usvi-on-line
How did you get (caribbean) salt water in your blood?
How did you get (caribbean) salt water in your blood?
I got my island salt in my blood when I was a young teen and lucky enough to tag along with my parents for two weeks every year for three years to Secret Harbor on STT 35 years ago. I have fond memories of the islands when things were more pristine and the coral was more alive. I've grown up on the water in jersey but was spoiled by the islands with the clear warm water. I don't want to fish when I'm on island, I prefer to swim with em. The best thing about it is my 3 kids have it in their blood now to... I'm curious how you forum folks found the love......
I was also fortunate enough to join my Mom and step-father on their trip to STT. They were staying at Watergate Villas next to Bolongo. There was flooding so they were upgraded and had more room than originally planned, they called and asked me if I would fly down solo and I jumped at the chance. We spent a day on STJ at Honeymoon and I saw my first stingray. I practically dragged my stepfather onto the beach thinking I was saving him from this wild sea creature. I have not been the same since. It is in my blood now and will always be. I love sharing it with those I love and watching them fall for it too. Great post! Thanks for bringing back that very special memory.
While in the midst of raising two children, renovating an old house and building a career, our best friends (somewhat older) were cruising the Caribbean looking for the perfect island. After the dust had cleared and our children were on their way as far as we could interfere, the house was no longer in jeopardy of collapsing on us and we had gone as far in our jobs as we had cared, we joined our friends on St John 15 years ago and have returned every year since. Our daughter has been married on Trunk Bay and we feel a slight pang of guilt when both of our children's lives or careers prevent them from joining us, since we have infected them also. One of our friend's has since passed away and we have spread some his ashes all over the Island so he is always there when we get there.
My addiction came slowly. Went to Freeport, Bahamas in the late 70s - nothing to write home about. Then it was Montego Bay in the early 80s - didn't do anything for me. Then in 1989 I did my first week on the Windjammer ship Polynesia, sailing out of St. Martin. The rest, as they say, is history. I spent 17 weeks on WJ over the next 15 years, primarily sailing between Antigua and Grenada. Alas, those days are gone. My Windjammer obsession is the reason it took me so many years to find beautiful St. John 
Pam
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I grew up spending summers on an island in maine and winters in marblehead, Ma--so the ocean was always all around--moved to the Cape for a stretch of years--first came to STJ in 1985--almost left STJ to sail to india with a pretty much complete stranger and his 4 yr old son....but went back to boston instead--a decision i sort of regret today.....came back to STJ in 93 for my honeymoon and have been coming as regularly as possible since....
< leaving on the 22nd of march...but too lame to figure out the ticker thing again!>
Been a Beach Boy since vacationing in Florida with parents since I was ten. One cruise in early 2000 and a snorkel at Coki on St Thomas and those fish had me at hello. If I could have done anything as a career it would have been a marine biologist. Not gonna happen but hey at least I can pretend a little in the caribbean. How the heck did I get stuck in Ohio so far from the ocean 
Were working on getting closer to a beach though.
Were working on getting closer to a beach though.-
Boston Mike
- Posts: 974
- Joined: Sat Dec 27, 2008 5:41 am
- Location: Boston, MA.
My addiction started on our first trip, the honeymoon in St. Martin. Believe it or not, it was my first time being on a plane. I was completely captured by the color of the water and the beauty of the beaches. Of course a hurricane had just ripped the island up a week before we went, but we still did it. My most memorable moment was the day we took a walk on the beach and found this nice little spot to eat and drink. It was called Layla’s. We chatted with the owner all day and I got to learn what the island life was about.
After many trips and doing all the tourist stuff in Aruba, Bahamas, Key West, and the list goes on, we found this nice little place. Aruba was always our favorite up to about three years ago. Always loved staying at the Manchebo Beach Resort in room 18 which was a few short steps from the beach and direct sunset views. This nice little place we found put Aruba on the back burner. This place and the people that live there really showed me how to release it all and be as you are. This is how my addiction went from bad to really bad.
Thank you St. John and everyone on the island. Most importantly thank to Anthony for the forum and Ruth for the Spice Cam. You really help us get through the in between time.
See you all next week!
After many trips and doing all the tourist stuff in Aruba, Bahamas, Key West, and the list goes on, we found this nice little place. Aruba was always our favorite up to about three years ago. Always loved staying at the Manchebo Beach Resort in room 18 which was a few short steps from the beach and direct sunset views. This nice little place we found put Aruba on the back burner. This place and the people that live there really showed me how to release it all and be as you are. This is how my addiction went from bad to really bad.
Thank you St. John and everyone on the island. Most importantly thank to Anthony for the forum and Ruth for the Spice Cam. You really help us get through the in between time.
See you all next week!
Life begins where the land ends!
I have spent every summer of my life-starting at 8 months old- on the Texas coast, so I have Gulf Coast sea water deep in my soul. Then 2 years ago, we visited STJ and I had never experienced such peace. So we alternate every other year now...you can take this gal out of the salt water, but you can't take the salt water out of this gal!
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mindehankins
- Posts: 3014
- Joined: Fri Mar 06, 2009 8:21 am
- Location: Western NY State
Lido Key, off of the gulf coast of Florida, has been my go-to place, for most of my adult life. Late in October '08, I had a stroke, and then an unrelenting depression. Out of desperation, in the middle of the long winter of depression, my husband said "plan a trip...anywhere that will make you better."
I remembered a friend talking about this little slice of heaven, and said "St. John!" We found this forum, the excitement of planning the trip helped the depression, and we are always thinking about our next trip.
Thanks, St. John, Anthony, and all of you forumites!
I remembered a friend talking about this little slice of heaven, and said "St. John!" We found this forum, the excitement of planning the trip helped the depression, and we are always thinking about our next trip.
Thanks, St. John, Anthony, and all of you forumites!
My parents didn't take many vacations. But we lived in Europe so we spent week-ends travelling to different countries. They were never really keen on beaches though.
After graduating form college, I got my first grown up job and my first paid vacation to go along with it.
I still kept in touch with an old high school boyfriend who had graduated from Tulane law school and had moved to STT to practice maritime law. Anyway, he shared this great place with another law school friend of his overlooking Magens Bay.
Soon after he moved to STT, Hurricane Marilyn hit. HARD.
http://www.weather.gov/om/assessments/pdfs/marilyn.pdf
They were without power and water for a VERY long time.
At one point he called from his mobile phone and told me to come down for a visit.
I said, "Do you have power and running water?" And he said that it has JUST come back on line. I booked my ticket that day and went down for my first 10 day visit in April, 1996. I can still remember seeing the hillsides of STT covered in blue tarps because all the roofs had been blown off.
My friend still had to work during the day so he told me I should take a day and go over to STJ on the ferry to check the place out. He dropped me off downtown at the Charlotte Amalie ferry and off I went.
I've written about that first day's experience many times before on this forum. But all I can say is, it was M-A-G-I-C.
From that point on I was sold.
If I were to think back on my life thus far it has been greatly enriched by the experiences, people and even the t-shirts from STJ (I met my husband while wearing a Duffy's Love Shack t-shirt and that was the conversation starter for both of us).
I still travel to other parts of the world, but STJ keeps me coming back over and over again and I am shamelessly without regret.
After graduating form college, I got my first grown up job and my first paid vacation to go along with it.
I still kept in touch with an old high school boyfriend who had graduated from Tulane law school and had moved to STT to practice maritime law. Anyway, he shared this great place with another law school friend of his overlooking Magens Bay.
Soon after he moved to STT, Hurricane Marilyn hit. HARD.
http://www.weather.gov/om/assessments/pdfs/marilyn.pdf
They were without power and water for a VERY long time.
At one point he called from his mobile phone and told me to come down for a visit.
I said, "Do you have power and running water?" And he said that it has JUST come back on line. I booked my ticket that day and went down for my first 10 day visit in April, 1996. I can still remember seeing the hillsides of STT covered in blue tarps because all the roofs had been blown off.
My friend still had to work during the day so he told me I should take a day and go over to STJ on the ferry to check the place out. He dropped me off downtown at the Charlotte Amalie ferry and off I went.
I've written about that first day's experience many times before on this forum. But all I can say is, it was M-A-G-I-C.
From that point on I was sold.
If I were to think back on my life thus far it has been greatly enriched by the experiences, people and even the t-shirts from STJ (I met my husband while wearing a Duffy's Love Shack t-shirt and that was the conversation starter for both of us).
I still travel to other parts of the world, but STJ keeps me coming back over and over again and I am shamelessly without regret.
*Another fine scatterbrained production
Living on a farm in Oregon about 2 hours from the ocean, family vacations were staying in some fishing "cabins" at some Oregon river so Dad and I could get up at zero dark thirty and go salmon/steelhead fishing.
In fact, I never stayed at any hotel or resort that had a swimming pool until after we were married! My parents weren't poor, frugal would be correct.
My wife had similar experiences so after we were married we started going on cruises to the Caribbean. About the 4th or 5th cruise, one of the stops was STT. We took one of the snorkeling excursions over to STJ and the moment we stepped onto the Trunk Bay beach we were hooked. When it came time to celebrate the 30th anniversary we knew where we were going and now we have been 3 years in a row.
In fact, I never stayed at any hotel or resort that had a swimming pool until after we were married! My parents weren't poor, frugal would be correct.
My wife had similar experiences so after we were married we started going on cruises to the Caribbean. About the 4th or 5th cruise, one of the stops was STT. We took one of the snorkeling excursions over to STJ and the moment we stepped onto the Trunk Bay beach we were hooked. When it came time to celebrate the 30th anniversary we knew where we were going and now we have been 3 years in a row.
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