The Caves of Brewers Bay (St. Thomas-USVI)

[Since I “blew” my New Year’s resolution for the month of January, I thought it would be best if I post this entry while the burn in my thigh muscles is still fresh.]


       We have anchored in Brewers Bay many times over the past five years and have never heard any mention of the Caves located on the face of the mountain about two-thirds of the way to the top. (See photo on right.) Recently, while anchored in Honeymoon Bay, Water Island we learned about them from Carl and Lesley of sv FROLIC.  They described the hike in detail and we could see the Caves from Water Island even though Brewers Bay was a twenty minute motoring trip away.  We made plans to go just two days ago.


       Fortunately, Carl was willing to hike with us and guide us up the strenuous path of boulders. It appeared to be a vertical stream bed from a waterfall, but not a drop of water was found. The climb was tough and vertical, making it necessary to grab on to trees to hoist ourselves higher and higher. About one-third of the way, we passed the remains of a shack along the path.  We paused to survey the “Rasta Ruins” and were amazed at what may have motivated him/her to haul every bit of material up to construct a shelter there. (See photo on left.) We even saw an old bike frame in the rubble!

      The only wildlife we encountered along the way were some songbirds, one gungalo, a snail, and two small nests of intensely territorial wasps.  Poor Carl- since he led the way, he got hit twice mainly on his legs.  I got one sting on my butt, and Dan got attacked on his arm. 
       In just under one hour, that included three self-imposed rest periods, we reached the bottom of the caves!  Someone had installed two lines for climbing to access the caves, but they didn’t appear trustworthy and we, after all, are not anywhere near capable of ascending the face of a one hundred foot high boulder even if it is rough enough to have multiple natural hand holds.

      We walked a bit farther up and around the massive rock and were rewarded with a perfect view of Brewers Bay below and St. Thomas’s Airport runway just beyond.     
     Our descent only took about thirty minutes, but it, too, was extremely difficult as gravity drove us downward at a quick pace.  I tumbled a few times jamming my knees and turning an ankle.  Luckily, today as I write this all ailments are gone!




The path to The Caves is landscaped, but unmarked...