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Trip Report: Family of 4, Part 1
Trip Report: Family of 4, Part 1
I am more of a ‘lurker’ than a ‘poster’, but since I always enjoy other people’s trip reports, I thought I would post ours. Sorry, no pictures (no underwater camera). We are a family of four including myself, my husband, and two daughters ‘M’ age 12 and ‘E’ age 9. We have been to St. John once before in 2008. It is a long trip from Southern California, but here we are again making the trip for the beautiful water and fabulous snorkeling.
Tuesday, June 29, 2010: We were up at 3:50 this morning, on the road by 4:45, got to the airport at 5:45 or so. We had no trouble checking in and our flight left on time at 7:10. We had a 2 hour layover in Miami where we had a little lunch. Our flight left Miami a little late around 6:15 I think. We arrived in St. Thomas around 8:30, were greeted with a shot of pineapple rum and a Virgin Islands tote bad. Nice!! We got our bags and took a taxi to the Best Western Emerald Beach. We took a little swim in the pool and went to bed around 11:00.
Wednesday, June 30, 2010: We got up around 9:00 this morning (still on California time, I think). Greg went to get the car from Dependable. One of the tires was pretty bald, so he had them put the spare on which was brand new. I am glad he did this. Then we drove to Cost-u-Less. We had lunch at the Kokopelli Deli. The coffee was excellent, the smoothies were good, and the lunch was good too. Then we stocked up on groceries at Cost-u-Less to the tune of $240, not as bad as we thought, and we headed to the car barge. We caught the 1:30 car barge, reached St. John, and drove to the house, arriving around 2:30. The mosquitoes up at the house were fierce. We were not glad to see this but hoped it would not last too long. We unloaded stuff and headed to Maho. We had a lovely swim at Maho, went home and had Donkey Diner pizza for dinner.
Thursday, July 1, 2010: We were up and ate breakfast, made our lunch, and were out the door by 9:30. Today we were going to Honeymoon. We parked at Caneel and walked to Honeymoon. The mosquitoes were not bad, so we were very happy about that. We got in the water as soon as we got there. I love snorkeling at Honeymoon. The water is so clear and there are a lot of fish. We swam all the way to Salomon but did not get out of the water there. On our way back, we spotted an octopus. It was near a small rock but completely out in the open. It swam away to some larger rocks. It was very cool to see it swim. It takes water in and shoots the water out to propel itself, so it stretches all the way out. We followed and it still did not hide in the rocks, so we were able to get a good look at it. When we swam back to Greg and M, E said she would show them where it was. I did not think she would find it again, but sure enough she did. So, everyone go to see it. Our first octopus sighting, very cool. Then we got out and had lunch. After lunch, I started to not feel well. We laid around and swam a little more. Then we walked back to the car. Maybe it was because I was not feeling well, but that walk was sooo hot. What I would not have given for a cold shower when we got back to Caneel. We got our clothes out of the car and went to find a restroom. As we entered the restroom, it was air conditioned. That was worth the $10 parking fee for sure. We cooled off a little and got dressed. Then we drove into town. It was sooo hot. There was no breeze and hardly anyone in town. No wonder. We got some smoothies for the girls. We got dinner at JJ’s BBQ to take home. I love JJ’s but was feeling so sick, I could hardly stand the smell of it in the car on the way home. I got home and laid down for the rest of the night.
Friday, July 2, 2010: I was feeling better this morning, but we still decided to take it a little easy. We decided to go to the Westin. We had not been there on our first trip to St. John, and we thought maybe the girls would find some friends to play with. They immediately got in the water to play on the trampoline and climbing wall. They met two girls who were 12 and 14 and they had a great time in the water all day. Greg and I also swam a little and got on the trampoline and climbing wall which looks a lot easier than it is. By now, Greg was also starting to not feel well. Not sure if it was something we ate or what. We left and went to Colombo’s for smoothies for the girls. Just waiting for the smoothies, we were nearly devoured by the mosquitoes. Then we went home.
Saturday, July 3, 2010: Greg was not feeling well at all today, and I was not feeling great either, so we stayed in the house most of the day. The mosquitoes were bad outside (have I mentioned that already?), so we stayed inside. Finally around 2:00, we were sick of being in the house, so we packed up a few things and went to Francis Bay. We got in the water and snorkeled on the right side. I have heard people say great things about Francis Bay. This is the second time we have been there, and I don’t think the snorkeling is that great. Maybe we did not go far enough out. I am not sure. We did see a turtle, our first one of the trip, so that was good. We got out and went home. We ate dinner at the house because we weren’t feeling well enough to go out. We went to bed really early around 9:00, I think. We were determined to feel better the next day.
Sunday, July 4, 2010: We decided we were feeling well enough to venture out today. We were up and on the road early this morning. I think around 8:30 or so. We decided to go to Little Lameshur since we had not been there before. As we passed Salt Pond, I was surprised to see that the parking lot was full already! The road was passable. There was quite a lot of mud puddles which I had not expected since it had not rained since we had been there and I thought this was the drier side of the island. We made it, and we were not the first ones there. We snorkeled on the left side. It was an interesting snorkel with some big rocks, lots of fish, and a lobster. We then swam across the bay and snorkeled on the right side. We came across the millions of fish, but these were not the tiny inch long ones that I am used to seeing. These were probably 3 to 4 inches long. And then we saw what was chasing them. There was a barracuda that was probably 5 feet long and two other fish. I don’t know what they were, but they were big, probably 4 feet long. We also saw some small squid and some bigger squid. All in all this was a great snorkel. We got out and had lunch. We read for awhile and the girls played in the sand for awhile. Greg and I walked over to see the ruins. We left about 3:00 and stopped at Lilly’s for ice cream. Shipwreck Landing and Skinny Legs were both closed, so we decided to eat at the house. We had hot dogs since, after all, it was the 4th of July. This may have been the first 4th of July that we did not see fireworks.
To be continued....
Tuesday, June 29, 2010: We were up at 3:50 this morning, on the road by 4:45, got to the airport at 5:45 or so. We had no trouble checking in and our flight left on time at 7:10. We had a 2 hour layover in Miami where we had a little lunch. Our flight left Miami a little late around 6:15 I think. We arrived in St. Thomas around 8:30, were greeted with a shot of pineapple rum and a Virgin Islands tote bad. Nice!! We got our bags and took a taxi to the Best Western Emerald Beach. We took a little swim in the pool and went to bed around 11:00.
Wednesday, June 30, 2010: We got up around 9:00 this morning (still on California time, I think). Greg went to get the car from Dependable. One of the tires was pretty bald, so he had them put the spare on which was brand new. I am glad he did this. Then we drove to Cost-u-Less. We had lunch at the Kokopelli Deli. The coffee was excellent, the smoothies were good, and the lunch was good too. Then we stocked up on groceries at Cost-u-Less to the tune of $240, not as bad as we thought, and we headed to the car barge. We caught the 1:30 car barge, reached St. John, and drove to the house, arriving around 2:30. The mosquitoes up at the house were fierce. We were not glad to see this but hoped it would not last too long. We unloaded stuff and headed to Maho. We had a lovely swim at Maho, went home and had Donkey Diner pizza for dinner.
Thursday, July 1, 2010: We were up and ate breakfast, made our lunch, and were out the door by 9:30. Today we were going to Honeymoon. We parked at Caneel and walked to Honeymoon. The mosquitoes were not bad, so we were very happy about that. We got in the water as soon as we got there. I love snorkeling at Honeymoon. The water is so clear and there are a lot of fish. We swam all the way to Salomon but did not get out of the water there. On our way back, we spotted an octopus. It was near a small rock but completely out in the open. It swam away to some larger rocks. It was very cool to see it swim. It takes water in and shoots the water out to propel itself, so it stretches all the way out. We followed and it still did not hide in the rocks, so we were able to get a good look at it. When we swam back to Greg and M, E said she would show them where it was. I did not think she would find it again, but sure enough she did. So, everyone go to see it. Our first octopus sighting, very cool. Then we got out and had lunch. After lunch, I started to not feel well. We laid around and swam a little more. Then we walked back to the car. Maybe it was because I was not feeling well, but that walk was sooo hot. What I would not have given for a cold shower when we got back to Caneel. We got our clothes out of the car and went to find a restroom. As we entered the restroom, it was air conditioned. That was worth the $10 parking fee for sure. We cooled off a little and got dressed. Then we drove into town. It was sooo hot. There was no breeze and hardly anyone in town. No wonder. We got some smoothies for the girls. We got dinner at JJ’s BBQ to take home. I love JJ’s but was feeling so sick, I could hardly stand the smell of it in the car on the way home. I got home and laid down for the rest of the night.
Friday, July 2, 2010: I was feeling better this morning, but we still decided to take it a little easy. We decided to go to the Westin. We had not been there on our first trip to St. John, and we thought maybe the girls would find some friends to play with. They immediately got in the water to play on the trampoline and climbing wall. They met two girls who were 12 and 14 and they had a great time in the water all day. Greg and I also swam a little and got on the trampoline and climbing wall which looks a lot easier than it is. By now, Greg was also starting to not feel well. Not sure if it was something we ate or what. We left and went to Colombo’s for smoothies for the girls. Just waiting for the smoothies, we were nearly devoured by the mosquitoes. Then we went home.
Saturday, July 3, 2010: Greg was not feeling well at all today, and I was not feeling great either, so we stayed in the house most of the day. The mosquitoes were bad outside (have I mentioned that already?), so we stayed inside. Finally around 2:00, we were sick of being in the house, so we packed up a few things and went to Francis Bay. We got in the water and snorkeled on the right side. I have heard people say great things about Francis Bay. This is the second time we have been there, and I don’t think the snorkeling is that great. Maybe we did not go far enough out. I am not sure. We did see a turtle, our first one of the trip, so that was good. We got out and went home. We ate dinner at the house because we weren’t feeling well enough to go out. We went to bed really early around 9:00, I think. We were determined to feel better the next day.
Sunday, July 4, 2010: We decided we were feeling well enough to venture out today. We were up and on the road early this morning. I think around 8:30 or so. We decided to go to Little Lameshur since we had not been there before. As we passed Salt Pond, I was surprised to see that the parking lot was full already! The road was passable. There was quite a lot of mud puddles which I had not expected since it had not rained since we had been there and I thought this was the drier side of the island. We made it, and we were not the first ones there. We snorkeled on the left side. It was an interesting snorkel with some big rocks, lots of fish, and a lobster. We then swam across the bay and snorkeled on the right side. We came across the millions of fish, but these were not the tiny inch long ones that I am used to seeing. These were probably 3 to 4 inches long. And then we saw what was chasing them. There was a barracuda that was probably 5 feet long and two other fish. I don’t know what they were, but they were big, probably 4 feet long. We also saw some small squid and some bigger squid. All in all this was a great snorkel. We got out and had lunch. We read for awhile and the girls played in the sand for awhile. Greg and I walked over to see the ruins. We left about 3:00 and stopped at Lilly’s for ice cream. Shipwreck Landing and Skinny Legs were both closed, so we decided to eat at the house. We had hot dogs since, after all, it was the 4th of July. This may have been the first 4th of July that we did not see fireworks.
To be continued....
