Forum on Energy Costs

While our energy rates are still over double the national average, they have significantly dropped from Oct/Nov when power cost island residents 51 cents per kwh. Here is a forum that is discussing rates across the US. It is interesting to see the large variance depending on what local power authorities are doing in individual areas.

Cost Per KW Forum

Wind Power Coming to St. Thomas

VI Daily News

The wind will be used once again in the VI for power (previously used to power mills for sugar cane). This is great news and once people see it working, there will be a push for more and more.

Hurricane Omar

Well, we survived Omar. At the last second he took a detour to the east. At 11pm we were told to expect a direct hit by a Category 3 Omar between 1-3am. Sometime in between there he went right and passed us by. We still got some really strong winds and plenty of rain, but we didn't lose a single tent cottage. We are underway unpacking and drying ourselves out, but are going to be back to 100% shortly.

Aluminum Can Recycling

Here is a video on a way to turn an aluminum can into an change holder/ashtray. Visitors to Maho will notice this as part of the new decor.


Recycle Cans Into Ashtrays

Power Going Up

The Virgin Islands power supply comes from WAPA (Water and Power Authority). All of the power is generated using fossil fuels. As you can imagine, getting the fuel here is more expensive than in other places. The average price per Kw hour in the United States is 9.09 cents. Here in the Virgin Islands, it is now 55 cents per kwh. In June a 22% increase was approved. Just this week, another 19% increase was approved. So in three months, we have gone from 36 to 55 cents. That kind of increase is unheard of anywhere else. The second increase really has people wondering how the island, its residents and businesses, are going to cope. Another price increase has been the Ferry companies adding an additional $1.10 to every passenger ticket for a fuel surcharge. The VI Daily News did an article before the increase. Click Here to Read.

Tropical Storm Fay

By now you have heard of Fay. Just yesterday she got her name legally changed from Invest 92 (aka The Joker) to Fay. The Joker formed overnight in the mid Atlantic on Sunday August 10th. Although no models predicted it forming into a hurricane, the track of the tropical wave had the Northern Antilles in its sites (thats our neck of the woods). No one was even sure if it would become a tropical depression, but we have to watch it because its out there. Within 2 days a whole new path had been predicted which would route it out to sea and it was weakening. That's good news for us, we don't have to worry about watching it anymore. Then, the morning of the 13th, everything has changed. What was Invest 92 had been unofficially dubbed "The Joker". The path has changed and it had started to intensify again. They officially categorized it a Tropical Depression (tropical wave --> depression --> storm --> hurricane). Where did that path change to? It looked as though all four model predictions had their lines drawn straight through St. John. Sure enough, Thursday night at around 11pm the light show started. We've definitely had worse thunderstorms, but it still didn't provide for a great nights sleep. The rain was much needed on the island and there was no damage, so we are thankful for that. So although we did have an encounter with this storm, we caught it, or it caught us, early on before any intensification. We will still be watching to see the effects it has on Cuba and the States.

Ferry Schedule Changes

Fuel prices have forced the ferry boat companies to add a $1.10 fuel surcharge to all passenger ferry tickets. This increase is really going to hurt the local workers who rely on the ferries for transportation every day. They have also eliminated some of their routes. Please read below if you are planning on coming between now and November, this information will help you in making plans for logistics.

"Starting July 6, commuters are going to be seeing fewer ferry runs from St. Thomas to St. John and less money in their pockets after paying their fares, thanks to a ruling by the Public Services Commission during an emergency meeting Thursday on St. Thomas. An extra $1.10 fuel surcharge will be tacked onto all passenger tickets, including regular $5 tickets, $3 commuter tickets, $2.50 bulk tickets, $1.50 student tickets, $1.25 senior tickets, and the $1 fare for children under age 12."

"Until the beginning of November, both Transportation Services and Varlack Ventures will only be making runs during the week from Cruz Bay to Charlotte Amalie at 7:15 a.m. and 3:45 p.m., and from Charlotte Amalie to Cruz Bay at 9 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. During the weekend, the Cruz Bay to Charlotte Amalie ferry will run at 11:15 a.m., with a return trip running at 1 p.m. The 7 p.m. and 9 p.m. runs from Cruz Bay to Red Hook have also been eliminated, along with the 8 p.m. and 10 p.m. runs from Red Hook to Cruz Bay." www.onepaper.com