Ivan's
Story

Mr.Ivan Chinnery was born on Jost Van Dyke on March 27th 1943. He grew up on Jost Van Dyke  and then moved to St Thomas as a young man , where he joined the US Army and served for 9 years . He did most of his serving in Germany and Hawaii. He also was an musician, his instrument of choice that he loved playing was the guitar. The genre he loved and played most was jazz and blues that he performed in different bands when he lived abroad and in St Thomas.

Upon moving back to Jost Van Dyke, Mr.Chinnery made a living fishing, farming and cooking. He worked some years preparing pig roast buffets at his brother’s bar and restaurant when the barefoot cruises came in for their scheduled stops to the island. He also did work for the BVI government in Agriculture and as well as Conservation and Fisheries. He had his own farm where he would do nature walks with tourists showing them his crops and also introducing them to the different medicinal herbs, educating them on the names and uses, hence earning the name “The Bush Doctor . After years had passed he decided to try a new  adventure  by starting a campground.

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He began development in 1990 and in 1991 he got it going , officially naming giving it the name  White Bay Campground. The business started out as an honor system self serve bar, and quickly grew over the years with the help from the local St John boating community that frequented the little bar and campground .  Mr. Chinnery also made a friendly acquaintance with an up and coming country artist named Kenneth Chesney (Kenny Chesney) . Mr. Chesney’s debut with his song “No Shoes No Shirt No problem “ video was partially filmed at the bar of Mr. Chinnery’s White Bay Campground which gave the establishment even more popularity . In 2011 Mr. Chinnery retired after being diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease and turned the Business over to his 2 daughters Darlene and Sharlene.

 

Ivan now lives at his home in Jost Van Dyke. Even with his ailments, he spends most of his days relaxing and staying stress free as he taught so many to be.