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20 days in paradise, part 3
20 days in paradise, part 3
Day 6
"The Day the Camera Died"
Today we were scheduled for the NPS guided Reef Bay Hike. I'd been trying to get John to go on this hike every trip, and he would always talk me out of it. His point was, why hike when you can swim? But, I wanted to see it, and was determined that this was the trip that it would happen.
The plan: get up early, go to Deli Grotto and get something for lunch on the hike, and show up with plenty of time to spare. The reality: John started dragging his feet the moment he got up. "Are you SURE you want to do this? Sigh, sigh sigh..." I used the time while he was grumbling to take some pictures. Cinnamon Bay from Cinnamon Tarn:
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/28539958@N00/544769748/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1386/544 ... d25f6a.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="tarn cinnamon view"></a>
Pretty flower in the yard:
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/28539958@N00/544769880/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1421/544 ... 3b5607.jpg" width="375" height="500" alt="tarn flowers"></a>
We ended up getting to town without enough time to stop for food. Oh well, we would get something yummy for dinner.
The NPS brochure says to hike the reef bay trail in closed toe shoes, but we did not have any, so just wore our Tevas/Merrills. Yup, we were the only people that showed up in sandals. John started giving me skeptical looks, but wisely kept his own counsel.
So, off we went. The hike is not physically strenuous, but you have to use caution because the rotting leaves on the trail make it slippery. I found it difficult to take the time to look at things around me because I was always concentrating on where I was putting my feet. (I am extremely accident prone so I have to really pay attention).
Our ranger was very nice, though new to the island. She was well versed in the history of the ruins (fun fact! Did you know that the stones of the houses were cemented together with molasses?), and a little less so when it came to some of the flora and fauna on the island. Ruins:
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/28539958@N00/550087654/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/242/5500 ... c9c638.jpg" width="375" height="500" alt="ruins"></a>
It was a nice day for a hike, not too hot, not humid, and most importantly, not buggy! John trucked along and seemed at least moderately interested (John quote of the day: Soooo...this is hiking.").
Big termite nest:
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/28539958@N00/550094726/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/220/5500 ... b7e6d3.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="termite nest"></a>
However, things were about to take a downhill turn.
We got to the Petroglyph pools, which thankfully had been cleared of the graffiti. It was kind of hard to see the symbols, because no one who was close enough splashed them with water to make them come out. I decided to get a little closer to try for a better picture, but slipped, dropping my camera in the process! Down it went, as if in slow motion, sliding down the rock...down, down, down, into the pool! It landed face up, and little bubbles came out of its lens face, as if to say "goodbye!" Argh, argh, argh!!! Of course it was dead. John whispered in my ear "It's the curse of the Taino! Revenge for the graffiti!" I did not think that was very funny at all.
Grumble, grumbling along, we came to the sugar mill. The ruins were interesting, and in really good shape. I must warn you though-they are very bat filled! Many people on the tour chose not to go inside because of the swooping bats. I'd love to show you a picture, but of course had no camera. Grumble, grumble. John promised to buy me a new one asap, which lightened my mood a bit, but also brought with it the dark prospect of having to go to St. Thomas for shopping, which I cannot stand.
The "hardest" part of the hike was the trail to Genti Bay. It's a little steep and unshaded. However, it was worth it to see Genti Bay. John and I walked all the way down the length of the very long beach, and found a school of baby sharks just offshore. They were in water so shallow that their fins were out of the water. It was really cool. John went out to them to get a better look but they swam away. I'd love to show you a picture, but...well, you know.
The boat ride home on the Sadie Sea was really fun. We saw many of the houses we have stayed at before, plus some places that are on the list for future visits. John was excited because he finally got to see this Reef Bay villa that he's been obsessed with for years. It's not on the rental market, but if we ever win the lottery I know he'll be contacting the owner!
We went back to the house to clean up and to deal with the blisters John got on the hike. He offered to take me to Charlotte Amelie right then for a new camera but I was too grouchy for that, so instead we decided to go into town and find dinner. We stopped into Cruz Bay photo to see if they had anything (they didn't but at least I got a disposable for the next day). We also stopped into the Tap Room to check it out, and had a taste of their first keg of IPA (not hoppy enough for me).
Dinner was at Zozo's. We stopped in to see if they could accommodate us and they stuck a couple of extra stools at the bar. Dining up there is really cool-the views are unobstructed, unlike the dining room, and the bartender/server was really good. We had the antipasto to start, and then I had a pistachio crusted mahi over arugula, goat cheese, and tomatoes, and John had a grouper served with herbed risotto. Wine alert: Zozo's has Tignanello by the glass for a really good price. Yum! The food here is really amazing, definitely in our top three. Back to Tarn for relaxation and another early bedtime.
Day Seven
Today we sailed with Captain Phil. I took my crummy disposable and got packed up for the trip. There were two other couples on the boat-dairy farmers from Michigan and a retired couple from Idaho who own a time share at the Westin. Both were very nice, and we had some good conversation. John and I really liked Captain Phil. He is a character, and has a specific way of doing things, but I believe that it is all for our benefit. He runs a smooth ship and provides a very nice day. I think this would be a great daysail if you are bringing children, as he has a nice manner and seems to enjoy teaching people.
We did two snorkel stops, both somewhere off Great St. James. At the first stop we saw lots of fish: porcupinefish, damselfish, rays, hogfish, etc. plus some really good and healthy coral. The second stop had a bit of a strong current that we had to swim against, but it was worth it for the sightings of excellent coral, crusting sponges, conch, rays, and lots and lots of barracuda! Captain Phil found a huge queen helmet which he showed us-I'd never seen one before.
As part of the sail, Captain Phil gives a talk about sea life, which I liked. I told him I really wanted to find an octopus, so we talked about how to do that and he showed lots of pictures he had taken over the years. He discussed their behavior and how they disguise themselves, all very useful information for my quest.
They serve lunch on the boat, which was very tasty. Sandwiches, which they would not tell us what it contained (I think it was seafood salad), fruit, potato chips, and brownies. All in all, it was a very pleasant day. I missed my powershot though! I did take pictures with the disposable, but they came out horribly, so no photos.
We got back to the house around 4:30 PM, and John was finally able to get his doctor on the phone. He'd been waking up every night with really bad headaches. After some discussion, she diagnosed him with a bacterial sinus infection and called in some prescriptions. The Chelsea Drugstore in the marketplace was more efficient than our CVS at home! By the time we drove down to the store, everything was ready, and they were very friendly and helpful.
End of day at Tarn:
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/28539958@N00/550094716/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/226/5500 ... 8a3e8d.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="tarn view #2"></a>
Dinner tonight was at Rhumblines. I really like the garden setting and the baby mangrove trees on the tables. We started with a bunch of the pupu platter appetizers: tofu-lemongrass cakes (tasty, but their sauce was too salty), thai spring rolls (very good, very spicy sauce), cornmeal crusted cilantro shrimp (yum), coconut shrimp (yum), duck potstickers (didn't try, John said just OK), and quesadillas (very bland). Then we split a dish of mahi in a banana buerre blanc sauce with sweet potato chips. The fish was very good, but the sauce was definitely not a banana buerre blanc-more of a Cambodian-style tuk trey. Oh well, it was good.
Back to the house for books and bed. A power outage at 4 AM scared us (all these alarms started going off right before the power went out, it was weird!), but was very brief.
"The Day the Camera Died"
Today we were scheduled for the NPS guided Reef Bay Hike. I'd been trying to get John to go on this hike every trip, and he would always talk me out of it. His point was, why hike when you can swim? But, I wanted to see it, and was determined that this was the trip that it would happen.
The plan: get up early, go to Deli Grotto and get something for lunch on the hike, and show up with plenty of time to spare. The reality: John started dragging his feet the moment he got up. "Are you SURE you want to do this? Sigh, sigh sigh..." I used the time while he was grumbling to take some pictures. Cinnamon Bay from Cinnamon Tarn:
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/28539958@N00/544769748/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1386/544 ... d25f6a.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="tarn cinnamon view"></a>
Pretty flower in the yard:
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/28539958@N00/544769880/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1421/544 ... 3b5607.jpg" width="375" height="500" alt="tarn flowers"></a>
We ended up getting to town without enough time to stop for food. Oh well, we would get something yummy for dinner.
The NPS brochure says to hike the reef bay trail in closed toe shoes, but we did not have any, so just wore our Tevas/Merrills. Yup, we were the only people that showed up in sandals. John started giving me skeptical looks, but wisely kept his own counsel.
So, off we went. The hike is not physically strenuous, but you have to use caution because the rotting leaves on the trail make it slippery. I found it difficult to take the time to look at things around me because I was always concentrating on where I was putting my feet. (I am extremely accident prone so I have to really pay attention).
Our ranger was very nice, though new to the island. She was well versed in the history of the ruins (fun fact! Did you know that the stones of the houses were cemented together with molasses?), and a little less so when it came to some of the flora and fauna on the island. Ruins:
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/28539958@N00/550087654/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/242/5500 ... c9c638.jpg" width="375" height="500" alt="ruins"></a>
It was a nice day for a hike, not too hot, not humid, and most importantly, not buggy! John trucked along and seemed at least moderately interested (John quote of the day: Soooo...this is hiking.").
Big termite nest:
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/28539958@N00/550094726/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/220/5500 ... b7e6d3.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="termite nest"></a>
However, things were about to take a downhill turn.
We got to the Petroglyph pools, which thankfully had been cleared of the graffiti. It was kind of hard to see the symbols, because no one who was close enough splashed them with water to make them come out. I decided to get a little closer to try for a better picture, but slipped, dropping my camera in the process! Down it went, as if in slow motion, sliding down the rock...down, down, down, into the pool! It landed face up, and little bubbles came out of its lens face, as if to say "goodbye!" Argh, argh, argh!!! Of course it was dead. John whispered in my ear "It's the curse of the Taino! Revenge for the graffiti!" I did not think that was very funny at all.
Grumble, grumbling along, we came to the sugar mill. The ruins were interesting, and in really good shape. I must warn you though-they are very bat filled! Many people on the tour chose not to go inside because of the swooping bats. I'd love to show you a picture, but of course had no camera. Grumble, grumble. John promised to buy me a new one asap, which lightened my mood a bit, but also brought with it the dark prospect of having to go to St. Thomas for shopping, which I cannot stand.
The "hardest" part of the hike was the trail to Genti Bay. It's a little steep and unshaded. However, it was worth it to see Genti Bay. John and I walked all the way down the length of the very long beach, and found a school of baby sharks just offshore. They were in water so shallow that their fins were out of the water. It was really cool. John went out to them to get a better look but they swam away. I'd love to show you a picture, but...well, you know.
The boat ride home on the Sadie Sea was really fun. We saw many of the houses we have stayed at before, plus some places that are on the list for future visits. John was excited because he finally got to see this Reef Bay villa that he's been obsessed with for years. It's not on the rental market, but if we ever win the lottery I know he'll be contacting the owner!
We went back to the house to clean up and to deal with the blisters John got on the hike. He offered to take me to Charlotte Amelie right then for a new camera but I was too grouchy for that, so instead we decided to go into town and find dinner. We stopped into Cruz Bay photo to see if they had anything (they didn't but at least I got a disposable for the next day). We also stopped into the Tap Room to check it out, and had a taste of their first keg of IPA (not hoppy enough for me).
Dinner was at Zozo's. We stopped in to see if they could accommodate us and they stuck a couple of extra stools at the bar. Dining up there is really cool-the views are unobstructed, unlike the dining room, and the bartender/server was really good. We had the antipasto to start, and then I had a pistachio crusted mahi over arugula, goat cheese, and tomatoes, and John had a grouper served with herbed risotto. Wine alert: Zozo's has Tignanello by the glass for a really good price. Yum! The food here is really amazing, definitely in our top three. Back to Tarn for relaxation and another early bedtime.
Day Seven
Today we sailed with Captain Phil. I took my crummy disposable and got packed up for the trip. There were two other couples on the boat-dairy farmers from Michigan and a retired couple from Idaho who own a time share at the Westin. Both were very nice, and we had some good conversation. John and I really liked Captain Phil. He is a character, and has a specific way of doing things, but I believe that it is all for our benefit. He runs a smooth ship and provides a very nice day. I think this would be a great daysail if you are bringing children, as he has a nice manner and seems to enjoy teaching people.
We did two snorkel stops, both somewhere off Great St. James. At the first stop we saw lots of fish: porcupinefish, damselfish, rays, hogfish, etc. plus some really good and healthy coral. The second stop had a bit of a strong current that we had to swim against, but it was worth it for the sightings of excellent coral, crusting sponges, conch, rays, and lots and lots of barracuda! Captain Phil found a huge queen helmet which he showed us-I'd never seen one before.
As part of the sail, Captain Phil gives a talk about sea life, which I liked. I told him I really wanted to find an octopus, so we talked about how to do that and he showed lots of pictures he had taken over the years. He discussed their behavior and how they disguise themselves, all very useful information for my quest.
They serve lunch on the boat, which was very tasty. Sandwiches, which they would not tell us what it contained (I think it was seafood salad), fruit, potato chips, and brownies. All in all, it was a very pleasant day. I missed my powershot though! I did take pictures with the disposable, but they came out horribly, so no photos.
We got back to the house around 4:30 PM, and John was finally able to get his doctor on the phone. He'd been waking up every night with really bad headaches. After some discussion, she diagnosed him with a bacterial sinus infection and called in some prescriptions. The Chelsea Drugstore in the marketplace was more efficient than our CVS at home! By the time we drove down to the store, everything was ready, and they were very friendly and helpful.
End of day at Tarn:
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/28539958@N00/550094716/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/226/5500 ... 8a3e8d.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="tarn view #2"></a>
Dinner tonight was at Rhumblines. I really like the garden setting and the baby mangrove trees on the tables. We started with a bunch of the pupu platter appetizers: tofu-lemongrass cakes (tasty, but their sauce was too salty), thai spring rolls (very good, very spicy sauce), cornmeal crusted cilantro shrimp (yum), coconut shrimp (yum), duck potstickers (didn't try, John said just OK), and quesadillas (very bland). Then we split a dish of mahi in a banana buerre blanc sauce with sweet potato chips. The fish was very good, but the sauce was definitely not a banana buerre blanc-more of a Cambodian-style tuk trey. Oh well, it was good.
Back to the house for books and bed. A power outage at 4 AM scared us (all these alarms started going off right before the power went out, it was weird!), but was very brief.
It's like looking in your soup and finding a whole different alphabet.
How did you get the picture that evening after the camera died? How did you get the pictures back from that morning? I'm guessing the card was still OK?
Love your report and especially the photos. You picked a beautiful place to stay!
Ken
Love your report and especially the photos. You picked a beautiful place to stay!
Ken
My St. John Photos: http://rcplanefan.zenfolio.com/
Hi Ken, yes, the memory card was OK. Mostly because someone next to me yelled out to get the card out of the camera asap! I would not have thought of that, but I got it out before it got wet. Thank goodness! I wasn't able to tell if it was OK until I got home and could check it on the computer. I was lucky.
As for the other picture, I took it on an afternoon before the camera died. The old camera is still, unfortunately, quite dead. I just checked it again last night. I did get another camera, however, so I have lots more photos to share. I wasn't going 13 more vacation days without a camera!
As for the other picture, I took it on an afternoon before the camera died. The old camera is still, unfortunately, quite dead. I just checked it again last night. I did get another camera, however, so I have lots more photos to share. I wasn't going 13 more vacation days without a camera!
It's like looking in your soup and finding a whole different alphabet.
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cypressgirl
- Posts: 2178
- Joined: Tue Dec 26, 2006 2:42 pm
- Location: houston
WOW, those 2 shots of Cinnamon Bay are amazing! Can't wait to see the rest of your pix with your "new" camera... I can relate to trying to get the husband to hike the Reef Bay trail, I've been trying for 5 trips now, and no luck. He doesn't see the point (it's too hoooot, too long, blah blah blah). The only hiking he will do is the lower Lind Point trail because it leads to his favorite beach at Soloman...
OK so now I know if I do take the reef bay hike to put my camera in it's waterproof case! I would have died if that happened to my camera!!!! Good to know about the card though!
Your reports have been great! You are such a wonderful cook I don't know how you bother to eat out! You must be disappointed a lot. My grandmother is a really good cook and she usually has something she doesn' like about the waqy food at resturants is cooked as compared to the way she cooks it! It does give her ideas sometimes though!
Your reports have been great! You are such a wonderful cook I don't know how you bother to eat out! You must be disappointed a lot. My grandmother is a really good cook and she usually has something she doesn' like about the waqy food at resturants is cooked as compared to the way she cooks it! It does give her ideas sometimes though!
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California Girl
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obsessedmuch
Nice installment! I, too, love your food descriptions. Wise of you to do the guided Reef Bay hike and take the boat. It wasn't difficult climbing back up but a nice boat ride with scenery would have probably been better.
Oh, and here's a bat picture for you.
They weren't flying much when we were there but you're right, there were SO many. YUCK.
Oh, and here's a bat picture for you.
They weren't flying much when we were there but you're right, there were SO many. YUCK.Thanks for the great TR and the pics. Sorry about your camera and I felt your anguish of losing it like that.
I have pics of all of the bats...but they are really dark and you have to look really hard to see them. But they were icky for sure! We loved the boat right back on the Sadie Sea. It was a good way to see the Island and the views were wonderful. Thnx again!
I have pics of all of the bats...but they are really dark and you have to look really hard to see them. But they were icky for sure! We loved the boat right back on the Sadie Sea. It was a good way to see the Island and the views were wonderful. Thnx again!
Coden
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Bob & Anita
- Posts: 611
- Joined: Tue Aug 08, 2006 11:20 pm
- Location: Charlotte, NC
Sounds like you didn't let the camera loss ruin your vacation. We've had stuff like that happen; it’s good to be able to take those incidents in stride and in perspective.
Thanks for the wonderful reports; we are looking forward to more days. How many more do you think you get written before we start our travels to STJ early Friday morning?
Thanks for the wonderful reports; we are looking forward to more days. How many more do you think you get written before we start our travels to STJ early Friday morning?
Bob & Anita