Anegada conch piles
Last weekend, a Beaconite completed the coolest tourist activity he’s done in his years in the Virgin Islands: visiting the conch shell piles in Anegada. He’d like to thank Kenrick Faulkner, of Kenrick’s Fishing & Sea Adventure, for taking his group out there. The conchs are a sight to behold in their own right, but just seeing them wasn’t what made the experience. Mr. Faulkner happily answered all of the Beaconite’s questions about the conch-harvesting industry, the point of the shell piles, and life on Anegada in general. Apparently, the piles are created because live conchs can sense danger and will relocate if they’re residing in close proximity to a shell. So the shells are piled all in one area to prevent mass conch migrations. Mr. Faulkner also brought a few live conchs along to show the members of the Beaconite’s group how the mollusc is removed from its shell. After they contributed those shells to the pile, Mr. Faulkner let the group keep the conch meat, which chefs at the Anegada Beach Club graciously used to cook them ceviche. The snorkelling around the conch shell mounds was also some of the best the Beaconite has experienced in the territory, with a reef packed with stingrays, turtles, lobsters and barracuda. The excursion was a fun blend of learning about Anegada, seeing interesting wildlife and relaxing on the water, and the Beaconite recommends that tourists and residents alike hire a captain on the sister island to experience it for themselves.
Visitors
Beaconites were happy to have a visit from their neighbours on Friday. A group of students from the temporary Elmore Stoutt High School in Pasea crossed the street and dropped by the Beacon’s temporary headquarters at Oyster Global Marketing as part of a series of field trips to learn about media outlets in the territory. Led by sports reporter Dean “The Sportsman” Greenaway, the students asked about everything from the weekly news cycle to the cost of printing the newspaper. The Beaconites thank them for the visit, and encourage them to consider a career in journalism.
For the puppies
After a recent article on the Humane Society of the BVI, a Beaconite is encouraging everyone who will listen to volunteer for the animal shelter. Like any organisation, the society has had growing pains, particularly since animal welfare isn’t always valued in the territory. But the fact is, by taking any animal that comes to the shelter, the facility provides a vital service that is desperately needed here. The shelter is currently home to over 50 dogs who would have nowhere else to go. There simply aren’t enough foster families for all the animals who need them, and transporting animals off island is difficult and expensive. There are new board members there who are devoted to improving the shelter, but change will happen slowly unless more animal lovers step up to the plate and help. A volunteer drive is coming up Nov. 3 and the Beaconite urges residents to attend. There are adorable puppies there who would love to play with you.
Think like a tourist x2
Last week, a Beaconite described how it can be jarring for visitors arriving to the territory in the year since Irma, especially as they walk by piles of hurricane debris, forgotten trash and burning garbage fires on the way to West End. In fact, just the other day, the Beaconite saw several families fresh off a Disney cruise ship — who had clearly lost their way or were lacking crucial information about designated tourist attractions — playing in the sandy-ish parking lot area behind the Crafts Alive Village. Despite previously taking a more negative perspective on post-Irma tourism, the reporter realised over the weekend that putting yourself in the mind of a visitor a little more could be a good thing. Too often she has squandered precious days off by staring at a laptop screen or drinking in the same spot on the same beach, but it’s nice to remember this place we all live in by occasionally doing some ultra-touristy activities, like taking a ferry to The Baths or learning about the history of Anegada. As long as it doesn’t involve hanging out in the Crafts Alive parking lot, the Beaconite is up for being a tourist more often.