"Let me tell you time tough, everything is out of sight, its so hard"
Toots & The Maytals
St. John (and all of the Virgin Islands) have been hit hard by power outages. They have been unpredictable and increasingly more frequent. I feel for those who don't have power or water, for both visitors and locals alike. With no end to the power outages in sight - you can still have an amazing vacation on St. John, if you follow the tips below:
If you are planning a trip to St. John, how can you ensure power outages won't impact your trip?
1. Check to see if your villa has solar+battery, or a generator. Solar combined with a battery (like a Tesla powerwall) or generator can eliminate most of the disruptions you will experience if the power goes out. They may ask you to conserve energy (like turning off the AC when not at the villa), but essentially you will have full use of power and AC when at the villa, even in the power is out.
2. What if my villa doesn't have a generator or solar? Unfortunately, you are more likely to be impacted by power outages if your villa doesn't have a back up power source. Check with the property manager to see what they provide, and make sure you have the following:
- battery operated fans
- solar chargers (for phones)
- flashlights
- ice packs (great to sleep with at night)
- bug spray
Plan your day so that you are out at the beaches (or air conditioned shops) during the hottest part of the day (1-4).
3. What about restaurants?
Great news is most of the restaurants have generators - just like anything in St. John, it helps to be flexible. And of course, you can enjoy the beaches and snorkeling without power.