Luna Vista Deja Vu Tour - Day 3
Posted: Fri Jun 19, 2009 6:06 pm
Day 3 June 17
Jim arrives on the island and pretty much anywhere, ready to dive, but Diana is less confident with both skills and now mobility. Our stop at Low Key during yesterday’s inclement weather gave staff the opportunity to assure Diana that her knee should not be a problem. They could assist her on and off the boat for diving. Their recent contributions to the rehabilitation of Iraq soldiers was reassuring. After all if they could dive with no legs, Diana was convinced that she could manage with two legs and one bad knee.
Although Diana had some minor trouble with her right knee last year, it became significantly worse with two falls during the infamous ice storms in Arkansas and Tennessee in January. Prior to the ice storms and diving in Florida in January, Diana tried a magical cortisone injection. Cortisone is truly an example of “better living through chemistry”, but in reality is a short term, “vacation-allowing” intervention for joint pain. A week later, the benefits of the painful shot were gone and whether it offered such short term relief because of the two falls that followed is unknown. The one thing certain was Cortisone would not be the next intervention. After some medical research regarding options, the decision was made to do a trial of Supartz along with a holistic approach of weight reduction and strengthening exercises. The Supartz is also injectable but less painful than Cortisone and is intended to replace the hylauronic acid that provides the fluid and cushion to all of our joints. Although the knee is a “work in progress”, pain is essentially gone and mobility is improved. OK, enough of orthopedics 101, on with the Day 3 trip report.
Just like a rainbow following a storm, in St John the sun has to come back as well. Day 3 beckoned us out of bed with a clear blue sky dotted with scattered fluffy white clouds. After a breakfast of cereal in the comfort of the villa, we headed for our first 2 tank diving excursion with Low Key. Most of the veteran staff was still working and we enjoyed visiting with Ellen, Ann Marie, Sandwich, Jeremy and of course, Captain Bob. For those who have not dove with Low Key and had the “Bob experience”, you have to appreciate that Bob is a local character. He is best enjoyed from a distance and in limited exposures….sort of like a variety of island wildlife that can best be experienced without actually having direct contact. Erin and Mary are also still part of the team but were not available this week.
SeaNile joined us as we explored the area between Grass Island and Mingo and then on to Congo Cay. The coral and tropical life were abundant and a pleasure to experience.
Low Key guides were true to their word and helped Diana back on the boat. They were also great with advice on improving our technique and gaining more competency with this new sport. Jim’s air consumption improves with each and every dive. Both dives were very relaxing with the usual scenery of colorful fish, magical corals, the occasional eel, tucked-away lobsters, and so much more.
The first day of diving is always like a hook to lure you into an upcoming series of dives. Jim is eager to try a night dive. Diana is less eager and is hopeful to gain a better level of comfort before plunging into what is always a new experience but with a night dive, a new experience in the dark. New experiences in the dark…..let me think of all of the possibilities that this could cover.
Following the dive, we settled onto the stools at the Beach Bar to relax with adult beverages to fill out the log books. I have not decided if this is a necessary reward for surviving the experience or just a good reason to drink. We stayed for a lunch of hamburgers while we rested up between beach venues. The hamburgers were as good as you all remember but we would encourage you to share the fries since the serving size was very generous.
The break allowed time to rinse off, dry out, relax, eat and drink before heading to the next venue. Relaxation here is an art and uses the synergy between the sun, scenery, balmy breezes, slower pace, no work to take relaxation to an entirely Olympic level. …of course, the adult beverages don’t hurt that effort.
We broke away from the Beach Bar and headed to HawksNest. The beach was not too crowded and the snorkeling was good with very calm water. We found SeaNile and her family and as a group explored along the rocky shore over to Gibney Beach. We enjoyed the usual mix of Tangs, Parrot Fish, Angels, Yellowfins and Rays. We snorkeled and swam until the rain decided that we needed to rinse off. Everyone scooped up their gear and made a mad dash to the cars. The timing was ok since it was about time to head in for the evening.
Dinner was a simple meal of marinated chicken breasts that were sautéed to a golden brown and then simmered in a thickened sauce served with rice and creamed spinach. Very simple but tasty after a long, leisurely day in the sun.
We realized that we were running low on beverages –critically important for mixing those all important adult beverages and several pantry items. We faced the reality that we needed to go to the store. There is the continual challenge between wanting to buy those things that you need for your stay in the villa and not wanting to buy so much that you can’t use things. Everyone always leaves behind those items that were bought but not used. It is always interesting when you use the same villa to look at what is left behind. I think I recognize the same can of butter beans that was left here abandoned last year. Butter beans are apparently not a favorite of very many vacationers.
We debated between returning to Cruz Bag and Starfish OR going with Jim’s suggestion that Love City Mini Mart would be a little closer. He assured me that he had read that they were as well stocked as Starfish and someplace that we should at least try. I went along because I am not the one driving and in all fairness, they did have the beverages we were seeking. However, what I now know is that this market is so compact that it is nearly impossible to pass anyone in the isles and for anyone with any level of claustrophobia, I would strongly recommend prescription medication for anxiety and avoiding going all the way to the back of the store. They may very well have had all the same selections as Starfish but with everything so tightly packed into a very small space, who could tell.
Trip reports and toddling off to bed for dreams of more diving and clear weather for Day 4 --another perfect day in St John
Jim arrives on the island and pretty much anywhere, ready to dive, but Diana is less confident with both skills and now mobility. Our stop at Low Key during yesterday’s inclement weather gave staff the opportunity to assure Diana that her knee should not be a problem. They could assist her on and off the boat for diving. Their recent contributions to the rehabilitation of Iraq soldiers was reassuring. After all if they could dive with no legs, Diana was convinced that she could manage with two legs and one bad knee.
Although Diana had some minor trouble with her right knee last year, it became significantly worse with two falls during the infamous ice storms in Arkansas and Tennessee in January. Prior to the ice storms and diving in Florida in January, Diana tried a magical cortisone injection. Cortisone is truly an example of “better living through chemistry”, but in reality is a short term, “vacation-allowing” intervention for joint pain. A week later, the benefits of the painful shot were gone and whether it offered such short term relief because of the two falls that followed is unknown. The one thing certain was Cortisone would not be the next intervention. After some medical research regarding options, the decision was made to do a trial of Supartz along with a holistic approach of weight reduction and strengthening exercises. The Supartz is also injectable but less painful than Cortisone and is intended to replace the hylauronic acid that provides the fluid and cushion to all of our joints. Although the knee is a “work in progress”, pain is essentially gone and mobility is improved. OK, enough of orthopedics 101, on with the Day 3 trip report.
Just like a rainbow following a storm, in St John the sun has to come back as well. Day 3 beckoned us out of bed with a clear blue sky dotted with scattered fluffy white clouds. After a breakfast of cereal in the comfort of the villa, we headed for our first 2 tank diving excursion with Low Key. Most of the veteran staff was still working and we enjoyed visiting with Ellen, Ann Marie, Sandwich, Jeremy and of course, Captain Bob. For those who have not dove with Low Key and had the “Bob experience”, you have to appreciate that Bob is a local character. He is best enjoyed from a distance and in limited exposures….sort of like a variety of island wildlife that can best be experienced without actually having direct contact. Erin and Mary are also still part of the team but were not available this week.
SeaNile joined us as we explored the area between Grass Island and Mingo and then on to Congo Cay. The coral and tropical life were abundant and a pleasure to experience.
Low Key guides were true to their word and helped Diana back on the boat. They were also great with advice on improving our technique and gaining more competency with this new sport. Jim’s air consumption improves with each and every dive. Both dives were very relaxing with the usual scenery of colorful fish, magical corals, the occasional eel, tucked-away lobsters, and so much more.
The first day of diving is always like a hook to lure you into an upcoming series of dives. Jim is eager to try a night dive. Diana is less eager and is hopeful to gain a better level of comfort before plunging into what is always a new experience but with a night dive, a new experience in the dark. New experiences in the dark…..let me think of all of the possibilities that this could cover.
Following the dive, we settled onto the stools at the Beach Bar to relax with adult beverages to fill out the log books. I have not decided if this is a necessary reward for surviving the experience or just a good reason to drink. We stayed for a lunch of hamburgers while we rested up between beach venues. The hamburgers were as good as you all remember but we would encourage you to share the fries since the serving size was very generous.
The break allowed time to rinse off, dry out, relax, eat and drink before heading to the next venue. Relaxation here is an art and uses the synergy between the sun, scenery, balmy breezes, slower pace, no work to take relaxation to an entirely Olympic level. …of course, the adult beverages don’t hurt that effort.
We broke away from the Beach Bar and headed to HawksNest. The beach was not too crowded and the snorkeling was good with very calm water. We found SeaNile and her family and as a group explored along the rocky shore over to Gibney Beach. We enjoyed the usual mix of Tangs, Parrot Fish, Angels, Yellowfins and Rays. We snorkeled and swam until the rain decided that we needed to rinse off. Everyone scooped up their gear and made a mad dash to the cars. The timing was ok since it was about time to head in for the evening.
Dinner was a simple meal of marinated chicken breasts that were sautéed to a golden brown and then simmered in a thickened sauce served with rice and creamed spinach. Very simple but tasty after a long, leisurely day in the sun.
We realized that we were running low on beverages –critically important for mixing those all important adult beverages and several pantry items. We faced the reality that we needed to go to the store. There is the continual challenge between wanting to buy those things that you need for your stay in the villa and not wanting to buy so much that you can’t use things. Everyone always leaves behind those items that were bought but not used. It is always interesting when you use the same villa to look at what is left behind. I think I recognize the same can of butter beans that was left here abandoned last year. Butter beans are apparently not a favorite of very many vacationers.
We debated between returning to Cruz Bag and Starfish OR going with Jim’s suggestion that Love City Mini Mart would be a little closer. He assured me that he had read that they were as well stocked as Starfish and someplace that we should at least try. I went along because I am not the one driving and in all fairness, they did have the beverages we were seeking. However, what I now know is that this market is so compact that it is nearly impossible to pass anyone in the isles and for anyone with any level of claustrophobia, I would strongly recommend prescription medication for anxiety and avoiding going all the way to the back of the store. They may very well have had all the same selections as Starfish but with everything so tightly packed into a very small space, who could tell.
Trip reports and toddling off to bed for dreams of more diving and clear weather for Day 4 --another perfect day in St John