- Coral Bay, United States Virgin Islands
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Coral Bay in St John, U.S. Virgin Islands.
Coral Bay is a town on the island of St. John in the United States Virgin Islands. It is located on the southeastern side of the island. Though it was once the main commercial and population center on the island due to its sheltered harbor, it has fallen from prominence with the introduction of a ferry service to Cruz Bay, which is now the largest town on St. John.
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Orientation
Coral Bay is on the southeastern side of St. John. It is a popular hangout for American mainland ex-pats, sailors, artist types and more who live on sailboats or up in the hills. A traffic jam in Coral Bay probably refers to a herd of goats or a few donkeys in the middle of the road. (There are no stop lights anywhere on the entire island of St. John, and only one barely recognizable 'yield' sign coming into Coral Bay).
Coral Bay is more of a "community" (or, rather, "general area") than town, though more and more homes are beginning to pop up along the hillsides.
It is around a 30 minutes drive (8 miles) along Centerline Road from the main town (Cruz Bay) where the ferries come in from St. Thomas.
Many St. John vacationers do not venture out to Coral Bay.
Amenities
Coral Bay is home to the legendary "Skinny Legs Bar and Grill", "The Donkey Diner" and "The Tourist Trap" as well as some other interesting restaurants/dives such as "Island Blues", "Shipwreck" and "Miss Lucy's". Concordia Eco-Resorts (a sister resort to Maho Bay Eco-Resorts on the islands north shore) is just on the southeastern tip of the island, about 3 miles south of the crossroads where Coral Bay begins.
A small police sub-station arrived in 2005. It was abandoned shortly thereafter.
Eight tuff miles
Each year in late February, the Virgin Islands most famous race (the '8 TUFF MILES'), runs along Centerline Road from Cruz Bay and ends in the Moravian Church ballfield in Coral Bay (next to Skinny Legs). The 2011 race was won by Christopher Reis in 46:00, shattering the course record from the year before.
Emmaus Moravian Church
The Emmaus Moravian Church in Coral Bay is on the List of Registered Historic Places in the United States Virgin Islands and holds an interesting place in St John's history. The Church stands next to the Caroline Estate plantation, the site of a 1733 slave revolt that resulted in the murder of the plantation owner and his 12-year-old daughter. This church is said to be haunted.
References
External links
Coordinates: 18°20′53″N 64°42′47″W / 18.3480095°N 64.7131920°W
Categories:- Populated places in the United States Virgin Islands
- History of the Eastern West Indies Province of the Moravian Church
- Moravian churches in the United States
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