Friends,
We find ourselves in the first week of a 2-week “Stay At Home” order due to a dangerous spike in positive coronavirus cases. This means no villa rentals or hotel stays for the next 30 days at least. Travel is restricted to business travel only. Read more about the latest travel update here.
We have to prepare to endure spikes, shutdowns and re-openings for the next year as long as the US Virgin Islands remains open for business and allows visits from family, friends, loved ones and tourists. The beaches are open until 6pm during the week, but close at 12 noon on weekends and holidays.
Hurricane season is upon us and a storm will be in our area starting tomorrow. As of this writing, we expect much-needed rain and some wind. Hopefully, that will be it. Please remember to check your hurricane supply kits, repair and secure your property and call your generator repairman NOW! Make sure you have as much done ahead of time. When a real threat emerges, it is nearly impossible and very stressful to prepare.
All public schools and many private ones have gone virtual this fall.
The housing market continues to remain very active. We seem to be echoing the national trend where home sales are up an astonishing 42%. The islands seem like a very nice option in this new remote work scene.
In other news, we thought it a good idea to remind everyone that the shorelines of the US Virgin Islands are public up to the 50 ft from the high-water mark or the first sign of vegetation (see code here). Of course, private property rights must be respected as well as the rights of those using the shorelines. We love the relatively open access to beaches that residents and visitors enjoy here. There are many beaches with plenty of open access and there are neighborhoods and property owners who provide the public access to one of our greatest natural resources- the beautiful Caribbean Sea. However, anyone can access the shorelines either by foot or by sea without trespassing. It is important to be aware of the law and we encourage a spirit of cooperation between beachfront property owners and beach lovers.
Read the complete newsletter here.