usvi-on-line
Trip Report - Days 3 and 4
Trip Report - Days 3 and 4
Monday (Frances, Reef Bay Hike and Caneel Bay)
On Monday we started early, as usual, and headed to Frances. The visibility was not great, so we didn't snorkel much. We did a lot (let me emphasize "a lot") of swimming. Tonight we were planning to head to the all you can eat buffet at Caneel and needed to earn it! We spent all morning at Frances and then headed back to the villa for a light lunch and some pool time. Around 3:00 we drove over to the Reef Bay Trail and hiked to the bottom and back up. Every time I do this hike, on the way up I think I am just about to the top - that it's just around the next turn - only to realize there is a still a bit further to go. It's a good hike and I always feel it in my legs!
Side note on the hike... when we got to the bottom, my husband was checking out the ruins and I headed to the water. I came across a couple sitting on the rocks on the left. He had no clothes on and jumped behind the rocks (not thinking I noticed). When my husband showed up, he didn't believe me until he saw his clothes hanging on the rocks. Now, my husband has a pretty odd sense of humor at times. He suggested that we head over to the rocks pretending that we were going to hike over them just to see what the guy would do. I prevented that.
Back to the villa for a quick shower, then off to Caneel. We started with a cocktail at the bar, then headed to the buffet. Bill in VA turned us on to this a few years back - we love the all you can eat lobster. In past years, they also had sushi, but we were disappointed that it was not part of the buffet this year. Everything was still good. I am sure my husband had is money's worth (it's $60 a person) with his 3 lobsters, but I am not sure I did (even with my 4 desserts!).
We had a glitch in the service at Caneel. I had half my drink left when we sat down, but not my husband - he finished his at the bar. The server greeted us right away, we made small talk - he then said he would let us get settled and would be back shortly to get our drink order. We relaxed a bit, then headed to the buffet for our salads. Server never returned and we could find him no where. Okay, so let's have dinner. Got our "first course" got back to the table, salad plates still there. Finished this course. Still no server. Husband went to get another lobster. Still no server. Finally, we have 5 plates piled up and he finally showed up. We ordered our drinks and he cleared our plates. From then on, things were fine. And the server (though not apologizing for the delay in serving us did end up giving us our drinks free, which we thought was appropriate and very nice). We hadn't complained at all, primarily because we just wanted to enjoy our evening and complaining can sour the evening. My husband actually thought it was kind of funny and was betting me how many plates would pile up at our table before our server returned. Yes, he is strange (and easily amused).
Tuesday (Salt Pond, Lamehsur, More Hiking, Skinny Legs and Pastory Gardens
We got another early start and arrived at Salt Pond by 8:00 only to find that there were already 5 cars in the lot - this is crazy. At 8:00 am in November, you wouldn't see a soul for another hour or so. Oh well! We settled on the beach and immediately hiked out to Ram Head. Upon returning, we jumped in the water and snorkeled quite a while. Saw a turtle and lots of stuff. The rest of the morning, I read on the beach while my husband alternated between reading and swimming (I was AWOL for the swimming at boot camp today - the snorkel was enough - plus we had some more hiking planned). We hiked out to Drunk Bay - not as many rock people as we have seen before - we built a couple and headed back. I always like Drunk Bay - I like the contrast of the big crashing waves as compared to most of the other St. John beaches.
By noon, Salt Pond was packed. Several large groups had shown up, so we thought we would head to Lameshur for some hiking. We hiked the Yawzi Point Trail - a short little hike that we had never done. We then hiked out to Europa Bay and then down the Lameshur Bay Trail back over to Reef Bay (everyone at Reef Bay today had their clothes on!). Back at Lameshur, we went for a short swim/snorkel - mostly to cool off.
Our next stop was Skinny Legs for a late lunch (it is now probably about 3:00). Excellent mahi mahi sandwiches, as usual. Back home, we relaxed for a while, showered and headed to Pastory Gardens. Played a round of miniature golf and grabbed a bite to eat. Food was good - nothing exceptional, but good.
Back home, I feel asleep immediately - despite the warm temperature of our bedroom (still wishing we had AC though!).
On Monday we started early, as usual, and headed to Frances. The visibility was not great, so we didn't snorkel much. We did a lot (let me emphasize "a lot") of swimming. Tonight we were planning to head to the all you can eat buffet at Caneel and needed to earn it! We spent all morning at Frances and then headed back to the villa for a light lunch and some pool time. Around 3:00 we drove over to the Reef Bay Trail and hiked to the bottom and back up. Every time I do this hike, on the way up I think I am just about to the top - that it's just around the next turn - only to realize there is a still a bit further to go. It's a good hike and I always feel it in my legs!
Side note on the hike... when we got to the bottom, my husband was checking out the ruins and I headed to the water. I came across a couple sitting on the rocks on the left. He had no clothes on and jumped behind the rocks (not thinking I noticed). When my husband showed up, he didn't believe me until he saw his clothes hanging on the rocks. Now, my husband has a pretty odd sense of humor at times. He suggested that we head over to the rocks pretending that we were going to hike over them just to see what the guy would do. I prevented that.
Back to the villa for a quick shower, then off to Caneel. We started with a cocktail at the bar, then headed to the buffet. Bill in VA turned us on to this a few years back - we love the all you can eat lobster. In past years, they also had sushi, but we were disappointed that it was not part of the buffet this year. Everything was still good. I am sure my husband had is money's worth (it's $60 a person) with his 3 lobsters, but I am not sure I did (even with my 4 desserts!).
We had a glitch in the service at Caneel. I had half my drink left when we sat down, but not my husband - he finished his at the bar. The server greeted us right away, we made small talk - he then said he would let us get settled and would be back shortly to get our drink order. We relaxed a bit, then headed to the buffet for our salads. Server never returned and we could find him no where. Okay, so let's have dinner. Got our "first course" got back to the table, salad plates still there. Finished this course. Still no server. Husband went to get another lobster. Still no server. Finally, we have 5 plates piled up and he finally showed up. We ordered our drinks and he cleared our plates. From then on, things were fine. And the server (though not apologizing for the delay in serving us did end up giving us our drinks free, which we thought was appropriate and very nice). We hadn't complained at all, primarily because we just wanted to enjoy our evening and complaining can sour the evening. My husband actually thought it was kind of funny and was betting me how many plates would pile up at our table before our server returned. Yes, he is strange (and easily amused).
Tuesday (Salt Pond, Lamehsur, More Hiking, Skinny Legs and Pastory Gardens
We got another early start and arrived at Salt Pond by 8:00 only to find that there were already 5 cars in the lot - this is crazy. At 8:00 am in November, you wouldn't see a soul for another hour or so. Oh well! We settled on the beach and immediately hiked out to Ram Head. Upon returning, we jumped in the water and snorkeled quite a while. Saw a turtle and lots of stuff. The rest of the morning, I read on the beach while my husband alternated between reading and swimming (I was AWOL for the swimming at boot camp today - the snorkel was enough - plus we had some more hiking planned). We hiked out to Drunk Bay - not as many rock people as we have seen before - we built a couple and headed back. I always like Drunk Bay - I like the contrast of the big crashing waves as compared to most of the other St. John beaches.
By noon, Salt Pond was packed. Several large groups had shown up, so we thought we would head to Lameshur for some hiking. We hiked the Yawzi Point Trail - a short little hike that we had never done. We then hiked out to Europa Bay and then down the Lameshur Bay Trail back over to Reef Bay (everyone at Reef Bay today had their clothes on!). Back at Lameshur, we went for a short swim/snorkel - mostly to cool off.
Our next stop was Skinny Legs for a late lunch (it is now probably about 3:00). Excellent mahi mahi sandwiches, as usual. Back home, we relaxed for a while, showered and headed to Pastory Gardens. Played a round of miniature golf and grabbed a bite to eat. Food was good - nothing exceptional, but good.
Back home, I feel asleep immediately - despite the warm temperature of our bedroom (still wishing we had AC though!).
-
MrsCARolph
- Posts: 155
- Joined: Wed Feb 28, 2007 11:57 pm
- Location: Minneapolis, MN
Re: Trip Report - Days 3 and 4
Another great trip report. Sounds like you guys really made the most of your time there!
Question for you: What did you think of the Pastory Gardens? My fiance wanted to stop there sometime during our visit--would you recommend it?
Thanks again for the report!
Question for you: What did you think of the Pastory Gardens? My fiance wanted to stop there sometime during our visit--would you recommend it?
Thanks again for the report!
liamsaunt - The Caneel buffet had cold salmon, shrimp and some other shellfish in the appetizer area. As I recall, there was one hot fish entree (can't remember what kind, but it was good). They also served beef a couple of different ways and pasta. Along with soup, salad, cheese, fruit, bread, etc.
It's a pretty good buffet...I certainly don't get my money's worth, but DH seems to do better. I liked it a lot better when they had the sushi.
It's a pretty good buffet...I certainly don't get my money's worth, but DH seems to do better. I liked it a lot better when they had the sushi.
-
Bill in Va
- Posts: 442
- Joined: Thu Aug 10, 2006 3:56 pm
- Location: Lake Gaston, Va
Great stuff
And hello my Chicago special people. So glad you got a chance to unwind or better yet renew a little bit of island magic. We really loved the phone call from Cruz Bay by the way and hope to run into you again soon..A short story my fellow forumites about these special folks. I was in Chicago two years ago on a Rotary convention and had called Laura and John hoping to get to see them. We had met on St John and rang the bell for Howie. They invited me to dinner and it is so nice when local knowledge came through. We had a fantasic dinner and after dinner stuff walking and stopping at the neat places in Chicago. How this special place of St John has put in place a relationship that is caring and special is so so neat..Again I say...We are family....God bless....Bill