USVI-On-Line

Thursday, March 19

Brother can you spare a weeks vacation?

We had invited my husband’s brother to join us on this trip. It was his birthday/Christmas gift from both of his siblings and their fabulous spouses (one of those would be me).

Inviting others to join you on vacation can be a risky endeavor (thinking of Vick H here) but I was pretty sure that Scott would “get” St John.

And he did.

But first, we began the day at Hawksnest, where we were sure to have cell phone reception (Verizon).

We were there before 10, but our favorite spot – far right- was already taken. We found a little shade and the Remora began his beach patrol.

<a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/TJ ... site"><img src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_Bb-_xJSB7Cg/SdFee ... 5.jpg"></a>

<a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/Ei ... site"><img src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_Bb-_xJSB7Cg/SdFeT ... 9.jpg"></a>

Around 12:30 Mr H, and I headed to the ferry dock to pick up Scott.

I wrote a message in the sand for my friend Mags (Mary Lou) who has been visiting St John for more years than she’d like me to mention

<a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/il ... site"><img src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_Bb-_xJSB7Cg/SdFbt ... 1.jpg"></a>

We stopped at Deli Grotto for lunch – no food porn but my favorite place for lunch food to go – and returned to the beach.

I have always loved the snorkeling to the right – especially between Hawksnest and Gibney.

Here are some..... Tang? Doctor fish, Surgeon fish...I always get them confused.


<a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/Kl ... site"><img src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_Bb-_xJSB7Cg/SdFcJ ... 8.jpg"></a>

We also saw some squid, but not much more.

Off to Starfish around 5:30 for eggplant, onions, balsamic vinegar ($9) )and burgers, and it’s back to Luna Vista for dinner.


Scott was up before the burglars and after another movie, we all turn in early....



Friday March 20


Praying for Terra Firma

The men sleep,,, and sleep... and SLEEP. I feel like I’ve been locked in a Narcolepsy clinic.

However, the beauty of the 13 day trip is that, well, I have 13 days. It changes the tempo. I’m not screaming “Get the hell out of bed, we’re going to the beach”. But I am starting to mutter under my breath. And clang some pots and pans. But the fire alarm was a complete accident.

Finally the men arise. We develop a plan of attack for what’s left of the day. We decide to go sailing with Rick and Robin on Long Distance. They have room this afternoon. We’re off!

The boat and hosts are wonderful. Kiwi is a delight.

<a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/s- ... site"><img src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_Bb-_xJSB7Cg/SdLDz ... i.JPG"></a>


Our sailing companions from DC are great fun.

Then Scott begins turning green. About 20 minutes later Mr H. is also sick. There was no alcohol involved in this seasick adventure. They were just sick. I think it had something to do with being horizontal for so long earlier in the day. Their vestibular systems were out of whack.

We snorkel the Mangroves of Hurricane Hole – Otter Creek to be precise. Once in the water, the men start to feel better. We see many starfish, anemone, Trunkfish and a Gray Angel the size of a dinner plate. Our sailing companion takes a few pictures of the healthy (as opposed to heaving) H’s.


<a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/3d ... site"><img src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_Bb-_xJSB7Cg/SdLEy ... 2.JPG"></a>


Dinner that night is at LaTapa. This is one of my favorite “Dinner will be more than $200” restaurants. We start with the bread with three sauces. Yummy. Some wine – in my glass – even yummier. Mr H. orders the short ribs, Scott orders the blackened Mahi and I order a pasta dish with shrimp and scallops.


The pasta is advertised as containing braised fennel, so I request the dish without fennel, which the waiter (Joshie – is that you?) tells me they can do. The wait is long. The waiter is cute, but probably not Joshie. (No bronzer)

My dish arrives and it tastes overwhelmingly of what I think is fennel but turns out to be star anise. The waiter takes the dish back to the kitchen, returns and says that he doesn’t want to argue with me but there’s no fennel in the dish.

I’m not an expert (Liamsaunt, are you out there?) but according to Scott, the Foodie and former chef, if you don’t like fennel, you won’t like star anise. He tastes the dish and agrees that it has a very strong anise flavor.

The waiter offers me another dish and I choose the mussel appetizer, which is wonderful. They don’t charge me for the pasta, which is more than fair. All in all a good evening but I didn’t love it as I have in the past.


We drive home- Centerline is much nicer looking in the dark – then again, so am I - and the boys watch TV this time. Or a documentary on the eruption of Mt St Helens. I can’t remember. I, as always, retreat to the bedroom with a book and call it a night.

Lovely reporting...just like being there...but I wasn't Sounds like you needed a chaise lounge buddy!

Aren't the mangroves cool? Glad you got to sail/heave with Rick and Robbin. Cute pictures especially the remora! Can't wait to hear more.....

...

It's true, if you don't like fennel, you definitely won't like star anise. I think star anise is way stronger than fennel, flavourwise. I'm sorry that you did not like your dish (It does not sound good to me either to be honest--I like all those ingredients but not together in a pasta dish. Maybe in a seafood pot pie or something like that.).

The kid wears good sun protection. A boy after my own heart.

Love the pix and the prose is a kind of witty I can really appreciate. You DID make the trip report your Beezy!

[quote="Joshie"]

Had to find a new gig - things didn't work out at the Banana Deck.

I think that the real Josh (who is a waiter at the BD) is really going to appreciate it if that word gets out

ifloat wrote:The kid wears good sun protection. A boy after my own heart.

He pretty much lived in a wetsuit and/or rashguard for the entire 13 days. It's his way of avoiding sunscreen applications.


We got the hat from Crabby's in Coral Bay

Every time M had the hat off and he wasn't in the water my husband would start calling "chapelle, chapelle". I don't know what he thought a chapelle was - the child takes Spanish and I studied French (250 years ago) and it doesn't mean hat in either of those languages.... Anyway, none of us had any idea what in the hell he was talking about, just randomly calling Chapelle, Chapelle.... it's become a family joke.

Ali wrote:Lovely reporting...just like being there...but I wasn't Sounds like you needed a chaise lounge buddy!

Aren't the mangroves cool? Glad you got to sail/heave with Rick and Robbin. Cute pictures especially the remora! Can't wait to hear more.....

Ali - We missed you and Ariel - especially at Trunk. Not to mention the times when I needed someone to drink wine with

Great report keep them coming.
Love the pics of hawksnest

KatieH wrote:
Every time M had the hat off and he wasn't in the water my husband would start calling "chapelle, chapelle". I don't know what he thought a chapelle was ...

Maybe he saw Dave Chapelle on the beach? Most people look for Kenny Chesney!

I’m not screaming “Get the hell out of bed, we’re going to the beach”.

Oh boy, do I recognize myself in the above!

Our first trip with our dear travelling friends, the wife sat around until past 10 am each morning drinking coffee as I hopped up and down ready to go to the beach.

We are early risers and it drove me bats. All is worked out now and five trip later, we are all ok.

Oooooh yeah. I hate wasting sunlight on vacation. My husband likes to take his sweet time in the morning and it drives me nuts. Sleep and drink coffee after you get HOME. Go to the beach on STJ.

Hi Katie,

Loving your report! Thanks for posting.

I’m not screaming “Get the hell out of bed, we’re going to the beach”. But I am starting to mutter under my breath. And clang some pots and pans. But the fire alarm was a complete accident.

That made me chuckle, my husband is such a workaholic and so chronically fatigued, that when we get to the island he sleeps alot on the beach. During our last trip in December, he thought it would be funny to send his coworkers a daily pic of his activity. Imagine every day, a different beach, and him in some relaxed pose snoozing. Of course he also sent the pics to our adult kids just to taunt them. They dubbed the vaca "weekend at Bernie's" After the first few days with plenty of shut-eye, he did wake up and "get with the program"