Excerpted
from St. John Beach Guide ©
2006 Gerald Singer
If you're looking for a small, private, intimate beach without having
to walk a long trail to get there, then Jumbie is an excellent
choice.
Heading east on the North Shore Road 2.5 miles from Mongoose Junction
or 0.2 miles from Peace Hill, is the small parking area on the
right side of the road for Jumbie Bay. Cross the road and walk
east about twenty yards to the rustic wooden stairs on your left.
At the bottom of the stairs is a short trail leading to the beach.
Jumbie Bay is the only beach on St. John with an African name,
coming from the word djambe, and referring to a malevolent supernatural
being, similar to the duppy of Jamaica and the zombie of Haiti.
Jumbie Bay is situated in such a way that it cannot
readily be seen from passing vehicles on Route 20 or from boats
sailing to and from Cruz Bay. Years ago, when there was only a
donkey trail on the north shore, Jumbie was even more remote and
private than it is today and was reputedly the venue for lovers
enjoying private liaisons. Because of this, it was nicknamed Honeymoon
Beach. (At that time, Salomon and Honeymoon Beaches did not have
separate names, the entire bay being called Salomon.)
Put your beach blanket down in one of the little coves of sand
that extend inland under the small seagrape trees for filtered
sunlight and enhanced privacy.
The shoreline at the center of the beach is dominated by a smooth
cement-like material called beach rock. Nonetheless, you can
still get into the water in soft sand on either side of the rock.
Jumbie Bay is more exposed to the trade winds than most of the
neighboring north shore beaches and the water can get choppy
on windy days. On the positive side, the breeze can be refreshing
and the rough water can lend a certain drama and intensity to
the beach.
From the beach at Jumbie Bay you can see Trunk Bay and the islands
of Jost Van Dyke, Green Cay, Whistling Cay, Trunk Cay and Great
Thatch.
There are no facilities at this beach other than garbage cans made
available and emptied by the National Park Service.
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