While Frank Bay doesn’t compare to the National Park beaches
on the north there are certain advantages. It is the closest
swimming beach to Cruz Bay and is within easy walking distance
from town. It’s never crowded; you’ll will rarely
find more than one or two people there. Be careful of sea urchins
when entering the water and be aware of surf and waves caused
by times of ground sea or when the wake of a ferry or other large
vessel comes ashore.
Getting There
Starting from the one way street that goes past Wharfside Village
in Cruz Bay, turn right at the end of the road by the Catholic
Church. Go about one quarter mile, bearing right until you
get to the beach.
Artist Elaine Estern at Frank Bay
The
Neighborhood
On the north side of the beach is the art gallery, Coconut Coast
Studios; well worth a visit. On the south end, you can enjoy typical
West Indian food at Patrick Moorhead's small open air restaurant.
Frank Bay
On the other side of the road there is a bench, which offers
the easiest and most comfortable opportunity to observe the tranquil
Frank Bay salt pond. This pond was adopted by the Audubon Society
and is a wonderful place to see pin tail ducks, herons and a
host of other birds.
Frank Bay Pond
Enjoy the spectacular view while sitting in the shade of a palm
tree. You can see the islands of Little St. James,
Great St. James, St. Thomas, Steven's Cay, Thatch Cay, Hans Lolick,
Grass Cay and Mingo Cay. Frank Bay is also an ideal place to
come to watch the sunset.
Cairn on Frank Bay
Stone Sculpture - Balanced rocks on Frank Bay
The artist and photographer, Phillip A Long, constructed these beautiful cairns on Frank Bay. Nature has long since returned the stones to their natural resting place, but the scultures have been captured as digital images and are available for viewing on his website, http://www.vineyardrocks.com, or for sale as photos.
Late Afternoon at Frank Bay
Snorkeling
This beach was the favorite of the famous opera singer, the late
Ivan Jadan who frequented it almost daily playing with an octopus
that lives in a hole in the reef.
