USVI-On-Line

What a wonderful surprise for your wedding - I'm almost in tears of happiness reading about it!
With no siblings and parents who were more or less homebodies, was sad not to be able to share more than pictures with them. I can really understand your excitement. My first magical moment was stepping off the dock first time about 20 years ago and just fell in love with the island. Seriously planning to make STJ next year -Yes![/b]

Lex took the words right out of my mouth.

It is that overwhelming sense of contentment & fulfillment. A kind of peace that you feel when the "feelings" almost defy reality.

My husband & I were sitting on the upper balcony of Cielo Vista....sipping our rum & cokes....and gazing at the too beautiful for words lights of St. Thomas. "Yes" we were in our shorts or bathing suits & had just left the "cold" of New England. But, we both couldn't tear these silly grins from our faces. We almost couldn't (and still have a hard time) putting into words that feeling that you are "living a dream". We felt that we were the luckiest & happiest people in the world.

We were in the most beautiful place - and sharing it with that "one other" that made the moment "complete". Like so many of you, we are blessed to have that "special moment" that always brings us back to a place & time when "all was right with the world" and we came as close to "heaven on earth" as we ever will.

Sue

It was the second time my wife and I were on the island. Early on Sunday morning we were snorkeling Lamesure and a heavy rain shower rolled through. Pretty far from the beach I looked up from the water to see my wife smiling at me through the rain with nothing but green and beach as far as I could see.

LS, that's lovely. What a beautiful mental picture!

I just have to say, that as a newbie waiting for the first trip to STJ, this thread has been one of my favorite thus far. Thanks for sharing all!

If you think this thread is good--wait until you get to STJ.

I road by on the Road Town ferry without setting foot on St. John in 1996 and then brought the whole extended family back for Thanksgiving 1997. I could see the difference from the water. I still visit the BVIs, but I feel at home on STJ.

I get to relive that moment every time we take a newbie to the island. The look on their face when they see vista after vista is priceless.

Even with all of the development since then, the essence is there and the difference continues. The National Park is our insurance policy that the island will never be over-developed. I know people will argue the fine points, but we are lucky for the vision that preserved the islands immanence.

Cheers, RickG

A favorite moment, and for whatever reason one I recall vividly, came about like this.

After a cruise to STT (no STJ), and a short stay on STT (day trip to STJ), we finally we did a villa stay on STJ, south shore with a view of STT. Having a great time, relaxing, no kids, snorkeling and beaches, what could be better? Most of our dinners we ate in, on the deck by the pool, watching the sunset over STT. On about the 3rd or 4th day, late afternoon the power went off. Fortunately we had something to throw on the grill and some deli sides. No problem mon, I fired up the grill so it was easier to cook before it was dark. Sun went down, very quiet and dark looking at the lights of STT in the distance (except for a few lights at the top of the ridge between Chocolate Hole and Great Cruz Bay, I think they were on Westin power), and all was peaceful. We just sat out there enjoying the dark, peaceful, quiet time. You could hear people talking from other villas (didn't know where, but no A/C going to mask it). The power outage hadn't done anything to disrupt us.

Then suddenly the power came back on, and you could hear a collective combination of ohs and sighs and yeahs, depending on whether you wanted/needed it I suppose.

That power outage and our reaction to it, or lack of reaction, pretty well summed things up for me. We were definitely relaxed and enjoying ourselves better than any other trip we'd done.

We stayed at the Westin on our first St. John trip. We were in the restaurant having dinner and the lights went out. Beautiful star filled night and steel drums continued playing from a wedding outside - bliss!

Now it's more about seeing the expression on my daughter's face (a novice snorkeler) when she sees fish. I can't wait for November hoping she'll see her first turtle!

Might just have to come back to this thread again and again and ...

The first "magical moment" that came to mind from our recent (and first) trip to St John is a melancholy one that occurred on our last night on the island. I came across a Jerry Jeff Walker song ("Cowboy Boots and Bathing Suits") a number of years ago and seemed to be saving it for a moment just like this. At dinner at Chateau Bordeaux, we raised our glasses and I recited the first part of the song (substituting Calgary for Texas):

We've been here a week or so,
now it's finally time to go.
Can't believe how quickly time has flown.
Packin' up the bathin' suits,
gettin' out the cowboy boots,
that's a sign we must be going home....

Time just stopped for a little while,
we were part of a tiny island.
Made a lot of friends we'll keep for life.
When we get back home to Calgary,
and they ask us what we missed most,
I'll shrug my shoulders, and I'll smile....

We played the whole song when we got back to the villa and it was perfect!! Not a dry eye in the place!!

I am one of Calgary's non-cowboy boot wearers, but I sure like your lyrics!

Most defintely bringing newbies back. The looks on their faces when the ferry docks in Cruz
bay! Five summers on STJ and many newbies...it's alway's a big grim to pull in to Cruz Bay with the new ones. My only question is, how do we make a living here and survive relatively comfortably? I'm not talking nice villa, but more like small something and working every day to make ends meet. Is it possible? Are we dreaming of something within reach? We have between us 30 years food service management and commercial legal real estate plus economic development. Are we crazy to dream?

So many moments, and most not so obvious...

After much anticipation, Rams Head, in all it's glory. It felt like I was home up there, as though I belonged there.

Maho, and it's strong spiritual energy. That bay speaks to me, it's no ordinary beautiful beach.

Island kids who rescued me with a flat tire way out beyond Miss Lucy's. They were incredible, and had a sort of magic I don't see in kids here.

My first dinner on STJ, stumbled around a little lost, and found Candi's. Sat and ate my barbecue while I listened to locals and regulars come and go. Great stuff.

Special animals, too many to list, too many special moments to say now.

Lots of spirits must look down and smile upon this place.

On our first trip, we finished up at Secret Harbour in STT. That first night we walk down to Blue Moon. In the bar area, a singer is playing steel drums with backing bass/drum synthesizer machine. He is VERY good so we decide to do the app/bar menu at a table in the outdoor bar area to dig the music. Among others, the singer does Marley and a beautiful version of Clapton’s “Wonderful Tonight”. We walk back to room 214. I climb into a beach hammock just outside the room. My daughter also climbs on, we enjoy the palms and stars overhead, she cuddles up, and falls asleep in about 3 minutes. I take a few minutes to give thanks and cherish the moment before I too fall asleep. Magic happens in St. Thomas too.

Second trip, will never forget after finally getting to STJ after long travel day and cleaning up at Gallows, walking down to Cruz Bay as evening falls, just taking in a deep breath, enjoying the sights, sounds, smells, and warm air and getting an overwhelming feeling of ahhh!!! how good it felt to be back.

Last trip was a very serene sunset at Maho. I always think of that when I hear One Particular Harbor by JB, which in our house or vehicles, is at least once a week.