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Close to Nature: Bruce Wilson
By Joanne Curcio-Quiñones
Mount Victory Camp
For as long as he can remember, Bruce Wilson couldn't get enough of the great outdoors. By the age of 12, he could spot about 70 different species of birds and call them by name. When he grew up, he thought he needed to use the skills he had learned in school to earn a living. But years later, his personal passion for being next to nature taught him otherwise.
In 2000, Bruce bought 25 acres of land adjacent to the St. Croix rainforest, where there were no electric lines or public water and sewer lines, much less telephone, cable TV or Internet access. At first he enjoyed the solitude, but it wasn't long before he decided it was time to share his little piece of paradise. He hired a shipbuilder to help him create a rustic retreat with wooden bungalows where guests could be privy to a unique eco-experience — where they can feel the earth beneath their feet, smell the flowers and awaken to the melody of singing tree frogs.
"I wanted to create a place where people could get closer to nature than they ever had before," he says. And most who have visited Mount Victory would agree that Bruce has succeeded. Over the last five years, thousands of nature lovers and schoolchildren on field trips have had close encounters with nature while spending time at the eco-lodge with him, his wife Mathilde, their children Kenny and Zavie, Daisy the Dog, some horses, giant lizards, 30 South American red-footed tortoises and a few chickens — including one that lives in a tree.
Besides giving their guests exposure to Mother Nature's finest, Bruce and his family also promote the local culture by hosting traditional Sunday afternoon West Indian pig roasts, with live scratch bands and traditional quelbe music. So if you'll be passing through cattle country and you hear the music coming from Mount Victory Camp, you're welcome to stop in and pull up a seat at the Jungle Bar.
For additional information, visit their website at www.mtvictorycamp.com
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