A tent-filled beach is a clear indication that it is the camping season on St. Croix, and campers have officially hit the beach, keeping an Easter holiday tradition alive. At the “Sierra Campsite” on Green Cay Beach, Luz Sierra, who has been camping with her family for 45 years, has kept the tradition going even after the passing of her husband.
Over the years, the group of family and friends has grown larger, and as her children have grown older, they continue to visit her campsite. Like other seasons, Sierra keeps “Good Friday,” a religious holiday, sacred by keeping the campsite quiet. However, on Easter Sunday, it’s all about the Easter activities, with an Easter egg hunt, food, and other activities.
“We hide 100 eggs, and they get a treat for the first, second and third prize,” said Sierra.
Many of the campers at Green Cay Beach commented on how they felt safe and would receive frequent visits from law enforcement checking in. However, an unwanted guest on most of the East beaches was seaweed and lots of it. This made it difficult for campers to enjoy the ocean. Some campers could be seen shoveling some out of the way. Also, the road leading up to the beach was visibly pothole-filled.
Over at the “Eddie Ortiz Campsite,” keeping in tradition, his son “Pocholo” and some of his coworkers and friends from “Karibbean Kuts” said that they were keeping childhood memories and traditions of camping with their parents alive by passing those memories onto their children. Pocholo could be cooking a pot of food for hungry campers.
Most campers said that they planned to stay on the beach until Monday, when they will pack up their things until next year, but some find such enjoyment in camping they plan on doing it again over the Memorial Day weekend.
