St John Reef Bay Trail

One of my must-do's since I have been on St John was to visit the petroglyphs at Cinnamon Bay. A number of things had conspired to prevent me doing this to the penultimate day of my visit. I was able to get a ride to the start point for the Reef Bay Trail http://www.seestjohn.com/trails_reef_bay.html early on Sunday morning.

The sign at the start of the trail states that it takes 2 hours to reach the petroglyphs. I had two hours to be back to catch my ride. I had packed light just some water in a backpack and set off at 0720.
The trail is well defined and the first 30 minutes it all downhill. There are several areas where you have to do a little rock-hopping but it isn't too severe. Interesting flora and historical points are sign posted along the way and this make the walk all the more enjoyable. As I came across the ruins of the Jossie Gut Sugar Estate where I marvelled at the determination and industry of these early settlers and the hardship and misery of the slaves who helped build and maintain these plantations in the early days. Life would have been one tough slog for all concerned.

After a forty minute walk I came upon a fresh water pool which I am told is sometimes serviced by a flowing waterfall. and so I am told sometimes a waterfall. The pool water was a brackish brown colour, which is probably caused by tannin seepage and just a bare trickle of water dripped from the rocks above. Minute hummingbirds darted in and out of the rock formation, hovering in mid-air to drink from the trickling waterfall.

The area surrounding the pool is lush green with strangler fig and calabash trees, whose shadow provides a cool and inviting place to sit and contemplate what may have gone on in this place before.

The Petroglyphs are found in two areas around the pool. The facial representations are found on the upper level, whilst the line of symbols is found on the bottom level. It is believed that these petroglyphs were carved around 900-1500AD by pre-Columbian Taino and their ancestors. The carvings exemplify the designs found on ceremonial Taino pottery. The pool and symbols were sacred dwelling places and ritualist sites for the spirits and their ancestors.

As it was still early in the morning I had the area to myself. The sun was just starting to send its rays through the foliage, casting dancing shadows across the pool and petroglyphs. Humming birds darted in and out, studiously waiting their turn to hover and drink from the trickle. What a magical time.

My reverie was interrupted by another couple coming down the trail and this was my signal to leave the pond and head back. The going was a little steeper but not too bad, actually the rocky path made it much easier to climb. I passed five other groups of people heading down the trail and that alone vindicated my early start.

The Reef Bay Trail was the best hike I did on St John, combining the outdoors and history with a smidgin of magic and mystery thrown in as well. What more could you ask for?