Gibney Beach facts for kids

Gibney Beach is a beautiful white sandy beach located on St. John Island in the United States Virgin Islands. It's part of Hawksnest Bay. This beach is special because it has lots of amazing plants and animals, both on the sand and in the clear blue water. It also has a unique history, mixing old colonial times, native people, and the free-spirited "beatnik" and "hippie" movements.

History of Gibney Beach

Land and Its Owners

In 1950, a writer-artist named Robert Gibney and his wife, Nancy Flagg Gibney, bought this land. They were from New York City. Before they bought it, the beach was just known as Hawksnest Beach. The Gibneys bought about 40 acres (160,000 m²) of land. Over the years, parts of this land have been sold.

Today, some of Gibney Beach is part of the Virgin Islands National Park. This means it's a protected area for everyone to enjoy. A small piece of land on the beach was sold in 1957 to J. Robert Oppenheimer, a famous scientist known as "the father of the atomic bomb." His daughter later gave this land to "the people of Saint John." The house on this land was fixed up and is now a community center.

The rest of the Gibney property is still private. It has the original Gibney home and two guest houses that people can rent for vacations. There are also many fruit trees and beautiful island plants. The part of the beach in front of the trees is open to the public. Trees along the beach offer nice shade. Sometimes, people even bring their dogs and horses to the beach!

Early History of the Area

Around the year 1100 AD, the Taino Indians lived on St. John's North Shore. They built villages, including one near what is now Hawksnest Point. Early European settlers called this area "Fortuna Bay." This eastern part of the bay was once a large sugar plantation called Susanaberg. Later, in the late 1800s, a small factory here made bay rum cologne from sugarcane. In the early 1900s, John Lindquist, who owned much of the North Shore, planted coconut, banana, and other fruit trees on this land.

The Gibney Family Story

Robert and Nancy Gibney first came to St. John for their honeymoon in 1946. They loved the island so much that they decided to stay longer. They rented a small cottage and later lived in a shed on Henley Cay for three years. In 1950, Robert inherited some money, which allowed them to buy 40 acres (160,000 m²) on Hawksnest Bay.

They built their home in the middle of the beach using rocks they found nearby. Gibney Beach became home to Robert, Nancy, and their three children: Ed, Eleanor, and John. Robert taught his children at home. He also worked at the Caneel Bay resort and later became a librarian in Cruz Bay. Nancy wrote short stories for popular magazines.

Robert died in 1973, and Nancy died in 1980. They are buried in a cemetery in Cruz Bay. They left the beach property to their children. Their first child, Ed Gibney, still lives on St. John and works as a surveyor. Eleanor is involved with the St. John Historical Society. She also grew up on the beach and worked as a chief plant expert at Caneel Bay Resort. She wrote a book about native trees and plants. Their second son, John, passed away in 2003. He lived on Gibney Beach and loved planting tropical trees in his garden, where he is now buried.

The Oppenheimer Family

In 1957, the Gibneys had to sell part of their land to J. Robert Oppenheimer and his wife, Kitty, because they needed money. The Oppenheimers built a vacation home on the most northeastern part of the land. After they passed away, their daughter, Toni, inherited the land. When Toni died in 1976, she left the property to "the people of St. John" to be a public park.

For a while, the house was not taken care of and was damaged. Eventually, the government of the U.S. Virgin Islands took over the property. They fixed up the old house, and it is now a Community Center. People can rent it for events like senior citizen outings, Boy Scouts meetings, local reggae and calypso band performances, picnics, weddings, and birthday parties.

There were some disagreements between the Gibneys and the Oppenheimers about how the land should be used. The Gibneys wanted to keep the area private and natural. They had rules about building only one family home and not renting out the property. However, the Oppenheimers started renting their vacation cottage. Later, Kitty Oppenheimer began building a second structure, which the Gibneys believed was too close to the beach and not just a "tool shed" as claimed. These disagreements led to a difficult relationship between the families.

After Toni Oppenheimer passed away and left the land to the public, the Gibneys tried to get the land back. They believed they had the right to buy it first if it was sold. However, the land was donated, not sold. The Gibneys continued to try to regain control, but they faced many delays. Even after Robert and Nancy Gibney passed away, the conflict continued.

Eventually, the Virgin Islands National Park took over part of the property at Hawksnest Beach. They added a parking lot, changing area, toilets, barbecue grills, tables, benches, and sheltered areas. This made the beach more popular. The land became known as Hawksnest Beach, and the smaller section remained Gibney Beach. The government of the Virgin Islands now owns the Oppenheimer land and uses it as a Community Center. A large iron gate was put at the entrance to the Gibney's private property to stop cars from entering. Interestingly, the gate was labeled "Oppenheimer Beach."

National Park Service Buys Gibney Land

Today, a large part of Gibney Beach is managed by the United States Virgin Islands National Park. This means the property belongs to the people of the United States and their visitors. In 1997, Robert and Nancy Gibney's children, Ed, Eleanor, and John, decided to sell their part of the beachfront property to The Trust for Public Land. This organization works with The Friends of the Virgin Islands National Park. Friends is a group that protects the natural and cultural resources of the Virgin Islands’ National Parks.

The remaining 5 acres (20,000 m²) of the Gibney's land was worth a lot of money. However, the Gibneys agreed to sell the land for less than its full value because they wanted it to be protected. Eleanor Gibney also agreed to let the park keep her property for 30 years in exchange for a lower price. This helped make sure the land would become part of the park.

Amazing Wildlife

St. John is home to many different kinds of animals and plants. There are 140 species of birds, 302 species of fish, 7 species of amphibians, 22 species of mammals, and 740 species of plants on the island. You can also find about 50 types of coral, many sea fans, and sponges. The only mammal naturally from St. John is the bat. However, other animals like dogs, cats, donkeys, sheep, deer, and pigs have been brought to the island over time. Many of these animals and plants can be found at Gibney Beach, either in the ocean, on the shore, or in the jungle-like areas nearby.

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  Coconuts grow on Gibney Beach.

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  Bananas grow on Gibney Beach.

Plant Life

The forests near Gibney Beach are full of plants. Gibney Beach is on the eastern coast of the island and has "dry forest" plants. You can see cacti like barbed-wire cactus, prickly pear, and Turk's cap cactus. These cacti grow with shrubs and thorny bushes, which can make it hard to walk through the forest.

Mangrove forests are also found near Gibney Beach. Mangrove trees change the shoreline and help protect it. Red mangroves are the most common and grow in the ocean. Their special roots protect the coast and provide safe places for many marine animals to grow. Other mangroves like black, white, and buttonwood mangroves can also be found. In residential areas near Gibney Beach, you might see beautiful orchids, heliconia, ylang-ylang trees, and fruit trees like coconut, star fruit, bananas, and mango.

Life on the Coast

The sandy coast of Gibney Beach is also full of life. The sand itself is mostly made from marine algae and living coral reefs. Sometimes, Sea turtles visit the beach to lay their eggs. You can often see sandpipers and other shore birds walking on the beach, looking for small crabs and mollusks that live under the sand.

A view from the ocean on Gibney Beach.

Ocean Life

The most exciting wildlife on St. John is often found underwater. While Gibney Beach isn't the top spot for snorkelers, its coral reefs are slowly recovering after some damage from soil washing into the bay. As the coral comes back to life, more marine animals return too.

You can find many types of coral off Gibney Beach, including brain coral, elkhorn, staghorn, boulder coral, and fire coral. These colorful coral reefs are home to many different fish and other sea creatures. You might also see sea fans and sea whips growing on the coral. At night, coral animals like star coral and pillar coral extend their tiny arms to feed.

Common fish you might see include goatfish, grunts, tangs, parrotfish, angelfish, squirrelfish, trunkfish, trumpetfish, yellowtail snapper, blue runners, groupers, butterflyfish, damselfish, porcupinefish, and wrasses. You might also spot octopuses and different kinds of eels. The reefs also have many invertebrates like sponges, starfish, sea urchins, sea worms, crabs, and lobsters.

Visiting Gibney Beach

How to Get to Gibney

Gibney Beach is on North Shore Road (Route 20), about 2.1 miles (3.4 km) from Mongoose Junction in downtown Cruz Bay. There are no signs for Gibney Beach, no parking lot, and no public restrooms. You'll find a small gravel road leading to the beach, blocked by a tall white gate. There's a small opening in the gate for people to walk through. In front of the gate, there's a small space where about four cars can park tightly. Even though it's open to the public, the beach feels very private and quiet.

Gibney Beach is next to Hawksnest Beach. The entrance to Gibney is the third driveway on your left after you pass Hawksnest. The Oppenheimer part of the beach is to the right of the driveway, and the Gibney part is to the southwest. While they are almost the same beach, the Oppenheimer house area is public, but the Gibney house sections are private. In the Virgin Islands, the public owns the beach from the sea up to the first line of plants. Behind that line, the Gibney Beach property belongs to the Gibney family. Gibney Beach has even been featured in commercials, magazines, and movies like "The Four Seasons" and "Columbus."

Places to Stay

There are only two villas right on Gibney Beach that visitors can rent: the Gibney Garden Cottage and the Gibney Beach Cottage. You can rent them separately or together. These cottages are surrounded by beautiful gardens with orchids, heliconia, ylang-ylang trees, and fruit trees like coconuts and star fruit.

Gibney Beach has limited parking, and there are no large hotels or condos right on the land. However, there are a few homes within easy walking distance that are popular with visitors. Tourists can also enjoy a scenic and easy drive on paved roads to the shops and restaurants in Cruz Bay nearby.

Fun Activities

Many people, both tourists and locals, visit Gibney Beach to relax and enjoy the nature of St. John. It's a quiet, "off-the-beaten-path" spot because there are no water sport rentals or restaurants, and parking is limited. Sea grape trees and palm trees line the shore, providing plenty of shade. There are also picnic tables under the trees if you want to bring your own meal and enjoy it with family and friends. There is no charge to enter Gibney Beach.

Snorkeling Adventures

Even though it's not the most famous snorkeling spot on St. John, snorkeling is the most popular activity at Gibney Beach. The water is easy to get into, and the conditions are good for both beginners and experienced snorkelers. People love snorkeling here because of the many corals and fish you can see on the reef. You can even explore a sunken sailboat while snorkeling! The best time to snorkel here is during the summer.

The Community Center at Gibney Beach was once the Oppenheimer family's home. This part of the beach is now public and offers the best access to the reef. The white sand is soft, and the water is shallow, which is perfect for beginners. If you're a more advanced snorkeler, you can go further north along the eastern coastline towards Perkins Cay and Denis Bay. The water there is deeper, from six to ten feet deep.

Much of the colorful reef life is very close to the shore. You can see different types of coral like boulder, fire, brain, and elkhorn coral. It's common to spot small and medium groups of fish. Fish you might see close to the shore while snorkeling include parrotfish, squirrelfish, trunkfish, trumpetfish, goatfish, grunt, and tang. You might also see predator fish like the yellowtail snapper and the blue runner.

Local Entertainment

Sometimes, local reggae and calypso bands perform at the Community Center on Gibney Beach.

Images for kids

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  Gibney Beach, also known as Oppenheimer Beach.