Test your Virgin Islands IQ

Test Your Virgin Island IQ

Ahoy! And welcome aboard! Think you know the Virgin islands like an expert? Take our quiz to find out just how much you really do know about these interesting, gorgeous islands we call home. Relax! It’s just for fun.

Test Your Virgin Island IQ

1. The Virgin Islands are roughly the size of:

a.) Pittsburgh  

b.) Triple the size of Mobile, Alabama 

c.) Double the size of Washington, D.C.

2. Moko jumbies are:

a.) Dead spirits

b.) Colorful, masked walkers on stilts

c.) Cookies

3.) The greatest threat to the health of native seagrasses in recent years has been:

a.) Overpopulation of sea turtles

b.) The extinction of starfish

c.) Boat anchors

4.) Christopher Columbus supposedly reached St. Thomas and St. Croix on his 2nd voyage in 1493 and named the group of islands:

a.) Santa Ursula y las Once Mil Virgenes

b.) Virgenes Bonitas

c.) Virgenes de la Mer

5.) St. Thomas is home to the 2nd oldest _______ in the Western Hemisphere:

a.) Watering hole

b.) Coral bed

c.) Synagogue

6.) The highest point of the US Virgin Islands is located on what island?

a.) St. Thomas

b.) St. John

c.) St. Croix

7.) The drinking age in the US Virgin Islands is:

a.) 21

b.) 20

c.) 18

8.) If you are a USVI resident, you:

a.) Are eligible to run for President of the United States but cannot help elect one

b.) Must pay taxes but cannot receive Social Security payments

c.) Can serve in the US military but are not eligible for full benefits

9.) A ‘crucian’ refers to:

a.) Someone who distills rum

b.) Someone who lives on St. Croix

c.) A large, biting insect found on St. Croix

10.) The national dish of the Virgin Islands is:

a.) Fish & Fungi

b.) Cow Heel Soup & Callaloo

c.) Conch Fritters & Johnny Cakes 

11.) The only department store on St. Thomas is:

a.) Walmart

b.) K-mart

c.) Sears

12.) The setting for Robert Louis Stevenson’s Treasure Island was:

a.) The East End on St. John

b.) Water Island

c.) Norman Island

13.) The United States attempted to buy the Virgin Islands from the Danish government:

a.) 3 times

b.) Once

c.) 5 times

14.) The Virgin Islands operate in the Atlantic Time Zone and:

a.) Follow the custom of “falling back” an hour each November and “springing ahead” one hour each April

b.) Only adjust to Daylight Savings Time every 4 years

c.) Is the same time as the Eastern states during Daylight Savings Time

SCTLD picture by Capt. Susannah

15.) SCTLD stands for what disease commonly found in the Virgin Islands?

a.) Summer Coral Tick Lyme Disease

b.) Semi-crucial tree and leaf Disease

c.) Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease

16.) If you walked down the L’Esperance Trail, up the Reef Bay Trail, and down the Maria Hope Trail, where would you end up?

a.) East Reef Bay 

b.) Salt Pond

c.) Maho Bay

17.) One of St. John’s most popular snorkeling spots is located at the end of Leinster Bay Trail and requires swimming across a channel to:

a.) Waterlemon Cay

b.) Watermelon Key

c.) Water Island

18.) The first country to claim ownership of the Virgin Islands was:

a.) Spain

b.) Denmark

c.) Portugal

19.) The “Caribbean squirrel” is another name for a:

a.) Rat Lizard

b.) Mongoose

c.) Small iguana

20.) St. Croix is the most southern of the Virgin Islands and it is:

a.) 150 miles from the equator

b.) Over 1200 miles from the equator

c.) Nearly 2000 miles from the equator

What’s Your Score???

1. (C) – The Virgin islands consists of roughly 737 sq. miles and is only about double the size of Washington, D.C.
2. (B) – Moko Jumbies are a cultural icon in the Virgin Islands. You will be greeted by them at the airport when you arrive and see them at many celebrations and festivals. 
3. (C)  – Boat anchors are highly disruptive and damaging to the health of seagrasses, which is why many areas around the islands are now no-anchor zones. Moorings are used instead. You will always see Stormy Pirates Captains and Mates carefully checking the seabed before dropping their anchor. 
4. (A) – It is believed that Christopher Columbus visited both St. Croix and St. Thomas on his second exploration voyage to the New World in 1493. At that time he named the cluster of islands in honor of St. Ursula and her 11,000 virgin followers.
5. (C) – The St. Thomas Synagogue, which is run by the Hebrew Congregation of St. Thomas, is located in Charlotte Amalie and was declared a National Landmark in 1997. The historic synagogue has a sand floor and a menorah that dates back to the 11th century.
6. (A) – Crown Mountain, located on St. Thomas, is the highest point in the US Virgin Islands. It is 1,555 ft. in height, while Bordeaux Mountain on St. John is only 1,286 ft. tall. There is a gift shop at the top of Crown Mountain with an amazing view!
7. (C) – Contrary to many states on the mainland, the drinking age in the US Virgin Islands is 18!
8. (A) – Although residents of the US Virgin Islands are considered US citizens, they cannot vote in Presidential elections, though they can run to be elected as President of the United States. For representation in national affairs, the US Virgin Islands does elect a delegate to the United States Congress who has a voice, but does not have a vote. 
9.  (B) – A ‘Crucian’ is someone who lives on St. Croix. Those who live on St. John are called Johnians and those on St. Thomas are called Thomians.
10.  (A) – While Johnny Cakes, Cow Heel Soup, Conch Fritters, and Callaloo are all common foods on the islands, the official national dish is Fish &  Fungi (pronounced: foon-gee) . This combination dates back to the time when Danes occupied the territory and used salt herring and cornmeal as the basis for most of their dishes. Fungi is a tender polenta-like dumpling made from cornmeal.
11. (B) – Kmart is the only department store currently in the US Virgin Islands. While the mainland only has three remaining Kmart stores, the islands have four stores! Two stores are located on St. Thomas and two are on St. Croix, though often the shelves are empty.
12. (C) – Norman Island is located at the southern tip of the British Virgin Islands archipelago and is acknowledged as the inspiration for Robert Louis Stevenson’s novel Treasure Island. There are over 12 miles of hiking trails and caves that you can snorkel into. 
13.  (A) – The United States attempted to purchase the Virgin Islands from the Danes three times. Reportedly, they purchased it on March 31, 1917 for $25 million in gold, but it took years for the rollover to be completed. In the end, the main reason the US wanted to complete the purchase was to keep it out of the hands of Germany!
14. (C) – The US Virgin Islands are on AST. Atlantic Standard Time. Which is 1 hour ahead of EST, so when the East Coast “Springs” ahead they are on the same time as the Virgin Islands. 
15. (C) – Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease is currently decimating coral populations in the Virgin Islands.
16. (C) – If you know the hiking trails on St. John, you correctly ended at Maho Bay. As a side note, Maho Crossroads just made the list for Caribbean Journal’s 25 Best Beach Bars in the Caribbean for 2023.
17. (A) – Waterlemon Cay is often at the top of the list for favorite snorkel spots in the Virgin Islands. Located off the Leinster Bay Trail on St. John, the cay is the perfect spot to see large parrotfish, starfish, sharks and eels. The north and west sides of the island have been described as an “Octopuses Garden” full of colorful coral and varied sea life, but there is a strong current around the island, so it’s recommended only for strong swimmers, especially during new and full moons, but our Captains can give directions on the areas to stay out of the current. 
18. (A) – Spanish King Charles V was the first to claim the islands in 1555.
19. (B) – The mongoose is a small, brown weasel-like creature with short legs and small rounded ears that is often called the “caribbean squirrel.” They have become an unwelcome problem for the islands as they eat just about anything – birds, turtles, plants, and even some lizards. Brought to the area by settlers to control the rat population, mongoose have no natural predators.  
20. (B) – St. Croix is the southernmost island of the Virgin Islands and is 1,224.85 miles from the equator. 

Are You An Expert???

20 correct answers = Congratulations! You’re an expert!

18-19 correct answers = Kudos for your effort, but you still have more to learn!

Less than 18 correct = Time to visit the islands, take a Stormy Pirates boat day and learn more!

End Notes: No matter what your score, there’s always more to learn and experience in the Virgin Islands, so start planning to visit soon. And remember, if you enjoyed this post, please share it with your friends. Then visit our website and Schedule a boat day with Stormy Pirates Charters – we’ll put the gang plank down and escort you in style.