Enjoy your picnics, families, get-togethers and what have you.

Open those grills and pools. Wear red, white & blue. Fly banners and flags.

Remember to thank all of those before us for the freedoms we enjoy today.

Just came across this vid on Facebook from Barefoot Davis, a local musician. Check it out and check him out all around St. Thomas.

And in St. Thomas fashion I pose the question…were they running really long extension cords through the St. Thomas tunnel to get the bass, guitar and piano sounding Just kidding Barefoot

Check out Barefoot’s website or Facebook Page.

All this rain has caused some problems in our waters. On Friday DPNR issued a notice advising the public to refrain from using the waters throughout the territory until these effects subside. There may be an elevated health risk to anyone swimming in storm-water-impacted areas as a result of increased concentrations of bacteria.

In other words…sewage runoff, at least that’s how I read it.

DPNR is advising parents to instruct their children to keep away from storm-water-impacted beaches, manholes and storm-water flooding and for everyone to avoid areas of storm-water runoff, like guts, puddles, and drainage basins.

Read more here

Yuck

I’m still waiting for an answer from my condo association but I’d like to report on the 3 Government vendors and their progress.

I went out to 3 vendors on the VI Energy Department’s list. They were:

1. Solar Systems LLC

2. Altona Trading & Sales (couldn’t find a website)

3. Solar Jeff – West Indies Solair

Solar Systems and Altona both came out the same day last week and Solar Jeff came out a few days after them.

Solar Systems immediately sent me a proposal on the Water Heater but I’m still waiting for the other proposals in full and Altona sent me an email a few days later. Solar Jeff has been extremely proactive sending me YouTube Videos, links, pictures and the kitchen sink and the entire proposal was submitted to me days ago.

Just for the record I told every company that I write the blog and that I’d be documenting the entire process

The other day I dropped my application off at the VI Energy Department for the Solar Water Heater. Within a day I got a call from a very nice lady, Terryl Diggs informing me that I could not use Solar Jeff to purchase the equipment from on the loan program (he had the best price and seems very knowledgeable) because he’s not on the list.

I ended up using Altona for the proposal as Solar Jeff was not on the Governments List to purchase the equipment from on the loan program. But you can purchase directly from him if you don’t do the loan program.

The program is awesome and works like this:

1. Get an estimate from an approved vendor here: http://www.vienergy.org/menubar/vendorst09.pdf

2. If you want to get 50% off and pay the other 50% upfront then get a check back from the VI Energy Department for the 50% you paid you need only fill out this application: http://www.vienergy.org/menubar/rebate50.pdf.

3. If you want to not pay anything and get a loan through WAPA click here: http://www.vienergy.org/menubar/SWLP10April.pdf. How this works is the VI Government pays the vendor 50% and then cuts them another 50% when the job is inspected. You pay 50% through a 1% loan on your monthly WAPA bill for no more than $50/month. This is a great program because most likely you’ll be saving more than $50/month through the new Solar Water Heater so it’s basically FREE

4. I’m applying for the loan through WAPA so now I’m playing the waiting game until I’m approved.

5. Assuming I’m approved by the Government I will schedule an install (depending on what my HOA says). If My HOA declines letting me use solar on my roof I will approach the VI Energy Department for assistance on dealing with my HOA. I’m cautiously hoping my HOA will see the value in solar energy

6. Assuming everyone says yes  Altona will be paid 50% upfront. They will install the solar and then wait until after the government has inspected it to receive their final 50%.

7. I save the planet and money in my WAPA bill!

Here’s a representation of the 80 Gallon Solar Water Heater Tank and 4′x10′ Solar Panel:

If any of this info is not correct please comment and let me know.

For more great info from the VI Energy Department check out Face to Face (Forward to the 11:45 spot to avoid the commercials and other unrelated info).

Yes it’s that time of the month again Time to get your Salsa on…your chips. Head over to Caribbean Saloon for Sombrero Sunday this Sunday the 30th!

Lest we forget Sex Machine Gun with be bangin out the tunes.

Caribbean Saloon is one of our awesome advertisers

p.s. I have no idea what they’re singing in that video so oops if it’s not the right tune

Machine Gun, Live at Jack’s tonight!

Get yourselves over to Jack’s tonight at 7:30 to check these guys out, they’re local boys gone wild and it’s a naked rain dance par-tay.

Those tasty and popular fritters appearing on appetizer menus all over the islands are pronounced ‘CONK’ fritters – the spelling ‘conch’ is misleading (don’t get tempted by the seemingly soft-sounding ’ch’ on the end)…

St. John’s is one of the following:  the oldest English-founded settlement in North America, a university in New York, the largest city of Antigua and Barbuda.  St. John (there’s only one, keep it singular, people) is one of the three Virgin Islands; more specifically it’s the one with both 1) World Famous Woody’s and 2) a house owned by Kenny Chesney…

A pina colada is a frozen drink; please don’t order it ‘on the rocks’…

We appreciate that you worked out before your vacation and want to show off your gym efforts while simultaneously scoring an awesome tan - however there is a local custom/law in all three Virgin Islands that requires men cover up their bare chests when shopping and dining in downtown areas. Ladies, this also applies to you; cover up your bikini tops when not on the beach. This ain’t the Jersey Shore (my apologies to New Jersey).

Unfortunately there is no law regarding fanny packs…

That is all.

Not sure if that’s a good price or not but that’s Cost-U-Less for ya

***UPDATE***

From Cruise Critic Cruise News:

According to a statement from Royal Caribbean, at approximately 1 p.m. yesterday afternoon, as the ship was making its way from Nassau to St. Thomas, crewmembers reported a coworker missing. Security immediately began their search, and alerted the U.S. Coast Guard as well as the Bahamian Coast Guard.

In an effort to locate the missing crewmember, the ship’s captain made the decision to turn the ship around and retrace its course from Nassau. After reviewing closed-circuit footage, it was confirmed that the crewmember did in fact go overboard. The crewmember has not yet been located, and the U.S. Coast Guard is continuing to search the area.

This is the second time this month an overboard case has impacted a Royal Caribbean itinerary; on May 5, 2010, a crewmember from Explorer of the Seas went overboard, delaying the ship’s turnaround.

****************************************

Tuesday usually means an appearance by the huge Oasis of the Seas ship in Crown Bay, St. Thomas. But not this Tuesday – reports are floating around that someone fell overboard yesterday.

A message thread was started by a member of Cruise Critic yesterday afternoon. They are currently on the Oasis and stated that the Captain was turning the ship around to search for a possible person who fell overboard. The latest post on the thread was from the same person, typed early this morning, 12:44am, stating that it’s believed to be a crew member who failed to show for work yesterday morning. Further web searches are revealing that the crew member is male.

What a scary situation, for confused and worried passengers – but definitely for the family members of the missing person. We hope for a positive outcome.

Okay, it seems like one of the ferries that allows you to drive your car on-board to St. John also has a bar and allows you to drink…and potentially drive.

Yet the ferry that allows just people on-board doesn’t allow you to drink or sell alchohol.

Am I wrong on this or is this another one of the charms of the US Virgin Islands?

And so they are:

Saturday May 29th, everyone needs to dress like Sarah Conner!

Head over to Pure’ly Paws

We’re heading over to the Parrot Club in Cruz Bay - St. John Saturday Night the 22nd night for a Par-Tay. Gonna be some good times. They have wine tasting and Shaine is notorious for breaking out the Gran Patron.

So ferry over and have way to much fun!

The Parrot Club is one of our awesome advertisers

See Turbidity live at Jack’s tonight at 7:30. Don’t miss these guys they’re pretty cool.

Jack’s is one of our awesome advertisers and we like them

It’s no secret that electricity is expensive on this island, three times the cost of the states. Solar panels seem to be a logical next step when reviewing our monthly WAPA bill and figuring out where we can remove some of the pain. And all the while reducing our carbon footprint. We’ve been researching and pricing out possible solar scenarios – however, as we live in a condo association we need to take the first step. I wrote an email to the President of our association this past weekend and requested permission to put solar panels on our roof.

Here’s what he asked me:

1. Reference to the authority that condo associations cannot disallow alternative energy for any reason.

Ouch, that doesn’t sound good for me huh? But there is a VI Law that basically says, in laymans terms, any rules established by an association concerning solar are trumped by the VI Government who is hot (pardon the pun) for solar and wind. I sent him the law.

2. Pictorial representations of the equipment to be installed.

Fair enough. Sent.

3. Drawings of the location and extent of the equipment installed.

Fair enough. Sent.

4. Statement from any units affected by the installation agreeing to allow the installation.

Huh? Not sure how any other unit owners could be affected since solar panels are laying flat on my roof? Do you think he means would anyone be offended by how our solar panels look? That they may be interrupted by the actual labor?

I responded to his questions immediately and received this email back from him:

Mr. White,

The information has been received and is being reviewed. You will be contacted if any further information is required or upon any decision by the Board.

Scott McClanahan

So what do you think St. Thomas? You think the Board will allow me to go green or send me packing?

If I’m allowed to put up the panels (and really, why wouldn’t they promote green energy?) I will be documenting the entire process of working with the Government, the actual installation and any changes we see in our monthly bills. Should be interesting.

Feel free to share your experience with solar – we’d love to hear about it!