mini trip report 11/28 - 12/3 - a tribute also

[gimpiegirl]

while we didn't stay on st. john this trip, we did manage to pass through for a few days. we chartered a sailboat in tortola (through the moorings) starting on the 28th. though the trip was supposed to start on the 27th, but thanks to american airlines we didn't arrive in tortola until very late on the 28th (our first flight was canceled, the next day we left 3 hours late, missed connections, etc.). but i digress...

our first sail was to west end to clear customs and head to the usvi. everything went great and we had no issues. we spent our first evening moored by honeymoon beach. it was fabulous! the beach was beautiful as usual. we got some great snorkeling at the point on the way into caneel bay. wanted to swim to solomons beach the next morning, but the gang decided they wanted to head into caneel bay for lunch instead.

we took a trip into town where we picked up some items at starfish and baked in the sun. ah, i miss this island so!!! it really feels like home to me. then we had lunch at caneel and it was fabulous! we were sad to miss zozo's as that's where we had our wedding reception just 2 years ago. caneel's lunch buffet is truly one of the best deals on the island. it costs around $25 per person, and it's so tasty. elvis was our waiter and we've known him for years. he's a teddy bear! it was great to see him again.

we then decided to take of for leinster bay/waterlemon cay - one of my favorite spots on st. john. the snorkeling was good, but we didn't see too much unfortunately. i also missed seeing the starfish! such a tranquil spot. the park service has put together a "mooring station" there now and they come around in a dinghy and ask that you pay the mooring fee - which we're more than happy to do (especially given how wonderful the park service was for our wedding!!!). the volunteer that came over to remind us was joined by a 4 legged volunteer and it was truly a hilarious sight

the next day we decided to head back to the bvi unfortunately. i'd have been thrilled to stay in the waters of st. john for a few more days, but what are you going to do. we opted to head to jost van dyke for some painkillers at the soggy dollar. while sailing across the channel we saw a dolphin and her calf - and i was so sad to have missed getting pictures! i remember someone posting in recent months about the dolphins at leinster, so i had been on the lookout. i was hoping to run into them again, but no such luck.

soggy dollar was yummy as always. great swimming. didn't find too much in the reef, but there was great snorkeling on the beach to the left of the soggy dollar (as your in the water facing the beach).

we then headed to great harbour on jost for the night. we decided to have dinner on the boat and then we headed to foxy's for some entertainment.

unfortunately this is where our vacation ended. my husband managed to take a fall while getting out of the dinghy at foxy's (and he hadn't even had rum yet! . he ended up with a fractured tibia and a torn ligament in his knee. we were unable to get back on the boat, and had to spend the night on the island. gregory, who is one of foxy's sons, took amazing care of us. as did sandy, the manager of the sandcastle/soggy dollar. everyone on the island really helped us out. jean, the nurse at the clinic, came by to look at rob while on her way to church on sunday morning. she even gave us a ride to the ferry doc so that we could get back to tortola to the hospital. everyone was asking about my hubby, and was offering us places to stay, rides, etc. we were so touched.

we then went from west end to the hospital in road town, tortola via ambulance. again, great service. the hospital left a lot to be desired. while some of the care was good, it was also truly frightening and really makes you think about the medical facilities we have here in the states! the doctor had to look up my husbands fracture in a manual to decide what to do with it!!! they don't have any knee braces, and the only pair of crutches we were able to obtain couldn't be adjusted because the screws had rusted and couldn't be loosened. needless to say we are planning on shipping them some new crutches and hopefully some knee braces if we can find them!

the staff at the american airlines counter on tortola was beyond amazing. they truly made sure that my husband was as comfortable as can be while getting us home. getting a 6 foot tall man that is in a cast that extends from upper thigh to ankle into one of those puddle jumpers is not easy!!!!!

sorry for the long report for our short stay. just something to think about, should you require medical attention while visiting the bvi!

i hope to post some pics tomorrow.

[XOXO]

Awwwwe, poor hubby! What a horrible thing to happen. So, did you cut the vacation short or where you planning on leaving? I feel so bad for you!

My husband's sister rents a boat while they are in the Virgin Islands. How did you like it? My family just loved St. John so much that we really don't care to stay at the other islands or even a sailboat--maybe later after we get to do everything on our "to do" list for future trips.

How exciting that you got to see the dolphin and her baby!! WOW! I can't wait to see your pictures!

Gina

[Pia]

What a fabulous start .............. and crappy ending

I am sooooo sorry and really hope hubby is doing better now.

Just a quick question, has hubby been seen and x-rayed etc at home by his own doctor/hospital as you didn't say anything about it in your TR. I know of someone who underwent emergency surgery in STT after a terrible accident on STJ, unfortunately they set her broken bones with screws/pins etc and put her in a cast only to find out (when she was transported Stateside) that they had been put in backwards She needed to undergo three more surgeries. Now, that is not saying that has happened or that all the Dr's are bad down here as my hubby underwent emergency surgery in STT the day after we moved here and the surgeon was fabulous - some of the nursing staff not so much - but that is another story. Hope you didn't mind me asking - just want to make sure he is OK.

Hopefully we will see you again soon and you will be back to sipping painkillers at Soggy

Pia

[Coden]

So sorry for your husbands fall. I hope he is healing well now. Your next trip will be better!!

[flip-flop]

WOW. That is just awful. Glad he got good care but what a bummer.

[Nic in KC]

Thanks for the report of your experience. So sorry your trip ended on a painful note! I'm glad you enjoyed your first few days. I hope he's recovering well. Having gone through that whole experience here at home, I can't imagine how difficult it would have been outside of the states.

Hope you guys can travel again soon!
Nicolle

[Kentuckygirl]

What a terrible ending. I think you need to get busy planning your next trip, and hopefully it will end a good note!