Excerpted from St. John Off The Beaten Track © 2006 Gerald Singer

While Frank Bay doesn’t compare to the National Park beaches on the north there are certain advantages. It is the closest swimming beach to Cruz Bay and is within easy walking distance from town. It’s never crowded; you’ll will rarely find more than one or two people there. Be careful of sea urchins when entering the water and be aware of surf and waves caused by times of ground sea or when the wake of a ferry or other large vessel comes ashore.

Getting There
Starting from the one way street that goes past Wharfside Village in Cruz Bay, turn right at the end of the road by the Catholic Church. Go about one quarter mile, bearing right until you get to the beach.

The Neighborhood
On the north side of the beach is the art gallery, Coconut Coast Studios; well worth a visit. On the south end, you can enjoy typical West Indian food at Patrick Moorhead's small open air restaurant.

Elaine Estern, Coconut Coast Studios

On the other side of the road there is a bench, which offers the easiest and most comfortable opportunity to observe the tranquil Frank Bay salt pond. This pond was adopted by the Audubon Society and is a wonderful place to see pin tail ducks, herons and a host of other birds.

Enjoy the spectacular view while sitting in the shade of a palm tree. You can see the islands of Little St. James, Great St. James, St. Thomas, Steven's Cay, Thatch Cay, Hans Lolick, Grass Cay and Mingo Cay. Frank Bay is also an ideal place to come to watch the sunset.

Snorkeling
This beach was the favorite of the famous opera singer, the late Ivan Jadan who frequented it almost daily playing with an octopus that lives in a hole in the reef.

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