Mastering the art of perfect adventure for 25+ years in the wild!
The best of what St. John had to offer is hidden in the surrounding seas, and there's no better way to explore than with Arawak Expeditions. This small, family-run business offers everything from guided kayak and snorkel tours to stand-up paddle-boarding rentals and instruction.
After 25+ years in business and living and travelling in the Virgin Islands, we have developed a deep knowledge and respect with the natural beauty of the island and national park. Their passion and enthusiasm for their country is contagious. Our guides possess extensive knowledge of the national park and outdoor sports and enjoy sharing it with guests.
We have organized and participated in countless beach clean-ups, mangrove clean-ups as well as clean-ups of the offshore cays and we’ve carried off hundreds, and perhaps thousands of pounds of trash and garbage from the beaches, mangroves and waters. We operate all trips with the utmost respect for the national park.
Since 1993, Arawak Expeditions has been providing unforgettable adventures on St. John and in the Virgin Islands. We’d like to invite you to experience the beauty of these islands “up close” on one of our exciting trips. Whether you join us on a half-day kayak tour or on an extended kayaking and camping tour, we think you’ll leave with a better appreciation of the natural wonders of the VI.
We were the first company to offer sea kayak tours on St. John, and we are proud of our record and our experience. Since 1993, we have expanded our outings to include fly fishing, paddle boarding and guided hiking. We also have a retail store in Mongoose Junction where we sell t-shirts, rash guards (sun shirts for the water), sandals, snorkel gear, dry bags and fly fishing gear. Although we are a small, family-operated business, our love for these islands is great.
Our mission is to provide safe, enjoyable expeditions while having the least impact possible on the natural environment. Furthermore, it is our goal to help preserve this beautiful, yet fragile environment through education and conservation. We strive for the best. We use the highest grade equipment available, provide the finest outdoor cuisine, and chart the most exciting trip itineraries.
We live in a special place. Here on St. John, we are fortunate that the Virgin Islands National Park comprises more than half of the island and most of the waters surrounding it. Because of the Park, we still have clean water to swim in, vibrant coral reefs surrounding the island, and protected lands that are safe from future development. But not all of St. John is protected, and there are some real threats to our environment that the Park can’t protect.
All of humankind is connected in some way to the marine environment. Whether you live in Denver or Dominica, our survival on this planet depends upon the survival of our oceans. Unfortunately, all is not well in our oceans or on our islands. From the Caribbean to the South Pacific, our oceans are being threatened by pollution, shoreside development, overfishing, and global warming. Coral bleaching is a fairly recent phenomenon that is linked to the rising of the oceans’ temperatures. We’ve seen evidence of bleaching here in the waters off of St. John. Bleaching episodes occur during the warmest months of the year, usually in August or September. Sometimes the coral can recover from these bleaching episodes when the waters cool off in the winter; sometimes the coral can’t recover.
What are we at Arawak Expeditions doing about all of this? First of all, we are trying to educate our clients to the very real threats to our oceans – not just here in the Caribbean, but worldwide. Secondly, we are doing what we can to clean up the shoreline and the waters here in the Virgin Islands. We have organized and participated in countless beach clean-ups, mangrove clean-ups as well as clean-ups of the offshore cays and we’ve carried off hundreds, and perhaps thousands of pounds of trash and garbage from the beaches, mangroves and waters. Furthermore, we are doing what we can to get involved with other environmental groups. For many years, we have partnered with the Friends of the VI National Park to help raise money for environmental education, natural resource conservation, cultural preservation, scientific research and improvement of Park facilities.
First of all, go out and enjoy the wonders of our oceans. Come kayaking with us in the Virgin Islands, go surfing off a point break near you, or simply go for a stroll along the beach. It’s hard to comprehend that our oceans are in danger if you’ve never put on a mask and snorkel and seen what’s down there. The more time we spend on the ocean, the more we realize how truly connected we are to it. Secondly, educate yourself to the threats of our marine environment. Log onto the Blue Ocean Institute’s website (www.blueocean.org) and read about the perils that face our oceans. Read what you can about global warming and how it affects marine life. Thirdly, get involved with environmental groups. Become a Friend of the VI National Park. Donate to a non-profit environmental group such as the Ocean Conservancy (www.oceanconservancy.org) or join a grass-roots environmental organization that is working to protect a lake, river or waterway near you. Lastly, realize that everyday decisions that you make have an impact on our environment and our oceans. From the type of fish that you buy to the kind of car you choose to drive, almost everything we do affects the future of our planet. Enjoy. Get educated. Get involved. Choose wisely.
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