounded by wispy, thorny lime trees. It's always dark and a little spooky in here, especially after coming in from the bright white sand.
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| Gatepost |
I'm not supposed to be sneaking around in here taking pictures but isn't that part of the fun? I'm a ruins paparazzi! At least near the house, but the storage buildings are away from the residence. The house, by the way, is build on top of ruins, the people are living in the old factory. I'd really like to see that. I hear the owners are private and solitary hermit-ish people who wouldn't let anyone in.
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| "Welcoming Arms" Stairway |
These buildings must have looked impressive once. Kind of sad to think of the slaves having built them, everyone gone, the buildings too.
Hey, I just noticed those plants I steal, the weed things without a name. (See Bananakeet Garden)
This is the view from my folding chair. It doesn't get much better than this. I've got a silly book, my hat, long sleeved shirt, all sunscreened up with No-Ad, blustery NE wind. Ready for an hour or two of chillin' at Denis.
One feature of Denis is the tidal rocks. They're volcanic, like the entire island, but here you can really see the porous black stone. It's rough too, don't walk on them, you can get cut. When the water is low you can walk out to the little "island" called Perkins Cay. The view back to the beach is an interesting perspective, from your own deserted island!
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| The Tidal Rocks |
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| Perkins Cay |
George took this video with his phone. He said it's amazing to him that you could be in one of the most beautiful places in the world and be by yourself.
The surf was rough today because of the wild wind, but the tidal area is sheltered with pools you can sit in. The pools are like hot tubs - often warmer water than the sea because it's shallow, clear and salty, and swirling wave action. I had just taken off my shoes and was thinking I would get a surf therapy bath when out pops this fellow. I was out of that water like someone had set my butt on fire. George said I should have put my foot or hand out for SCALE for the photo. Here's some scale for you... how about a Mac Truck? The guy was huge and looking at my toes like they were sand worms.
I sort of had a reflex reaction and gripped the camera shutter.
OK I might be exaggerating a little, but for real his hard body was bigger than my shoe, his eyes stuck up like marbles on stalks, his claws were like pliers, and he was in no hurry to get away from me, which was unnerving. "What are YOU lookin' at?"
Once I realized I was faster than he was I got a chance to bend down and get a good look.
George was totally unaware. I could be doing a Salsa sand dance for all he knew. He's big on saying things like "It's OK, Honey, it's dead" and "Just pick it up, it won't hurt you." Even now seeing the video he said,"You could have picked it up from behind..."
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| Keeping My Distance |
Nothing is safe. I've been living a life of innocence all these years. So much for sitting in the tidal pool. I don't think I'll sit in a tidal pool ever again.
He's really ugly.
Adventures are what make a day unique. Anyone can go to the beach and just sit there reading, enjoying the serenity of nature. Not everyone gets attacked by an 18" long armor plated aquatic monster.
Good thing there's lots of medicine around, for my poor nerves.
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