Save Coral Bay!

Save Coral Bay!

(Photo courtesy of Daniel Joel Pinto)

Sometimes, people with money and power go too far, and the community fights back. This is one of those times.

So here's my letter to the Army Corps of Engineers. You can find out more at Save Coral Bay on facebook.

Dear Mr. [redacted]:

I hope this note finds you doing well. I’m writing to express my opposition to the proposed marina in Coral Bay Harbor, St. John, USVI – a project of “The Summers End Group, LLC.”

My wife and I visited Coral Bay for the first time in December, 2006. Coral Bay’s beauty and tranquility immediately captivated us. We have returned every year since then.

However, if the Summers End marina is approved, my wife and I have no plans to return. Since we love St. John dearly, we will continue to visit – and bring friends – but we will avoid Coral Bay. It makes us sad, but not as sad as a giant concrete monstrosity that is being forced upon the community. In fact, this entire fiasco makes us wonder if we should find another island that isn’t planning to pave paradise.

Here are the reasons I oppose the Summers End marina:

The economics don’t make sense

I have an undergraduate degree in economics and a master’s degree in business administration (MBA), yet I fail to see how the proposed marina would actually help Coral Bay’s economy. First, as is easy to see in social media, the people who live in and are regular visitors to Coral Bay do not want a “mega marina.” Any jobs created for the long-term would be mainly service-oriented, seasonal jobs.

But that’s putting the cart before the buggy, because I truly believe that during the years it will take to noisily pound 1,333 pilings into the harbor will destroy the environment and pleasantness of Coral Bay. Simply put, my wife and I will no longer visit Coral Bay if the marina project goes forward. During our nine visits to the area, we have brought 11 people with us. For the most part, we ate meals in Coral Bay and shopped at the groceries there.

How many other people like my wife and I will not return to Coral Bay if the marina is approved? That’s a very important question.

I think the mass exodus of tourists will have a horrible effect on Coral Bay’s economy. And what of those mega-yachts? How many large marinas are already within 10 miles of the proposed project? I don’t know the exact answer, but there are many. In fact, some have many empty slips. I just don’t see any pent-up demand for a massive marina in Coral Bay.

That said, a smaller project that truly shares information with the community and partners with it to create something everyone can enjoy – not just extremely rich people – would probably serve as a better project that both residents and regular visitors could enjoy.

The environment will suffer

In the water, the construction will destroy the sea beds. This will have a negative impact on the dolphins, turtles, sharks and rare corals that live in and around Coral Bay.

The pristine waters of Hurricane Hole, within the Virgin Islands National Park, are just one bay away from Coral Bay. The potential impacts to this unique and priceless resource should not be ignored for the sake of development.

The community will suffer

On land, the amount of construction equipment needed for a project of this scope will push the small community of Coral Bay to the edge. Based on the proposed pictures I’ve seen, the accompanying noise and debris for a marina this large will make Coral Bay pretty much uninhabitable for years.

Thank you for your time and consideration. I hope that this letter, and others like it, help you make the decision to stop this project.

Sincerely,

Scoop Skupien