Moonhole is a private community on the island of

Bequia Bequia ( or ) is the largest island in the Grenadines at . It is part of the country of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and is approximately from the nation's capital, Kingstown, on the main island, Saint Vincent. Bequia means 'island of th ...

(Bek-way) in the

Grenadines The Grenadines () is a chain of small islands that lie on a line between the larger islands of Saint Vincent and Grenada in the Lesser Antilles. Nine are inhabited and open to the public (or ten, if the offshore island of Young Island is counted ...

. Its name is derived from a massive arch formed in volcanic

substrate Substrate may refer to: Physical layers *Substrate (biology), the natural environment in which an organism lives, or the surface or medium on which an organism grows or is attached ** Substrate (aquatic environment), the earthy material that exi ...

, through which the setting moon is sometimes visible. Founded by Thomas and Gladys Johnston in the 1960s, Moonhole is now a private nature preserve. The Johnstons retired from an advertising business in

New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York New York may also refer to: Places United Kingdom * ...

in the late 1960s, and founded the Moonhole community on the narrow western tip of the island. They began building a house beneath the arch with the aid of local masons from the nearby village of Paget Farm. Using whalebones, native hardwoods, and objects recovered from the sea, they built large open rooms with sea views. Without wells or electricity, they collected rainwater from the roofs and stored it in cisterns for bathing and washing. The master bath had a large tree that grew up through a large hole in the roof. Large windows facing the prevailing trade winds had plexiglass panes that could be lowered into place. The bedrooms surrounded a central dining room, veranda and large bar made from a

humpback whale The humpback whale (''Megaptera novaeangliae'') is a species of baleen whale. It is a rorqual (a member of the family Balaenopteridae) and is the monotypic taxon, only species in the genus ''Megaptera''. Adults range in length from and weigh u ...

's jaw bone. In the early years there was no road to Moonhole, and people from Paget Farm walked there daily to take them fruit and freshly baked bread and to cook. The Johnstons formed Moonhole Company Limited, and donated the approximately property to the company. Tom bequeathed his controlling interest in Moonhole Company Limited to a trust for the protection and preservation of Moonhole for posterity. The Thomas and Gladys Johnston Moonhole Conservation Trust Limited is dedicated to preserving the unique architecture, lifestyle, and vision of the Johnstons and to protecting the birds, wildlife and marine life on the peninsula at the western end of Bequia. There are now eleven privately owned homes at Moonhole. and four houses owned by Moonhole Company Limited. Some of these properties are available for rent throughout the year. In 2004 ''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...

'' described Moonhole as "a quirky 19-home ecologically oriented development built of native stone, with whalebone accents, on the steep hills of the island's southern tip. The name comes from a soaring natural arch on the shore through which the moon can be seen at times. The whalebones, remnants of aboriginal whaling by the islanders, are big enough to work as elements like stair railings. The houses, which rely on

solar electricity Solar power, also known as solar electricity, is the conversion of energy from sunlight into electricity, either directly using photovoltaics (PV) or indirectly using concentrated solar power. Solar panels use the photovoltaic effect to conve ...

rainwater Rain is a form of precipitation where water droplets that have condensed from atmospheric water vapor fall under gravity. Rain is a major component of the water cycle and is responsible for depositing most of the fresh water on the Eart ...

and

propane Propane () is a three-carbon chain alkane with the molecular formula . It is a gas at standard temperature and pressure, but becomes liquid when compressed for transportation and storage. A by-product of natural gas processing and petroleum ref ...

tanks, are mostly fanciful open-air affairs with lines blurred between indoors and out."Steve Bailey, "Where Being Green Can Be Easy." New York Times 10/31/04.

References

External links

Moonhole Company Website

Du Jour Magazine (2013)
{{coord, 12.9917, -61.2761, type:landmark_globe:earth_region:VC, display=title Populated places in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Houses in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines