Chenay Bay Beach Resort, St. Croix
Growing up with a Danish grandfather who often spoke of his homeland, I was intrigued by the Danish heritage of St. Croix. My visit to this warm island coincided with the last blast of winter we always seem to experience in late March. As expected, I did hear a great deal about Denmark.
France opted to sell the island of St. Croix to Denmark in 1733. Ownership changed hands through the years, but eventually, the United States purchased St. Thomas, St. Croix and St. John from the Danish government. One of the goals was to prevent the islands from becoming a German submarine base during World War I. These three dots on the map became the U.S. Virgin Islands.
While in St. Croix, I lodged at Chenay Bay Beach Resort, named for a French sea captain. The property sits on a gently terraced hillside on the northeast side of the island, just three miles from the capital city of Christiansted.
Although the entire resort has exceptional ocean views, the uppermost cottages can claim the most scenic vistas. As dusk approached and lights cast their glow across the water, I couldn’t have asked for a better vantage point to witness the dramatic darkening skyline. Another tiny island called Green Cay sits directly out of Chenay Bay, adding variety to the horizon.
Mega-resorts are fine for some, but if you want to be more than a face among the masses, a smaller, more personable resort might suit. Chenay Bay has just 50 West Indies-style cottages with fully equipped kitchens and welcoming, why-not-rest-awhile front porches. The resort sits on 30 acres of a former sugar plantation, and there are camera-friendly ruins to prove it. At one time, St. Croix had more than 200 sugar plantations.
The bar and restaurant at the resort sit very near the water. For me it’s the epitome of luxury to sip my morning coffee next to the sea, especially when I don’t have to get up for refills!
At Chenay Bay an over-programmed life can be quickly transformed by the surroundings. Beach and quiet is their motto. The pool and hot tub overlook the ocean, providing a soothing view of water everywhere you look. This isolated sensation is enhanced by the tropical landscaping, where bougainvillea and hibiscus are in continuous bloom.
If you want a break from your lounge chair and paperback, the resort offers sunfish sailboats, ocean kayaking, snorkeling and floating mats for the beach or pool.
When it’s time to explore St. Croix, go sightseeing with St. Croix Safari Island Tours. Leave the driving to others and let the fragrant breezes envelop you while tooling along in an open-air bus. It’s a great way to get an island overview from a knowledgeable guide.
The tour has a number of stops, including the St. George Village Botanical Gardens, Historic Frederiksted and the Cruzan Rum Distillery.
Another popular attraction is the bright yellow and white fort, part of the Christiansted National Historic Site. With its defensive position on the water, few pirates dared to approach this harbor. The fortress was completed in 1749 and has various exhibits inside. Tall cannons sit topside, quiet now, though they lead useful lives as photo backdrops.
One exhibit shows the living arrangements of the Danish soldiers. Pity the poor fellows who had to wear wool military uniforms, regardless of the tropical temperatures of 80 degrees and higher. Apropos for winters in Denmark perhaps, but not an island in the Caribbean.
The historic site is actually a collection of structures in addition to the fort. The park service maintains the neoclassical-style buildings as they appeared in the 1830s through the 1850s, the period following the peak of prosperity for the island’s rum, cotton, sugar and slave trades.
More Danish heritage was evident when we stopped at the Carl and Marie Lawaetz Museum. The 18th century greathouse contains the family’s antique furnishings and heirlooms – bits of Scandinavia transported to the New World. Old time photos fill the walls, and a family member conducted our tour.
Uninhabited Buck Island has been on the “must-do” list of activities for decades. President John F. Kennedy visited and was charmed by the island, later declaring it a national monument.
Our trip to the island was a half-day excursion with Big Beard’s Adventure Tours. I rarely step aboard watercraft, due to motion sickness, but I made an exception, since I knew we’d be staying near shore. There was time for a snorkeling lesson, before going to the reef. I watched as an 80-year-old woman went snorkeling for the first time – that takes guts!
