Newbie Report--Day 2 and 3
Posted: Sat Jul 12, 2008 1:22 pm
Apparently I sleep well in the islands! Slept almost 9 hours without waking up. Had breakfast on the veranda and chose our first beach--Maho.
Stopped at Deli Grotto to get sandwiches. Oh, the Pink Cadillac was wonderful--turkey, cheese, cream cheese, guacamole and salsa on pumperknickel. I had a second one later in the week.
We arrived at Maho at 8:30. It's a little unnerving to be the only ones on the beach on the first day out, but a few more people eventually showed. We snorkeled along the rocks to the right. Came back in to rest. Went out again and went around the rocks to what I think was Little Maho and back.
Both times out, I forgot the camera. I don't normally even take photos, Greg does, and I've never taken underwater photos before, so it didn't come naturally to me. Of course, Greg was no where to be found and I didn't have the camera when I saw the stingray, but I saw it! Finally, after lunch, I went out a third time and remembered the camera.
I liked my new Olympus 850, but I had a heck of a time seeing things in the LCD screen underwater. I have lots of pictures of fish tails. Most of the time I was shooting blind and hoping something was in the frame. As you can see, I shot mostly rock here.
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/8989379@N07/2658842031/" title="P7020064 by sharikellyburrows, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3293/265 ... 809f35.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="P7020064"></a>
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/8989379@N07/2659669434/" title="P7020065 by sharikellyburrows, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3218/265 ... a2f81d.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="P7020065"></a>
Left the beach and drove over to see Coral Bay. Stopped at the Smoothie truck for a delicious smoothie, and went back to the house to hang out. Great day so far!
Then I looked outside and noticed that the left front tire on the Nitro was totally flat! Greg told me to call St John Car Rental and see what we should do. My mistake was asking if Greg should put the spare on or if they wanted to come out to do it. Guess which option they picked? Greg had a really hard time with the slope of the driveway/parking area and the height of the jack. He got the tire off and then couldn't get the spare on. So he puts the tire back on and moves the car, twice, before he can get enough room to put the spare on. I had told the guy at STJ Car Rental that we'd put the spare on and be right in. I asked and he said they'd be there until 5:00. Well, island time meant that they closed before 4:45 when we got there. He said that everyone was gone for the day, so come back tomorrow at 8:00AM.
We shopped a bit at Wharfside and then headed over to the Lime Inn for shrimp night. Greg and Layne gorged themselves on shrimp while I had the grilled Caribbean lobster.
Went back to the house, had some coconut ice cream and crashed early again. Snorkeling and sun wears me out!
Day 3 began about 3:00 AM when I heard rain on the roof. Wow, rain on a metal roof is loud, but I soon fell back asleep.
Packed up our beach gear and headed into STJ Car rental for them to patch the tire. I don't know which made me more nervous driving on the those roads with a spare or a patched tire. It held though, and that was the last of the car trouble for the week.
It was a non-cruise day so we headed to Trunk. Not too crowded at 9:30 when we arrived so we found a shady spot up under the trees and settled in. Greg and I both did the underwater trail. Layne wasn't too thrilled with snorkeling so she sat and read.
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/8989379@N07/2659699192/" title="P7030115 by sharikellyburrows, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3283/265 ... 672a9d.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="P7030115"></a>
I forgot to bring a comb. . .
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/8989379@N07/2659704580/" title="P7030121 by sharikellyburrows, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3131/265 ... 8e4123.jpg" width="375" height="500" alt="P7030121"></a>
Greg, my bored architect, got a little antsy. Layne and I were teasing him that he should have brought a shovel to build sand castles like the kids down the beach. He took that as a challenge, got out his driver's license and picked up a stick.
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/8989379@N07/2659706342/" title="P7030124 by sharikellyburrows, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3036/265 ... 62a68f.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="P7030124"></a>
An hour later, he had created a sand villa.
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/8989379@N07/2658887437/" title="P7030133 by sharikellyburrows, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3269/265 ... b9b956.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="P7030133"></a>
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/8989379@N07/2658886453/" title="P7030131 by sharikellyburrows, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3111/265 ... 6d4e05.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="P7030131"></a>
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/8989379@N07/2659711636/" title="P7030129 by sharikellyburrows, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3281/265 ... 73c3e4.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="P7030129"></a>
Several people stopped by to see what the grown man was doing in the sand. Layne was mortified. We hadn't brought lunch today so we were starving and urging him to hurry up, or he would have spent another hour. We headed back to the house for lunch and some pool time. I made a batch of our "virgin" islands drink--Fresca, coconut cream, pineapple juice and lime.
Dinner tonight was Fish Trap. Greg and I both had the shrimp/scallot combo and Layne had the fish and chips. I ate probably half of her fries! They were almost blackened and were delicious!
Checked out the Carnival booths and watched a group of jump rope performers.
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/8989379@N07/2658893445/" title="P7030145 by sharikellyburrows, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2329/265 ... 145ace.jpg" width="375" height="500" alt="P7030145"></a>
Went back to the house and went to sleep rather than joining in Jouvert. Party poopers!
Stopped at Deli Grotto to get sandwiches. Oh, the Pink Cadillac was wonderful--turkey, cheese, cream cheese, guacamole and salsa on pumperknickel. I had a second one later in the week.
We arrived at Maho at 8:30. It's a little unnerving to be the only ones on the beach on the first day out, but a few more people eventually showed. We snorkeled along the rocks to the right. Came back in to rest. Went out again and went around the rocks to what I think was Little Maho and back.
Both times out, I forgot the camera. I don't normally even take photos, Greg does, and I've never taken underwater photos before, so it didn't come naturally to me. Of course, Greg was no where to be found and I didn't have the camera when I saw the stingray, but I saw it! Finally, after lunch, I went out a third time and remembered the camera.
I liked my new Olympus 850, but I had a heck of a time seeing things in the LCD screen underwater. I have lots of pictures of fish tails. Most of the time I was shooting blind and hoping something was in the frame. As you can see, I shot mostly rock here.
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/8989379@N07/2658842031/" title="P7020064 by sharikellyburrows, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3293/265 ... 809f35.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="P7020064"></a>
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/8989379@N07/2659669434/" title="P7020065 by sharikellyburrows, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3218/265 ... a2f81d.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="P7020065"></a>
Left the beach and drove over to see Coral Bay. Stopped at the Smoothie truck for a delicious smoothie, and went back to the house to hang out. Great day so far!
Then I looked outside and noticed that the left front tire on the Nitro was totally flat! Greg told me to call St John Car Rental and see what we should do. My mistake was asking if Greg should put the spare on or if they wanted to come out to do it. Guess which option they picked? Greg had a really hard time with the slope of the driveway/parking area and the height of the jack. He got the tire off and then couldn't get the spare on. So he puts the tire back on and moves the car, twice, before he can get enough room to put the spare on. I had told the guy at STJ Car Rental that we'd put the spare on and be right in. I asked and he said they'd be there until 5:00. Well, island time meant that they closed before 4:45 when we got there. He said that everyone was gone for the day, so come back tomorrow at 8:00AM.
We shopped a bit at Wharfside and then headed over to the Lime Inn for shrimp night. Greg and Layne gorged themselves on shrimp while I had the grilled Caribbean lobster.
Went back to the house, had some coconut ice cream and crashed early again. Snorkeling and sun wears me out!
Day 3 began about 3:00 AM when I heard rain on the roof. Wow, rain on a metal roof is loud, but I soon fell back asleep.
Packed up our beach gear and headed into STJ Car rental for them to patch the tire. I don't know which made me more nervous driving on the those roads with a spare or a patched tire. It held though, and that was the last of the car trouble for the week.
It was a non-cruise day so we headed to Trunk. Not too crowded at 9:30 when we arrived so we found a shady spot up under the trees and settled in. Greg and I both did the underwater trail. Layne wasn't too thrilled with snorkeling so she sat and read.
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/8989379@N07/2659699192/" title="P7030115 by sharikellyburrows, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3283/265 ... 672a9d.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="P7030115"></a>
I forgot to bring a comb. . .
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/8989379@N07/2659704580/" title="P7030121 by sharikellyburrows, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3131/265 ... 8e4123.jpg" width="375" height="500" alt="P7030121"></a>
Greg, my bored architect, got a little antsy. Layne and I were teasing him that he should have brought a shovel to build sand castles like the kids down the beach. He took that as a challenge, got out his driver's license and picked up a stick.
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/8989379@N07/2659706342/" title="P7030124 by sharikellyburrows, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3036/265 ... 62a68f.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="P7030124"></a>
An hour later, he had created a sand villa.
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/8989379@N07/2658887437/" title="P7030133 by sharikellyburrows, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3269/265 ... b9b956.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="P7030133"></a>
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/8989379@N07/2658886453/" title="P7030131 by sharikellyburrows, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3111/265 ... 6d4e05.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="P7030131"></a>
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/8989379@N07/2659711636/" title="P7030129 by sharikellyburrows, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3281/265 ... 73c3e4.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="P7030129"></a>
Several people stopped by to see what the grown man was doing in the sand. Layne was mortified. We hadn't brought lunch today so we were starving and urging him to hurry up, or he would have spent another hour. We headed back to the house for lunch and some pool time. I made a batch of our "virgin" islands drink--Fresca, coconut cream, pineapple juice and lime.
Dinner tonight was Fish Trap. Greg and I both had the shrimp/scallot combo and Layne had the fish and chips. I ate probably half of her fries! They were almost blackened and were delicious!
Checked out the Carnival booths and watched a group of jump rope performers.
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/8989379@N07/2658893445/" title="P7030145 by sharikellyburrows, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2329/265 ... 145ace.jpg" width="375" height="500" alt="P7030145"></a>
Went back to the house and went to sleep rather than joining in Jouvert. Party poopers!
