usvi-on-line
Trip report Part 1 Can't find the villa....
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NoWorriesMom
- Posts: 150
- Joined: Mon Aug 07, 2006 4:45 pm
- Location: Boulder, Colorado
Trip report Part 1 Can't find the villa....
Hi to everybody! So many great tips here contributed to a SPLENDID 9 days on St. John so I'm sharing our story...
Cheap red eye flights to STT from Colorado. Great price but murder with little kids! Got to STT and skipped the welcome punch because husband and I would have fallen into an immediate sleep deprivation and alcohol coma. Bags arrived fine so all that carry on packing and cross packing was a waste of time but helped pass the minutes till the trip (I seriously feel like my life was sort of on hold while anticipating THE TRIP!). Got a wild cab ride with Ruben, he beeps at everyone and everything but somehow it is friendly beeping. Were the third drop off and we took the town ferry. Glad we took that one, the ride was peaceful, beautiful and funny because of the pooping birds. Everybody on the top deck was in the firing zone! Also, two french a-holes who plainly refused to sit down on their seats were threatened with arrest by a ferry worker. Locals told them "he WILL arrest you and your vacation will be cut short" so they finally sat down but grumbled a lot in french (which I speak so it was good entertainment!). In Cruz bay we followed our noses to the BBQ joint and ordered four plates and sodas ($45) while hubby walked down the block and got the rental (Jeep Liberty from Denzil Clyne's who turned out to have a really rude employees when we returned the car but more on that later). We pigged out, loaded the luggage up, jumped in and headed to Starfish market. Prices there were not too shocking since we buy organic at home and THOSE prices can really be shocking
Back into the now overloaded car, this time with a watermelon in my lap (honestly, I just typed waterlemon and had to delete that!) We took some wrong roads and saw the Westin (oops cause we're supposed to be going to Francis!). Husband was driving, his first STAY LEFT experience, it was dark out and he was wild!! Finally hit the North Shore road and from then on all was surreal! Seeing Trunk Bay and other beaches at night and knowing the good times were about to really ramp up; it was just a soulful experience!! The boys hollered like they were riding a rollercoaster on some of the turns and we made it to the sign that says Maho one way and Francis the other. Our headlights weren't illuminating the third choice so we drove the wrong two roads for a while. I like to think of that as us getting our bearings on the general area. Ok, we were lost. Called our on island contact and she got us going in the right direction, up a driveway across from the Francis Bay trail parking lot. SO there it is at last, our home for the next week +. Villa Serenity was great for us! Bigger than we needed, a/c, a great deck and lovely views. It's an older house and so isn't really fancy like some of the rentals we've drooled over, but it was within walking distance to Francis which became our absolute favorite beach and the price was super low, so other than a pool it lacked nothing. We're awake long enough to see that there is more room in the villa than we need, then we crash and wake up to the fragrant breezes, birds flitting about, lizards scurrying, and pelicans diving for fish in Mary Creek. Everyone kisses me and says "you hooked us up with a great place!" I'm in heaven!
We had breakfast on the deck, slathered on the sunscreen and went snorkeling at Francis.
Set up camp at a shaded picnic table and were in the water instantly. My husband (also a Rick, hey RickG never saw you but hope you and yours had a great trip!) well, he says right away look at the big barracuda. My mask picked that moment to fog up and I wasn't sorry. Yep, chicken here! We saw turtles with remoras, rays, small baracudas and tons of fish from fry to larger ones. Our boys, lucky for us, were hooked on snorkeling right away!!!
Sands castle time for the kiddos, so we headed back and I was the slowest, so the last one still far out in the water, when Rick hollered that he'd felt what was like a truck going by underwater. It was the BIG DADDY baracuda. Four feet long, maybe five, and chasing a wounded fish in the shallows. I hauled butt to the shore and watched with everyone as the fish would dart into the churned up sand (from the tiny breaking waves on the beach) in order to try to hide then swim away, but that baracuda always saw it and again chased it towards the beach. We were all out of the water watching this when the baracuda literally beached the fish at our feet! My husband picked it up, showed it to the boys and my oldest son grabbed it and flung it out past the baracuda. The fish sprang away so fast it momentarily left the water and then was gone. Hooray! Except. Now BIG DADDY B was still hungry and looking for that fish. If you tapped your toes in the very edge of the water it would spring forward like lightning! Two couples left because they were freaked out. My son ran down the beach in less than one inch of water and that baracuda followed him, and fast! We stayed out of the water for a while until another couple down the beach came in from snorkeling and reported seeing two turtles together just offshore. The kids stayed out and we went in, saw the turtles and never saw that baracuda again! Phew!!
In the late afternoon we left for home, took island showers (little water used but oh so good after a day in the salty stuff!), visited some new friends at their home overlooking Francis, then took their advice and went for prime rib at Maho. What a meal, what a view! Bugs were biting so we borrowed some no deet lotion from the employees and it worked great. $20 a person and you got too much steak, baked potato, steamed brocolli, salad and a roll. I'd say if you're anywhere near there on a Friday night, definitely go for it! The sun set and we headed "home." Off to sleep with the tree frogs chirping outside and another one on the bathroom counter that hubby liberated. Then I heard a huge thump in the house and thought we were certainly being broken into. Then my sons started laughing and said that the youngest had gotten up to pee and crashed into the door. They were cracking up!
The first full day there couldn't have been better!
Next up: another day at Francis and this time the tarpon are the biggest thing in the water.
Happy (late) Thanksgiving to everybody!
Cheap red eye flights to STT from Colorado. Great price but murder with little kids! Got to STT and skipped the welcome punch because husband and I would have fallen into an immediate sleep deprivation and alcohol coma. Bags arrived fine so all that carry on packing and cross packing was a waste of time but helped pass the minutes till the trip (I seriously feel like my life was sort of on hold while anticipating THE TRIP!). Got a wild cab ride with Ruben, he beeps at everyone and everything but somehow it is friendly beeping. Were the third drop off and we took the town ferry. Glad we took that one, the ride was peaceful, beautiful and funny because of the pooping birds. Everybody on the top deck was in the firing zone! Also, two french a-holes who plainly refused to sit down on their seats were threatened with arrest by a ferry worker. Locals told them "he WILL arrest you and your vacation will be cut short" so they finally sat down but grumbled a lot in french (which I speak so it was good entertainment!). In Cruz bay we followed our noses to the BBQ joint and ordered four plates and sodas ($45) while hubby walked down the block and got the rental (Jeep Liberty from Denzil Clyne's who turned out to have a really rude employees when we returned the car but more on that later). We pigged out, loaded the luggage up, jumped in and headed to Starfish market. Prices there were not too shocking since we buy organic at home and THOSE prices can really be shocking
Back into the now overloaded car, this time with a watermelon in my lap (honestly, I just typed waterlemon and had to delete that!) We took some wrong roads and saw the Westin (oops cause we're supposed to be going to Francis!). Husband was driving, his first STAY LEFT experience, it was dark out and he was wild!! Finally hit the North Shore road and from then on all was surreal! Seeing Trunk Bay and other beaches at night and knowing the good times were about to really ramp up; it was just a soulful experience!! The boys hollered like they were riding a rollercoaster on some of the turns and we made it to the sign that says Maho one way and Francis the other. Our headlights weren't illuminating the third choice so we drove the wrong two roads for a while. I like to think of that as us getting our bearings on the general area. Ok, we were lost. Called our on island contact and she got us going in the right direction, up a driveway across from the Francis Bay trail parking lot. SO there it is at last, our home for the next week +. Villa Serenity was great for us! Bigger than we needed, a/c, a great deck and lovely views. It's an older house and so isn't really fancy like some of the rentals we've drooled over, but it was within walking distance to Francis which became our absolute favorite beach and the price was super low, so other than a pool it lacked nothing. We're awake long enough to see that there is more room in the villa than we need, then we crash and wake up to the fragrant breezes, birds flitting about, lizards scurrying, and pelicans diving for fish in Mary Creek. Everyone kisses me and says "you hooked us up with a great place!" I'm in heaven!We had breakfast on the deck, slathered on the sunscreen and went snorkeling at Francis.
Set up camp at a shaded picnic table and were in the water instantly. My husband (also a Rick, hey RickG never saw you but hope you and yours had a great trip!) well, he says right away look at the big barracuda. My mask picked that moment to fog up and I wasn't sorry. Yep, chicken here! We saw turtles with remoras, rays, small baracudas and tons of fish from fry to larger ones. Our boys, lucky for us, were hooked on snorkeling right away!!!
Sands castle time for the kiddos, so we headed back and I was the slowest, so the last one still far out in the water, when Rick hollered that he'd felt what was like a truck going by underwater. It was the BIG DADDY baracuda. Four feet long, maybe five, and chasing a wounded fish in the shallows. I hauled butt to the shore and watched with everyone as the fish would dart into the churned up sand (from the tiny breaking waves on the beach) in order to try to hide then swim away, but that baracuda always saw it and again chased it towards the beach. We were all out of the water watching this when the baracuda literally beached the fish at our feet! My husband picked it up, showed it to the boys and my oldest son grabbed it and flung it out past the baracuda. The fish sprang away so fast it momentarily left the water and then was gone. Hooray! Except. Now BIG DADDY B was still hungry and looking for that fish. If you tapped your toes in the very edge of the water it would spring forward like lightning! Two couples left because they were freaked out. My son ran down the beach in less than one inch of water and that baracuda followed him, and fast! We stayed out of the water for a while until another couple down the beach came in from snorkeling and reported seeing two turtles together just offshore. The kids stayed out and we went in, saw the turtles and never saw that baracuda again! Phew!!
In the late afternoon we left for home, took island showers (little water used but oh so good after a day in the salty stuff!), visited some new friends at their home overlooking Francis, then took their advice and went for prime rib at Maho. What a meal, what a view! Bugs were biting so we borrowed some no deet lotion from the employees and it worked great. $20 a person and you got too much steak, baked potato, steamed brocolli, salad and a roll. I'd say if you're anywhere near there on a Friday night, definitely go for it! The sun set and we headed "home." Off to sleep with the tree frogs chirping outside and another one on the bathroom counter that hubby liberated. Then I heard a huge thump in the house and thought we were certainly being broken into. Then my sons started laughing and said that the youngest had gotten up to pee and crashed into the door. They were cracking up!
The first full day there couldn't have been better!
Next up: another day at Francis and this time the tarpon are the biggest thing in the water.
Happy (late) Thanksgiving to everybody!
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Xislandgirl
- Posts: 4163
- Joined: Tue Aug 08, 2006 4:03 pm
- Location: Slightly left of center
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Kentuckygirl
- Posts: 1903
- Joined: Sun Oct 08, 2006 10:17 am
- Location: Kentucky
Thanks for the report-keep them coming!Were your "new friends" by any chance Dave and Bonnie Rees of Sunnyledge? I ask because 2 things you said made me think of Bonnie: 1) the giant barracuda (she called me last week and told me about one day when a giant guy was strolling along the beach scaring everyone) and 2) prime rib night at Maho (she raves about it every time I talk to her). If it was Dave and Bonnie, I have to say they are the nicest people we've ever rented from. This week will be our second visit to Sunnyledge and they absolutely go the extra mile. Bonnie called me last week just to see if we needed anything and talked to me for over an hour. Best villa owners ever.
Looking forward to the rest of your report and hoping I don't see that barracuda while I'm there!
Looking forward to the rest of your report and hoping I don't see that barracuda while I'm there!
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NoWorriesMom
- Posts: 150
- Joined: Mon Aug 07, 2006 4:45 pm
- Location: Boulder, Colorado
Hi
Yep, it was Bonnie we met on the beach and then Dave at their home. They are truly so kind! They let our boys pick coconuts on their property and our whole family just really enjoyed meeting them. Have a great vacation at their incredible home!!!!
Thanks for the “First Day” report. I can’t get over that barracuda chasing you down the beach. In all my years of diving – I have never heard of that. He must have been one hungry cuda. Can’t wait for the rest of the report. Thanks again.
FlaGeorge
"Swim Against The Current - Even a Dead Fish Can Go With The Flow"
"Swim Against The Current - Even a Dead Fish Can Go With The Flow"