About Enchanted-Isle.Com
Enchanted Isle was recently given
a four 
rating by
Islands Magazine Online over
numerous Puerto Rico Tourism websites.
http://www.islands.com/puertorico/
Yes, this is my website. My name is Jim Starke. I lived in
Vieques from about 1982 to sometime in 1998. I used to be a Contractor on the
island and in Rhode Island, where I'm originally from. I traveled back and forth
with my tools for a few years until I settled in Vieques full time in Destino. I
bought a house there just before Hurricane Hugo, and a couple of years later, my
wife, whom I met in Vieques, and I started Isla Vieques Condiment Co., a hot
sauce manufacturing company and we ran
that from Vieques from about 1991 until we moved it to Florida in 1998. While we were making hot
sauces (a lot of them), I started this website in 1994 on my personal Sprynet
account to help promote tourism
for Vieques, as the Puerto Rican government wasn't even doing it back then for
the Big Island. As the island's business grew, so did the website and
www.enchanted-isle.com. We added new features and sections
and it has now become full time living for me as well as my passion.
My biggest addition was the
What's Happenin' newsletter to the site. It was started by Peggy
Nance and really began to take on a life of its own when Judy Leach became it's
editor. She has been a great addition and wonderful friend. Unfortunately Judy
passed away in September of 2006. She will be sorely missed. She was a good
friend and confidante.
Together we did the Ask Judy
column, answering questions travelers have about the island. Now I answer what I
can and query many friends for answers, when necessary.
I am only part time on the island now, but with the help of Judy
and a many other friends, we try to keep everything up to date and
current.
The support I get from my
advertisers, many of whom I've known forever, has been a Godsend and now that
the island is flourishing, I hope they are all making up for the lean years. I
would also like to thank my many contributors, who have given me pictures and
news to post thru the years. If you have a great story, we'd love to publish
that too.
You're the BEST!
My biggest hope is that there is a
trickle down throughout the entire community and that the entire island prospers
from what I think has been the most sustainable industry to come to this island
yet, Tourism. I like to think that the abundance would pour down through the
entire population of the island, as people are willing to accept a prosperity
consciousness for themselves.
Thank you All for your great support over the
years. I hope we can keep it going forever!
In Peace.
Namaste |
