St.Thomas in the background
Being a romantic at heart, I always envisioned what life was like in the 1700 and 1800s. Around the time that Pirates and merchants were using St.Thomas and Charlotte Amalie as a haven and stopping point before setting courses for other destinations world wide.
Yesterday, I had the opportunity to explore Hassel Island. From a far, I admired the stone work on the ruins located on the island. They can be seen upon entering the harbor on St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands.
According to the website http://www.seestjohn.com/hassel_island.html. The Danes who settled St. Thomas constructed a fort called the Prince Frederik’s Battery at Magens Point on the south eastern shore of the peninsula. The battery was built in 1779. The British also constructed Shipley Battery on a hilltop on the north part of the peninsula and Cowell’s Battery atop the hillside on the south. The fortifications included barracks, officer’s quarters, a hospital, cisterns, powder magazines, latrines and mess buildings. Which leads me to my big adventure.
After packing a lunch, because you can’t do any serious exploring without the necessities of chocolate, Dr.Pepper and slim Jim’s. I commandeered our 8 foot dingy with an 8 horse power outboard and started out across Long Bay or more widely known to most land lovers as St.Thomas harbor.
For the past 200 years the fort has been sitting directly across the bay from the Marriott’s FrenchMans Reef hotel. How often have tourists and locals passed by without a second thought. Not I, not any more but not knowing what to expect I approached with anticipation and food.
What I found was captivating , interesting and mesmerizing at least for me. To think that I was walking on and touching the same stone work that some craftsman or laborer did in the 1700s gave me goose bumps. While I sat on the steps of the fort and drank Dr.Pepper, I let my imagination run wild and thought about all of the ships that passed this fort. Pirates, merchants, fishing vessels,Navy of most nations, cruise ships and pleasure crafts. Hard telling where my imagination would have wandered, had I had a rum punch.
St.Thomas and Hassel Island Fort ruins
Legend has it that where I was standing, the authorities anchored a chain that stretched across the harbor to the other side. When the harbor was threatened it was pulled taunt to repel ships from entering. Other legends have it that Bluebeard, the pirate, was blocked from leaving. (I love legends and they run rampant down here so don’t go using this as fact).
The walk from where the dingy was docked to the ruins took about 10 minuets. The path is not maintained , wearing shoes instead of flip flops is a necessity. Not only did the rocks and uneven terrain proved a challenge but the thorn bushes were everywhere.
It was worth the effort, the view was great and ruins were pretty well preserved considering they were so old, however I could see some recent decay taking place on stone railing and walls.
Wow what a picture this would make with a bride and groom standing in it.
Contrary to popular belief The Virgin Islands government owns the ruins of Fort Willoughby, these ruins are not under the protection of the Parks and wildlife department as other parts of Hassel island are. My hope is that the government keeps them in mind when budgeting. It would be ashame to see them decay more.
What a great place for an adventursome couple to get married there. Let me know if you have a sense of excitiment or want an unusual location to get married.
Arch from Fort located on Hassel Island U.S. Virgin Islands
