10 more days in paradise, part three

[liamsaunt]

Day 5

Up very, very early. I decided to let John sleep and headed into town to get sandwiches at the Deli Grotto. I had to wait a while for them to open, and when they did I ordered two sandwiches, a pink Cadillac:

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/28539958@N00/1752246881/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2231/175 ... 11a2dd.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="st john october 07 086"></a>

And a smoked turkey artichoke:

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/28539958@N00/1779266688/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2303/177 ... 37b53b.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="deli grotto"></a>

I walked over and put my name in the sand but I don’t think you guys saw it. Boo. By the way, writing in the sand is hard! You really have to press to make the letters come out.

Today was another new-to-us snorkel location. We decided to snorkel Tektite. To get there you have to hike/rock scramble out along the left side of Great Lameshur:

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/28539958@N00/1778530203/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2224/177 ... f903d0.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="great lameshur to tektite"></a>

Let me tell you, this is not an easy hike. You really need to watch your footing, and there are some rocks that are bigger than you that need to be climbed over! Here is a picture of one of them:

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/28539958@N00/1778609761/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2119/177 ... 70a1cc.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="tektite head out"></a>

And this is an example of what the easy part of the trail looks like:

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/28539958@N00/1778557755/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2119/177 ... dcd1ee.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="tektite -hike-"></a>

It’s not particularly difficult, but my V.I.P.I. (vacation injury probability index) was ringing off the charts. It would be easy to slip and fall.

Thankfully, we made it in one piece and headed out. To get to the snorkel spot, you need to swim across a cove. There’s not much in the cove itself, though we did find three HUGE permits:

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/28539958@N00/1779389300/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2158/177 ... 2576e4.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="permit 3"></a>

At tektite you have the opportunity to snorkel into three open caves. There's beautiful coral and sponges:

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/28539958@N00/1779429442/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2391/177 ... 9c5f49.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="tektite coral and sponge closeup"></a>

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/28539958@N00/1779475906/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2293/177 ... 822942.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="tektite sponge"></a>

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/28539958@N00/1779408564/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2359/177 ... a65442.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="tektite assorted coral 2"></a>

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/28539958@N00/1778565283/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2096/177 ... d63c24.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="tektite brain coral"></a>

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/28539958@N00/1778566727/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2084/177 ... b9b9c9.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="tektite branching coral 2"></a>

and lots of fish reside in them. Here is a trumpetfish descending into a cave:

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/28539958@N00/1779477552/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2002/177 ... b9ea6c.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="tektite trumpetfish"></a>

The light filters down into the caves and really creates a beautiful scene. We found a very weird jellyfish at the fire coral-crusted wall where you are supposed to turn around—who knows what kind this is? Maybe it's a moon jelly, but it's just in a weird position?

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/28539958@N00/1778612521/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2226/177 ... 94864d.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="tektite jelly"></a>

Here is the turn around point:

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/28539958@N00/1779479396/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2024/177 ... b48a39.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="tektite turn around spot"></a>

The hike back felt more difficult than the hike in, probably because we were tired from swimming. I would say that it is definitely worth going here, but be careful! Or, better yet, get there by boat. There’s a mooring there, and in fact an Ocean Runner pulled in to moor just as we arrived at Donkey Bight.

We decided to head back to Gallows for lunch rather than picnicking at the beach.

Around 3 PM we decided to head to Gibney Beach:

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/28539958@N00/1778432801/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2042/177 ... 3d25d2.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="gibney beach 2"></a>

No cars at the gate means we are going to have the beach to ourselves. Hooray! Into the water, and guess who we see? The same Ocean Runner group moored off to the left! What are the odds of that?

Snorkeling here was really really good—to see the good stuff, go to the right and around the rocks, all the way to the tiny sand beach. We found a hermit crab:

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/28539958@N00/1779310414/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2382/177 ... 176fc8.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="gibney hermit crab"></a>

big porcupinefish, schools of blue tang:

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/28539958@N00/1778513915/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2169/177 ... a2c788.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="gibney tang 4"></a>

baby ballyhoo, good looking coral:

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/28539958@N00/1779300416/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2419/177 ... d64753.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="gibney elkhorn"></a>

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/28539958@N00/1778446029/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2121/177 ... 70395b.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="gibney coral 7"></a>

grunts, porkfish, a couple of red hinds, a hermit crab, and my best find, a huge helmet! It was so beautiful--it's about the size of John's hand.

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/28539958@N00/1778460647/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2255/177 ... b041e8.jpg" width="500" height="478" alt="gibney helmut"></a>

When we get to this little beach, we always turn around and head back:

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/28539958@N00/1779345870/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2231/177 ... 93315c.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="gibney secret beach"></a>

Back to the beach:

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/28539958@N00/1778464017/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2280/177 ... 9a7c8c.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="gibney house"></a>

Sunset at Gibney Beach:

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/28539958@N00/1779355362/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2302/177 ... 513c82.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="gibney sunset 8"></a>

Dinner tonight was at La Tapa again. Our hostess was Tarn, who was our first mate when we went out with Captain Phil in June. It was nice to see her again. We started with the bread and La Tapa oil (yum), and then we spilt an appetizer of grilled shrimp with passion fruit-guava sauce—super yum! For entrees, John had tuna with coconut rice lemongrass and pea shoots. I had a special of whole red snapper with garlic, thyme, lemon, etc. and rice and roasted vegetables. It was delicious! The woman at the next table did not like it though! She would NOT shut up about my fish—groaning that it looked like it belonged in a fish trap, that having to look at the head was disgusting, on and on, at the top of her lungs! It was so rude that it was almost funny. Of course, then she had the paella, so I guess fish is OK, just not if it has a head.

We were pretty tired from our full day, so hit the hay early.

Day 5 bug bite total: 5

[designbyroe]

Another wonderful report. I love La Tapa..........I used to go when I lived on island to see Eddie play on Mondays and eat mussels and have a mojito.
I loved chatting with Alex when she got out of the kitchen which is not often.......
That was funny about the lady being so loud about her food...........I would have smacked with a fish head.......lol

[Kentuckygirl]

It looks like the snorkeling at Gibney is pretty good. I want to get there next time. Tektite looks interesting too. Thanks!

[nothintolose]

Liamsaunt - Jerry and I decided that we think that the permit fish is what the huge a$$ fish we had seen at the point at Maho - glad you got a picture. That's the one that had Pia telling us about the huge barracuda there (that I think we also saw).

Jerry said the one we saw was more than three feet and seemed to have a more rounded body but maybe that's because of the size. Otherwise, it looked to be the same.

Thanks for ending our search!!!!

[mbw1024]

good stuff. I love Gibney, nice to see some great picture's of it.

[Xislandgirl]

I love your reports and I love that Turkey artichoke sandwich. I have been thinking about ever since I left in August. I may have to go back just to have one.

[Coden]

Awesome - thank you so much for giving the narration as you show the pictures. It is "almost" like being there!

By the way, I LUV whole snapper. I can't believe that another patron had the audacity to rudely comment on your meal in a loud voice. Some people have NO manners whatsoever!!

[sailorgirl]

That was funny about the lady being so loud about her food...........I would have smacked with a fish head.......lol

I like the way you think, or I might have turned around and offered her some.

Last night were treated to a man out to dinner with his three 20 something sons and subjected to bleching, serial sneezing ( I mean mucous rattling sneezes) a drunken fight over who would pay the check, after which he tripped over me when he tried to stagger back to the bar. Soemtimes I wish I had a gun... only kidding

[Grace]

You really know your marine life.

Again, great pictures and nice details.

That rude lady making comments about your fish, you should of turned your chair so she couldn't see your meal.

[Grace]

Oh, I forgot to ask, what are "bug patches"

Thanks

[cat]

Another great report! That little beach looks like a place hubby and I need to get to!

[nothintolose]

Cat isn't that little beach the one where Kenneth got stung by the bee???

[naturegirl]

I second designbyroe's comment, you should have hit her in the head with the fish head. No not really, but in my head that's what I would have liked to do and it gave me a good chuckle!

Your pictures are beautiful and your trip reports are awsome. Keep them coming! I am totally enjoying them and thank you for taking the time!

[cat]

Cat isn't that little beach the one where Kenneth got stung by the bee???

No I think it is the one we were trying to get to but got tired. I am pretty sure if we had gone around the rocks we stopped at we would have gotten to it. He got stung just past GIbney.

Liamsaunt am I right?

[cocosmom]

Thanks for the pics, gotta to go to that little beach it looks so private, love it.