Skyflower 2013 Trip Report - Part 6 (over and out)

dreamshark · Post by **dreamshark** » Fri Aug 02, 2013 2:29 pm

SATURDAY July 20, 2013 - the perfect ending to a magical vacation

We all woke up feeling GREAT! Finally, on our last day, we seem to have this vacation thing all figured out. After another great mango pancake breakfast we decide to go back to Maho one more time so everybody can swim with the turtles. We find them easily this time. Since Amber and I got kind of turtled out yesterday we soon head off to the right and start taking turns with the iPhone camera. Amber uses her new diving skills to get a great picture of a parrot fish chowing down on coral. Then comes the big test. All her life she's been afraid of sharks (kind of an odd phobia for a Minnesotan, but I suppose we have Steven Spielberg to thank for that). Then we spot a big nurse shark (at least 4' long) resting on the bottom. She gingerly snaps a picture. Then the shark takes off. She looks at the shark, looks down at the camera, back at the shark - then takes off after it, snapping away! Amazing true-life example of how the paparazzi instinct banishes fear.

: Parrot fish at Maho, chowing down on coral

: Big nurse shark at Maho

Instead of succumbing to villa gravity, we decide to do a driving tour of the East End. Now that the kids have realized the potential of the DIY island vacation, they want to explore! We stop at Vie's for lunch, musing on the cycle of life as the non-vegetetarians among us munch on garlic chicken while tossing rice to the hens and chicks browsing around our feet. Miss Vie herself happens by and is kind enough to take our picture.

: Lunch at Vie's

But we're not done yet! Amber wants to see squid and Olin wants to see the desert part of the island, so we head down to Kiddel Bay. Amazingly, there are other cars there!! Have all my secret beaches been discovered? We note that there now seems to be a beehive in the big tree with the tire swing, and prudently park on the other side. We have a nice snorkel, but don't see squid. I think my favorite sight was a baby angel fish grooming a bar jack. (I realize that I've gotten past the point where I expect to see new flora/fauna each time and have started focusing on behaviors). I'm finally feeling comfortable with these fins (now that it's time to go home *sob*).

After we got back to the villa I had a pre-planned rendezvous with bluestreak12 and his wife. They were just moving in to a neighboring villa as we were packing to leave ours and we were each mutually curious to see the other villa. And of course to meet and talk about what we did and they were about to do on STJ. It was fun, and I hope helpful to them. Richard was actually sufficiently curious to make the trip to the neighbors, but the kids (who don't yet understand how addictive villa shopping can be) just wanted to EAT and were a little impatient with all this forumizing.

Since I made them wait, I offered to splurge on a nice meal for our last night and we headed down to Aqua Bistro. The food was delicious and less expensive than I expected. My swordfish ponzu was definitely the best thing I ate the whole trip (except maybe for the mango pancakes). Unfortunately, the mosquitos were also feasting - Amber and I were eaten alive. I guess I'm not as acclimated to the tropics as I thought - it didn't occur to me to put on insect repellent before going out to a nice restaurant. And up 'til then we really hadn't seen a lot of mosquitoes.

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SUNDAY July 21, 2013 - over and out

Richard and I have a 2pm flight, so we pack up and leave the villa by 9am, gas up the jeep and get it back to Paris by 10. Amber and Olin are leaving early tomorrow morning, and have reservations on STT. We get on the 11am ferry, leaving them to hang out a while longer in Cruz Bay. Everything works exactly as planned. It's not crowded at the American desk, I remembered to bring a pen for the customs form, and the TSA agent doesn't even blink at the little bags of lead shot in my weight belt. But even without any glitches, it is still almost 1pm by the time we get through security and down to our gate, which makes me think that we cut it a little close. Food for thought. The rest of the trip is tiring but unremarkable, and we're home by 10:30pm Central Time.

: How I'll always remember Skyflower, clothes flapping in the wind

: One final sunset picture

lprof · Post by **lprof** » Fri Aug 02, 2013 3:38 pm

Thank you for these in-depth, personal reports and terrific, lively photos. I love details!
Your family certainly made some wonderful memories.
And I learned all about "blue beams"!

Any news on the crab watch will be shared on this forum... so far, your video is all I have seen for this year.

PA Girl · Post by **PA Girl** » Fri Aug 02, 2013 6:18 pm

I will show my son your shark pics. He is eagerly awaiting Shark Week and wants to know if we will see sharks on STJ in Feb.

EagleRayLover · Post by **EagleRayLover** » Fri Aug 02, 2013 7:21 pm

Nice trip report! Sure you are already planning for the next one!

sherban · Post by **sherban** » Fri Aug 02, 2013 8:39 pm

Thanks for sharing the trip report(s) and photos!

mnfun2bme · Post by **mnfun2bme** » Fri Aug 02, 2013 8:54 pm

Thanks for filling us all in on your journey. It's funny how these trip reports make you feel just a little bit closer to the island. Of course, they also make me look forward to winter in MN... because then I get to leave for the island!

So much fun! Thank you again!

P.S. Congrats to Amber and her disappearing phobia!!!

Monkeynoclimb · Post by **Monkeynoclimb** » Sat Aug 03, 2013 10:25 am

Nice reports Dreamshark.
The owner's of Skyflower are a very nice couple and they have a great property.
I have always thought of our neighborhood as a quiet gem that many do not know about.

pcs15 · Post by **pcs15** » Sat Aug 03, 2013 8:30 pm

Thanks for all of the reports, Dreamshark. Counting down the days until we'll be sitting on that deck at Skyflower!

MN_Bhoy · Post by **MN_Bhoy** » Sun Aug 04, 2013 6:40 pm

Great trip report and thanks for the nurse shark photo. We were at Maho twice this week and heard she was patrolling the rocks heading toward Little Maho. Would loved to have seen her but had no luck. Thanks again!

dreamshark · Post by **dreamshark** » Mon Aug 05, 2013 2:01 pm

MN_Bhoy wrote:Great trip report and thanks for the nurse shark photo. We were at Maho twice this week and heard she was patrolling the rocks heading toward Little Maho. Would loved to have seen her but had no luck. Thanks again!

There was definitely more than one nurse shark at Maho. Earlier in the week I had seen a noticeably smaller one, swimming away from the right-hand reef towards the middle of the bay, and my husband saw one the same day in a different location. I'm not sure nurse sharks "patrol" - they mostly just lie on the bottom. I think someone reported a lemon shark patrolling maho, which might be what you were thinking of.

MinnGirl · Post by **MinnGirl** » Tue Sep 03, 2013 5:51 pm

Great trip report, Dreamshark!!

You mentioned that you were using your iPhone camera. What waterproof case did you use? Did you have any problems with it leaking? I brought a (not inexpensive) waterproof camera with me last year that leaked on my 3rd day out, and I have an old iPhone I wouldn't mind gambling with if there were a fairly reliable case.....

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