Green - The Call of the Wild

The park's natural beauty has something to entice all five senses, our resident ranger has discovered

by Jessica Hornbeck

When was the last time you listened to nature? Observed your surroundings for more than a quick second? Using our senses allows us to draw closer to nature, a rewarding experience that can ultimately provide a deeper connection to something bigger than ourselves. Once off the beaten paths of Cruz and Coral Bay, it is pretty easy to be immersed in nature here. Being a park employee puts me out in natural St. John often, where I am constantly aware of my five senses. As a trained biologist, I am kind of like a nature detective. Much like a real detective uses clues to solve a case, I use my senses to help guide me through the dazzling array of natural beauty we have here in the national park. Below I have listed the five senses with my favorite ways to enjoy them, along with some clues to experiencing them on your own. The park is bountiful for all of your senses, so get out there and explore!

Sight This does seem like a no-brainer here doesn't it? From the island's mountaintop overlooks to beautiful underwater tropical coral reef gardens, we got the looks! One of the coolest things I have seen underwater was two urchins mating. The female urchin began pushing orange eggs out in a star pattern on the top of its shell, once she detected a male within smelling distance. A tiger-tail sea cucumber encounter will also leave even the most experienced underwater explorer left wondering, "What is that?" at first sight! When taking in the sights, take your time. Observe fish behavior at a place you have been snorkeling a hundred times before; you will always see something different! I guarantee it!

Smell There are so many different smells around St. John, but I figured I would stick to two smells that often prompt the question, "Where is that smell coming from?" If you have been around Cinnamon Bay or Caneel Hill and noticed a cinnamon smell - surprise, it is! and, incidentally, give them their names (caneel is the Danish word for cinnamon). A skunky (like funky tobacco) smell is indicative of bushes called congo root and white stopper, which are native to this region. Now you know!

Hear My favorite sounds that make me feel happy here on St. John are the tree frogs.  These little guys are fascinating. (p.s. Stop by the park visitor center and ask us for a guide to identifying these sounds.)

Taste The Caribbean is noted for all the unique flavors which it is home to. There are many unique Caribbean-inspired dishes, usually flavored with fruit or rum, which makes them taste unlike any other regional cuisine. My favorite things to taste in the park include two fruits, the tamarind and soursop. Both are sour/bitter and go well in juices. Learn about these trees and next time you take a hike, try and seek them out!

Feel My favorite feelings I have experienced on St. John include: a fresh water rinse after a day at the beach, being caught in a downpour after a dive, or the cool breeze which opens for the rain act to follow. I also love to dive, so the feeling of first hitting the water and entering another world to discover is a feeling like no other to me. It provides a great escape, and I feel closer to the reef creatures that I have studied. (The scariest St. John feeling? Sliding down the Trunk Bay switchback or Jacob's Ladder after the rain!)

Jessica Hornbeck lives on St. John and is a park guide/interpretive ranger for the V.I. National Park. She is also active in the St. John recycling group, and the Recycling Association of the Virgin Islands.

February 2010