7 Remote Islands Viewing Solutions Amidst Government Restrictions on Travel

So, you’re wondering what it’s like at the beach on a faraway island right now. Who is in the water – that cute guy with the red hair and hockey jock, muscle tower body? Or the kitesurfing girl with the long, curly hair? But. You’re stuck because of travel bans. We know the feeling. 

May we present some remote island viewing solutions.

You can now view webcams of Caribbean island spots in the Virgin Islands on any of your devices right now! 

Even better, why not set the right atmosphere for remote island viewing at home right now? 

Solution 1: Make yourself a fresh Margarita – or any cocktail that you have ingredients for at home. Next, swipe your iPad and find some soft steel drum music or reggae to hum in the background. If you don’t have that ready, may we suggest you listen to Soggy Dollar Radio which streams live worldwide from the Soggy Dollar Bar. One tune and you’ll feel like you’re sitting on the soft sands of White Bay. (See Solution 7 for more info on this world famous party bar.)

Anyway, run a nice bath, add some bubbles and soak in it. Now, bring up an island on your iPad screen – maybe one in the US Virgin Islands like a view of the Caravelle Hotel in St. Croix, US Virgin Islands – and sip away at that home-made cocktail in your hand. 

Solution 2: But now that you’re alone in your bathroom with that Sex on the Beach in your hand, you’re feeling a little lonely, right? Not to worry. If you visit these following links, you’ll realize other people who are probably lonely and watching too will comment on what’s happening at the location you’re viewing. (We’re starting to get the hang of this ‘together alone’ thing now.)

Or mostly, when they are there, virtually, they just connect with whomever is also there at the same time and chatting online via Youtube. Some may use this function to hook up with the closest person willing. 

At this point you may want to swipe to iTunes and find that song that talks about “lov(ing) the one you’re with…”

This webcam seems to be particularly popular in the abovementioned sense:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x10kOY5zVhA

St. John Spice Webcam – Cruz Bay Ferry Dock, St. John, US Virgin Islands. 

Others – this might or might not be more your style – may use this for the greater good. 

Solution 3: For those who miss getting out and appreciating wildlife, the next best thing could be to check for sea turtles nesting in the middle of the night right where a beach bar was built. Normally beach bars like this come into existence during a season when the sea turtles are not nesting. The next webcam location is a bar and was named after a type of sea turtle, a Leatherback Turtle. Please note, that doesn’t mean the bar was built on a sea turtle nest. But why not just check for live, night roaming sea turtles? Wild life seems to be more rampant during human lockdown anyway. Just keep staring, maybe with a Mud Slide to sip on now? (I couldn’t think of anything more “wildlife” than a drink based on looking like mud…) – Leatherback Landing, Cane Bay, St. Croix, US Virgin Islands:

You may one day even stare at the beach in Cruz Bay, St. John and realise you’re looking at a dolphin – or golly, an alien – doing a jump for the webcam, just to show ‘em! The Beach Bar, Cruz Bay, St. John, US Virgin Islands:

or a live webcam overlooking Schooner Bay in St. Croix, US Virgin Islands:

Solution 4: See calm waters ripple and palm trees flap in an easy, possibly balmy (we hope) breeze. You’re so tired after making that umpteenth sourdough bread or attending that Zoom exercise class, like nearly everybody else was during lockdown. This webcam is basically simply for watching the beautiful ocean as it is at the newest hotel in Frederiksted, The Fred Hotel, Restaurant & Bar, St. Croix, US Virgin Islands:

Solution 5: Since you can’t physically be at a party in the Virgin Islands right now, what you can do is click on this webcam of downtown Christiansted, St. Croix – which normally is the location for a party, provided it’s not under the influence of a pandemic or hurricane. This link may help on a Friday or Saturday night as many concerts and parties happen in this area. Also, just so you can check and see that everyone else, even at a notorious party place, is also not partying. 

Caravelle Hotel & Casino Concert Cam, St. Croix, US Virgin Islands:

Solution 6: Worried about your career – like mostly everyone else in the world – and whether anyone else is mingling with potential business contacts and not you? Well, check out the remote view of 5 star, Buccaneer Hotel – that potential client you’ve been wanting to approach with your business card might be playing golf or tennis again right now or in the next week – Buccaneer Beach and Golf Resort, St. Croix, US Virgin Islands. At least you can know now how often and when he normally plays tennis or golf there. 

Solution 7: Make a list of all these locations and venues for when the travel ban lifts. That way you will immediately know where and when to go in the Virgin Islands. When you get there, and the travel bans are now slowly lifting, you may also be in a boat party mood. Therefore, you shouldn’t miss a remote view of the famous Soggy Dollar Bar in Joost van Dyk now. I mean, you have to check where is the best spot to dock your boat. If you have a boat. Or if your friend has a boat. Or if your friend has a friend with a boat. Or if your boat has a friend.  Soggy Dollar Bar – Jost Van Dyke, White Bay, British Virgin Islands.

How to get there? No worries, we’ve got you covered. You can rent a boat like the Caribbean Blue Boat Charters. They can take you from St. Thomas to the British Virgin Islands, just be sure to bring your passport. 

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Discover Pig Beach, BAHAMAS – Where Pigs Rule (and Swim)

You’re stuck in your office, surfing the web for just about any getaway to sunny shores and you come across this story about pigs living it up on their own island in the Bahamas. WTF!? – as in Modern Family’s Phil’s acronym – Why The Face? Well, stop making a face and start reading this. For if pigs can swim in the Bahamas, so can you!

Picture from Instagram.com/theswimmingpigs

You can even visit and swim with them, these porkers. There are about 20 pigs and piglets on Pig Island, also known as Major Cay, Big Major Cay or just Pig Beach. The island is uninhabited and located in an area that comprises more than 300 islands in the Bahamas, called Exuma. They are not the only animals there, there are some goats and stray cats to be seen too.

How did they get there and how do they survive, you ask? For one thing, in order for any living being to survive, they need water. Lucky for these porkies, there are three fresh water springs on the island. What about food then? Currently they are fed by locals and tourists – a big attraction in the Bahamas.

But how these hogs got to the island is somewhat of an urban legend. There are various theories and speculations, one being that the boars were brought to the island as part of a business venture to create a tourist attraction. Another, and the most “famous” one, is that sailors brought some sows to the island with the intention to eat them at a later stage. But they never returned. Then there is the story that the swine survived a shipwreck and swam to the island to save themselves and survived on food dumped from passing ships. A last theory is that the pigs escaped from a nearby islet – and decided to rule their own island, named after themselves.

If you want to stay near Big Major Cay where the hogs are cohabitants, according to Angie Away, “your best option is itty-bitty Staniel Cay, which offers a sizable marina, several small hotels (EMBRACE Resort is my favorite) and an airstrip. From there, you can rent a small boat or hire a local guide to whisk you over to Pig Beach. From Staniel Cay Yacht Club, it’s only about 10 minutes to the pigs.”

If you do decide to visit Pig Beach, be respectful, remember these are wild-ish animals you’ll encounter and that its their island, for goodness sake! Reminds me of Animal Farm – “where all animals are equal, some are just more equal than others…”

Pigs are very clever and cute but their bite can be very serious – when you try to take selfies they might think your camera is food, or even your face! (to quote an observation by Angie Away).

So, take care and be safe on Pig Beach – it will certainly be a very different getaway story to tell when you get back home.

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