USVI-On-Line

Day 19

Back to Scott Beach:

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/28539958@N00/550087736/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/230/5500 ... 6090e5.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="scott beach 3"></a>

for a lazy morning floating in the water on Caneel's beach rafts. We had planned to snorkel but I forgot the housing for the camera and was too lazy to walk back and get it (jellybones, remember), so we spent hours out there just floating around. At one point, a turtle popped up right next to John's foot! We were going to go to town for lunch, but it started to pour so we just ran back to the Beach Terrace. John had a lobster roll, and I have a BLT. Both were fine. The rain let up, so we headed back to Scott Beach, this time with the snorkel gear and camera. Lots of fish over on the right side, plus squid:

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/28539958@N00/550087750/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/217/5500 ... 53cd5c.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="scott beach squid"></a>

Out by the swim buoys we found the large coral that I took John's photo at on our first trip, so I had him recreate the pose:

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/28539958@N00/550072106/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/237/5500 ... 4ec453.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="john scott coral"></a>

I found this lobster right next to the coral:

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/28539958@N00/550226053/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/238/5502 ... f4392a.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="caneel scott lobster"></a>

On the way back to shore, I made the best discovery of all: an octopus! He was inside a conch shell. We hung around and watched him for about 45 minutes. It was very neat. He would come out of the shell, while keeping himself the same color as the shell. If we dove down to look at him he would retreat into the shell and turn himself black, to look like a conch foot. After a while, he became less irritated and would not retreat as much when we dove down to see him. It was hard to get a picture, but in this one you can see an eye and a tentacle:

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/28539958@N00/550245551/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/214/5502 ... 6a79b3.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="octopus 4"></a>

After we left the octopus, we found a big turtle:

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/28539958@N00/550261961/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/245/5502 ... 467526.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="scott turtle 4"></a>

And this ray sans stinger:

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/28539958@N00/550261843/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/228/5502 ... 88986d.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="scott tailless ray"></a>

Back to the rooms for cocktails on the deck and booktime:
For dinner tonight we decided on Paradiso. First though, we headed to the Terrace for cocktails and sunset watching:

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/28539958@N00/550058122/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/220/5500 ... 89a13c.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="caneel dock sunset"></a>

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/28539958@N00/550233449/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/250/5502 ... a910d0.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="final sunset"></a>

Paradiso was not crowded, so we sat outside on the rail. We started with a gorgonzoloa cheesecake (good, but far too rich to eat more than a bite or two). I had a very nice rare piece of tuna in a roasted pepper sauce. John had mahi and polenta again. Both fish were very fresh and delicious. Since it was our last night we got dessert-a bread pudding with strawberry sauce and vanilla ice cream. Overall, a nice meal.
Back at Caneel, we snuck down to the beach for some stargazing. It was wonderful to hear the sound of the ocean washing against the shore, accompanied by the sound of the coquis, while watching the spectacular sky and the shadows of the palm trees. Truly, this was the best vacation ever.

Day 20

Time to pack. Everything fit, barely. Next year I swear I am bringing less stuff! Of course, I say that every year so... We headed to breakfast at the Caneel buffet. Everything was delicious, but it's a little pricy at $29/per person. Nice views though:

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/28539958@N00/550225969/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/241/5502 ... 096568.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="caneel last brunch"></a>

Also, use caution if you are seated in the front row of tables closest to the beach! There are lots of seagulls, and they are aggressive! Here they are in a quieter moment:

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/28539958@N00/550229191/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/210/5502 ... 45c9f1.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="caneel swimming seagulls"></a>

During brunch one dive bombed me and stole food from my plate. The birds were really after me this year!

Back to the room for booktime until noon, when we headed out for the 12:15 ferry. Margaritas in hand, we boarded the boat, and sailed away until next year.

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/28539958@N00/550071782/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/204/5500 ... 8f15c9.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="goodbye caneel"></a>

The ferry ride was smooth. When I told the captain we were leaving he jokingly offered to hide me away on the boat. I don't think he knew how much I would have loved that!

No problems at the airport-no lines no waiting at customs or security. All the duty free arrived intact. Our flight even took off on time! At Charlotte, we encountered a 2-hour delay back to Boston., but that is to be expected with Useless Air. John found an appropriate quote in a Bill Simmons book he was reading: "A little known rule: all departures of USAir planes must be delayed by at least one hour."

We got home at about 3 AM and crashed into bed.

One thing that amazed us was that, even though we were there for so long, there is so much we planned on doing that we never got to! The long list of beaches we skipped (Honeymoon, Solomon, Salt Pond, Vies....), the places we wanted to eat that we did get to (Candies, Fire Foods, Miss Vies, Sweet Plantains), the hikes we did not do (Brown Bay, Tektite), the ruins we did not visit (Annaberg, Cinnamon), the activities we did not accomplish (kayaking, night snorkeling, BVIs). We just plain ran out of time.

But, as the saying goes, there's always next year! And there will be a trip next year. St. John: We get it!

St. John 2007 Favorites List

Favorite villa: me, Cinnamon Tarn; John, TIE
Favorite resort: both of us: Caneel
Favorite beach: me, Scott; John, Francis
Favorite snorkel: me, Scott John, Scott/Waterlemon/Trunk/Turtle
Favorite restaurant: me, La Tapa John, ZoZos
Entree: both of us, Tuna at Stone Terrace
Appetizer: both of us, Calamari at La Tapa
Dessert: both of us, Tarragon souffle at Tage
Wine: both of us, Tignanello by the glass at ZoZos Lunch: me, Miss Lucys; John, Banana deck
Bar: me, Upstairs at Zozos; John, Beach Bar
Book: me, Snow Flower and the Secret Fan; John, Trip to the Beach

Thanks for reading!

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/28539958@N00/550087672/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/223/5500 ... b2e4bf.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="sand message"></a>

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/28539958@N00/578270912/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1290/578 ... f3b1_m.jpg" width="240" height="180" alt="us final"></a>


If you would like to see all of my public fish and beach photos from this vacation click here:

http://www.flickr.com/gp/28539958@N00/8g057E

report over - BOO!
I got a little misty watching the folks from Caneel waving good bye to the ferry!

FANTASTIC - And how nice to see your picture at the end. We will be there in two weeks for our 5th year in a row and I am so thrilled that there are other people in this world who love SJ as I do. I thought I knew SJ but I have learned so much from your wonderful postings....(this year FINALLY I know I will find a turtle.) (Thank you to PIA for this information as well.) I feel that I know you through your wonderful personal observations. Thank you so much.
Faith P
(snorkelqueen)

I wish you had a report to write every day! Just wonderful.

I hate to see the reports end.

Your pleasure in this trip really shines thru in your writing.

Mary Beth - I felt exactly the same way about the ferry dock! Vacation minds think alike!

Great reports!
I hate to see them come to an end!

Go back so you can write more please!!!

AWW! Great reports, start to finish! You saved the best for last though with the sand-writing, pic and summary of the "best". Throughly enjoyed!!

What great reports and photos. I've saved some to send to my traveling peeps in a weekly mailing called "Your weekly preview of paradise." Sorry that they had to come to an end...

Robin

Great reports and pictures - I really enjoyed reading them. As the saying goes - til next year. Thanks

WOW!! Souch detail and so much imagery.......really, really good......
I do have a Q though, why do you move from villa to villa and then to Caneel, as opposed to staying at one place for the whole 3 weeks?
I have never stayed in a villa, as I lived on island and when I go back. I either head to Jost and just stay a night or 2 on STJ at Maho.........

BRAVO for a job well done. I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of your reports. Thanks for sharing your lovely trip with us!

I am very impressed with your commitment to thorough trip reports!

If you haven't already, you should print yourself out a copy as a keepsake

designbyroe, we like to move around because we stay for so long that it changes things up a bit. We spend a lot of time at the villa, so it is nice to have a different view.

We like to end at Caneel because it is very relaxing, and also a little different from the rest of the trip. It is fun to use their floaties, go to their private beaches, etc. We would not be happy staying there for more than a few days though. We prefer the privacy of a villa, plus I like to cook--if we ate out every night we would come home unable to fit into our clothes (plus a lot poorer!). The final benefit of Caneel is their private ferry/taxi to the airport. It's a very relaxing way to end the trip.

Thanks for the kind words, everyone!