So Good Again- Real Time Trip Report 2009

Travel discussion for St. John
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ccasebolt
Posts: 923
Joined: Fri Dec 15, 2006 4:56 pm
Location: Boxborough, MA

Post by ccasebolt »

Wowie! Awesome pics! So glad everything worked outs for you.

Thanks for the real-time report!
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Joshie
Posts: 528
Joined: Tue Jan 20, 2009 11:19 pm

Post by Joshie »

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Bun55
Posts: 16
Joined: Tue Apr 21, 2009 9:15 pm

Post by Bun55 »

OK . . I give in . . . I can't take it anymore . . . I finally registered to be a member on this forum after major lurking for over a year. I just couldn't take keeping my mouth (fingers?) shut anymore after reading your trip report Agent 99. I am finding this extremely entertaining and can't wait each day to hear more about your trip and to see your beautiful pictures. I never ever laughed so hard while reading a TR, even though I would have just died if my trip started out the way yours did . . . I am very happy that it all worked out for you. Reading your posts make me feel like I'm back on St. John . . . enjoy your time on the island and keep those stories coming!!!!
Agent99
Posts: 1164
Joined: Fri Feb 15, 2008 9:00 pm
Location: Cape Ann MA

Post by Agent99 »

Thank a merciful God there is nothing exciting to report this morning.

Welcome Bun! Nice bunch here.
A pack of them nearly cornered me at La Tapa.

They were actually on their hands and knees, sniffing their way toward the kitchen.

It was all I could do to throw down the fennel I was chopping and bolt out the back door.
Well you can hardly say you didn't have that coming. Fennel pasta? What were you thinking Joshie? Be grateful they didn't toss you into Mt. Doom.

If the chart is still around next year we'll swim up to the Soggy Dollar and it will be our pleasure to buy you a cold beer forward.


Yesterday we visited Hawksnest and I realized that we were, the four of us, all in various degrees of Twilight. I blame Gromit. Running short of time to shop for a reading list, I jotted down some poster's favorites from the book thread. BJ's had the full set of Twilight books. I couldn't help picking one up last week and I was hooked. Stephanie Meyer tells a great story. It's Phantom of the Opera, Spiderman and Beauty and the Beast with an edge Maybe it is just a little bit formula but it's delicious formula and perfect for the beach. 86 is just starting, #1 is sprinting through New Moon, #2, Eclipse and I'm hyperventilating through Breaking Dawn. Nice job Ms. Meyer!

The water was a bit kicked up so no underwater photos to share. Late lunch at Island Blues......great Crab Bisque. They always have a really nice soup on the menu. Breezy, bring long sleeves. Spent the night "chillaxing" back at Gallows with a movie.......uh huh, Twilight. Fun!

Not sure what today will bring. Our friends leave tomorrow so we'll meet up with them somewhere. TBC....
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Sunflower
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Joined: Mon Aug 07, 2006 4:57 pm

Gallows unit

Post by Sunflower »

Hi 99. So glad things have turned around and you and your family are enjoying your time in SJ. Someone asked a while back which unit at Gallows you have...I'm curious too. I always stay at Gallows, usually 10D. This time decided to try 10C...hope I'm not disappointed. Anyone know if 10C has been updated? thanks.
Nic in KC
Posts: 1015
Joined: Tue Dec 19, 2006 9:45 am
Location: Kansas City

Post by Nic in KC »

Glad you are getting to relax and have non-eventful days in St. John after that crazy start!

I'm loving your real time reports.
Thanks,
Nicolle
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pswlrw
Posts: 632
Joined: Mon Aug 07, 2006 5:03 pm
Location: Southern NH

Post by pswlrw »

Just loving your trip reports!!! Can't wait to meet you at the beach bar on Sunday!

Twilight - OMG - I swear they are the literary equivalent of crack!!
Paula

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Agent99
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Joined: Fri Feb 15, 2008 9:00 pm
Location: Cape Ann MA

Post by Agent99 »

Oh, sorry Sunflower and jmq, I missed that. We are in 8C. All of the upstairs units have a nearly identical floorplan. What makes 8C extra special is the bathroom and that they cut into the powder room upstairs with an A/C vent. We rarely use or need the A/C except when we are getting ready for dinner. Late afternoon gets hot and still with the direct sun on this side and it's nice be able to dry my hair without needing another shower after the process.
Agent99
Posts: 1164
Joined: Fri Feb 15, 2008 9:00 pm
Location: Cape Ann MA

Post by Agent99 »

I really need to be more careful.

Yesterday was a very nice day. No early start....and finally starting to relax. It takes a few days for me. It was our friends' last day so we went and spent the afternoon at Caneel with them. I'd always been curious to see the rooms there. They were on the point looking back at the main Caneel Beach, very pretty adjoining rooms. After a nice farewell lunch we snorkled from the main beach right side around to to Scott. We saw one large ray but not the Spotted Eagle I'd read about and a few turtles. Thank goodness I was lagging behind taking pictures. I was so focused on the camera and photos that I nearly missed that my top had come untied and was floating away. Grabbed it just in the nick of time and no one but the Parrotfish was the wiser. Was he smirking at me?

Then we kidnapped their ute who is best buds with #2 and crashed the Westin pool in the late afternoon as is our custom once a trip. It's one of the highlights of #2's trip and he cannot be denied.

Rhumblines for dinner and we're all giddy tired. We ordered a couple of Perfect Margaritas and a selection of the small plates and a couple of apps which were as tasty as all get out. Pepper crusted tuna with wasabi and a duck something or other were the standouts. I know I've said it many times before but I love everything about Rhumblines.....the tablewear, the food, the drinks, the service, the music, the twinkley lights on the palm trees, the swing at the bar, need I go on? You get the picture.

Not sure where today's concensus will take us. One thing is sure....Jakes (former Chili Billy's) for breakfast. It does my heart good to see that space occupied again. It darn near broke my heart to see it vacant last year being a place of many happy memories for us. The breakfast was great and the porch is all spiffed up. They knocked out the wall between the tables and the bar and now it's all open and breezy with a flatscreen for the morning news junkies like us on the wall.
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liamsaunt
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Joined: Mon Aug 07, 2006 4:08 pm

Post by liamsaunt »

Sounds like another perfect day! (well except for the bikini mishap :lol: )

I love Rhumblines too.
It's like looking in your soup and finding a whole different alphabet.
Joshie
Posts: 528
Joined: Tue Jan 20, 2009 11:19 pm

Post by Joshie »

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Pianogrl
Posts: 1235
Joined: Tue Oct 30, 2007 1:52 am
Location: Texas

Post by Pianogrl »

Loving your reports/pics! Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!
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ccasebolt
Posts: 923
Joined: Fri Dec 15, 2006 4:56 pm
Location: Boxborough, MA

Post by ccasebolt »

We love Rhumblines too! Didn't make it this past trip; your description sounds so wonderful, I guess I'll have to book another soon... :)
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patr
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Joined: Mon Aug 07, 2006 6:42 pm
Location: Illinois

Post by patr »

:shock: that was a huge wardrobe malfunction! What would you have done if you had lost it? You were quite lucky!
Patr

~~Longing to be back on St. John~~
Agent99
Posts: 1164
Joined: Fri Feb 15, 2008 9:00 pm
Location: Cape Ann MA

Post by Agent99 »

that was a huge wardrobe malfunction! What would you have done if you had lost it? You were quite lucky!
I know ! And after everything we went through to get that camera here if it came down to, "which one would you save?" my family and our friends would have had years worth of giggles at my expense. Phew!

It's very dry. It has been a few years since we've been here in April but there is a marked difference in the foliage from Feb to April. Last February everything was very lush and green on the north shore. Coral Bay south and west over to the Salt Pond area always seems like desert to me with lots of cacti, but even more so right now. Barely a drop of rain has fallen since we arrived. I'm sure the folks here are looking forward to a downpour soon.

Intrigued by the recent discussion here about Salt Pond and the harvesting of salt we decided to check it out and then hike over to Blue Cobblestone beach to snorkel.

For the camera folks, the Canon G10 has quickly become my favorite camera. There is an underwater setting that helps to filter the colors and with minor adjustments I am very pleased with how they are turning out. Any duds are purely operator error. You may notice that some of the out of the water shots are a bit loud, temperature wise. I'm trying to adjust that manually after the fact. The reason that is happening is because I put the camera in the waterproof case before we leave so as not to get sand in the sealing mechanism. I preset it to the underwater setting before i put it in the case, thus the hot temps on the out of water shots. There is a way to shift the setting back to normal while it's in the case but I'd have to read the directions. Like that's going to happen! I'll get to it eventually.

The salt is very interesting. As Hugo said, you can see it in chunks on the rocks. I wished I'd brought along a little container to collect some. There is a shot of some on a rock below. There was no one selling it that we could see.

Blue Cobblestone snorkeling was great. The hike over is not bad although I'll fess up to a couple of "Oh my God this better be worth it" moments. It would have helped if I were in something more substantial than JCrew flip flops. I did manage to reach out to steady myself on a branch and realized a second too late that it was a cactus. Ouch. Try to avoid that if at all possible.

Does anyone know what the little black guy with the glow in the dark blue spots is? Just beautiful!

Later in the afternoon we snorkeled out in front of Gallows which has a lot of beautiful and healthy coral. I'll add some of those shots later. Have a great day all.


Caneel dry as toast:



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Path to Salt Pond


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Salt Pond and salt crystals


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Path to Blue Cobblestone


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Pretty fish and coral


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