St. John celebrated the earth with Earth Day Friday. Saturday, it was the coral reefs’ turn as the Friends of V.I. National Park held its third annual Reef Fest at Hawksnest Bay Beach.
“We’re celebrating what surrounds this beautiful island and what’s left of our coral reefs,” Friends program manager Audrey Penn said.
Reef Fest is a beach party that includes lunch provided by the Friends, exhibits by various groups and people, and snorkeling and diving lessons that attract mainly kids.
Laurel Brannick, who is the park’s education specialist, said she thinks more children know how to swim than previously believed, but park Deputy Superintendent Mike Anderson said he wished even more would learn how.
Anderson said swimming can lead to competitive swimming and snorkeling. “It’s such a great opportunity where the reef is so close to the shore,” he added.
Jarius Penn, 12, and Kahleem Powell, 9, were headed for the water, but stopped to chat with Brannick and some friends. According to Penn, he came to Reef Fest to see all the activities.
“And how to help the earth,” he said.
Powell summed it up. “It’s fun.”
Several youths were busy playing with V.I. Environmental Resource Stations interactive watershed model.
“We’re promoting environmental conservation,” VIERS manager Randy Fish explained.
The University of the Virgin Islands Sea Grant program was on hand to promote its free June 25 to 29 Coral Reef Discovery summer camp for teens on its St. Thomas campus.
“They’ll work alongside professionals. It’s very hands on,” Christine Settar, who heads the Sea Grant program, said.
Sea Grant also had a display of coral skeletons, so youths could match the skeletons to pictures of live coral.
Keshema Webbe was wearing two hats. She’s the Environmental Protection Agency’s life scientist, but she was also representing the V.I. Network of Environmental Educators. As the VINE representative, she had a display set up to explain the Blue Flag international program that certifies beaches and marinas meeting stringent standards set by the Foundation for Environmental Education. In 2011, Trunk Bay on St. John, Lindbergh Bay and Grand Bay on St. Thomas, and Pelican Cove on St. Croix received certification.
This year, Webbe expects Cinnamon Bay on St. John, Crown Bay Marina on St. Thomas, and Green Cay and Sandcastle on the Beach to received Blue Flag certification.
The St. John Yacht Club had a table set up to demonstrate how to tie line to a cleat. The group was also giving out t-shirts to those who successfully mastered the task necessary to keep their boats secure.
“We care about the Earth. It’s a fragile environment,” yacht club Commodore Scott Barnett said.
