Trip report: Another week in paradise, final

[liamsaunt]

Part one: http://www.virgin-islands-on-line.com/v ... =1&t=24715

Part two: http://www.virgin-islands-on-line.com/v ... =1&t=24717

Day six

Another overcast start to the morning, so we headed to Caneel’s breakfast buffet where I got a Belgian waffle the size of my head



The weather had cleared up nicely by the time we were done with breakfast:



I thought the sailboat in the back of this picture looked very interesting:



We took a walk over to Honeymoon to check out the new Honeymoon Hut. View from the trail to Honeymoon:



Honeymoon Hut:



Honeymoon Beach:



They have an assortment of water toys, basically the same stuff you can use for free at Caneel, plus plastic lawn chairs and stuff to rent, lockers. cold drinks, etc.. I’m planning on checking it out in greater depth this summer. We decided not to stay at Honeymoon and headed back to Scott Beach:



We floated along in the water until suddenly a large dark shape glided right by our rafts. I don’t know if you have ever seen two people get out of the water more quickly! We ran for our gear and dove in the water. We didn’t catch up to it until we were halfway across Caneel’s main beach, but we eventually hit snorkeling pay dirt:





We were really excited because it had been about three years since we saw an eagle ray. After all that excitement we decided to circle back and see what else we could find today. Barred hamlet:



Horse-eyed jacks:



Moray eel, hiding:



Sergeant major, blue phase:



Two pahses of the stoplight parrotfish:





Trunkfish:



Trumpetfish:



Sergeant major:



Filefish:



For lunch we decided to just split a quesadilla with poblano peppers and shrimp from the Beach Terrace (this is half, they split it for us in the kitchen):



We sat on the upper level, I like the views up here





This boat’s name is “Satisfaction.” I guess I would be satisfied if I owned this boat :



The sailboat Spitfire coming in to pick up its sunset sail guests. We’ve been out on this boat and it, and the crew, are very nice:



We headed down to the beach for the sunset, which was greatly shortened by heavy cloud cover.



Later that evening we went back to the upper level of the Terrace and had more sushi (excuse John’s ghost hand in this photo, he did not want to wait for me to take the picture!):



We had the place to ourselves



This was the night of the big Love City Live concert in town so maybe that is where everyone else was. I am sure we missed a good time, but we knew we could not stay up late enough to make that show. Some night shots from the evening:





Almost full moon




Day seven

Last full day.

We headed over to Turtle Bay to snorkel the left side, but when we got there the ocean was really surfy—too rough to snorkel. So instead we headed back to Scott Beach (again!).

The clouds were looking threatening so we skipped our plans for lunch on the beach and headed back to the Terrace for yet more sushi. Not a bad way to while away a couple of hours. Spicy tuna tempura roll:



More seveche, since it was so good the first time:



More tuna poke (we had actually ordered something else—tuna crunch dynamite, I think, but they brought us this instead,. I was happy to eat it!)



After lunch we headed back to Scott :



And celebrated our snorkel sightings with some nice wine we brought from home:



We floated in the waves for as long as we could, until it was time for our last dinner of the trip. John always likes to end the trip at Asolare. I am more ambivalent about this restaurant. I like the setting and the cocktails, but the food is not my favorite. We had a nice table on the rail:



The cocktail in my glass is an Elephant’s Tears. It's gruner veltner wine and St. Germaine—very nice and light. Sunset from Asolare:



Sunset’s end:



The menu was a lot more limited than what they had up online—four appetizers and five entrees. Here's a peek.



We started with some salads. John had a beet carpaccio with goat cheese and truffle oil, which was tasty, and I had the wedge salad with bacon, roasted beets, blue cheese, and balsamic vinaigrette, which was less successful.



Entrees were a nicely seared tuna steak for John, and a jumbo shrimp with rice and gingered vegetables for me.



We split a lemongrass crème brulee to end the meal.



Back to Caneel for another drink on the upper patio.



Day eight: travel day

All good things must come to an end, and so it was with our vacation. This was a really different trip for us. No jeep rental, no exploring the island. It was a nice change of pace. I would not want every visit to be confined to Caneel, but I was happy to have the opportunity to explore what Caneel has to offer in more depth than we have in the past. We deliberately left some areas of the resort unvisited to discover on a future trip.

Goodbye for now, Caneel Bay! See you again soon.



Until next time, thanks for reading!



John and Becky

[GotToGetAway]

Absolutely lovely! Sounds like a great trip.

[Bonny in CA]

Sounds like it was a great trip! Thanks for the report, and the pictures were great!

[PA Girl]

What wonderful food porn and underwater pics!

We have a day reserved at Honeymoon next week. My husband wants to try SUP and our son wants to kayak so I figured we would reserved the day package, travel light that day and get food from Caneel. I wonder if I can get the sushi? I'll report back.

[jaybfloyd]

Not sure what you do for a living but you have a future in trip reporting. Very descriptive and great pics!

[Laura T]

I am not sure what I enjoy more...the pictures of the food or the underwater shots!

I haven't been out to the forum much in recent years (no trips to St. John in a couple years). But now...with a trip in 3 months, I am reading all the reports to re-learn where to go an what to do! Thanks for posting!

[Pia]

*Like* again

FYI - Satisfaction is a 6 pac private powerboat with captain for daily rental (unless they have changed since I last spoke to them)

Pia

[needmesomesun]

All of that sushi is making me so hungry Really beautiful pics again. Also, I'm sure you know this, but I have to say that you have the most beautiful skin. Most people are a pink, shiny mess in the tropics and you are all photo ready!

[gobucs]

As usual the best trip report with pic's
BTW i love that pic of you and john at the end!!
Thanks for sharing
WHen are you going this summer?

[shoemak38]

like

and I believe the first photo I have seen of you and that is a big glass of wine

[silverheels]

You did ir again, Becky. Beautiful pictures and it sounds like it was a very relaxing vacation for just the two of you.

[cuey12]

Well your trip report did it for me!! I booked a flight after reading it. Here I come again St. John. I am soooo looking forward to the sushi. Thanks for the pics. I have seen an eagle ray several times at Caneel. They seem to like the area around the dock.

[cocosmom]

Love all the pics! Hubs is a broker for St Germaine..love the stuff! Sad.y they sold so he will no longer broker it..darn.

[cindygad]

Loved, loved, loved your report! Only been home 5 days and your report made me feel all warm and like I was back. It was on 3 degrees here this morning.

Super picture of the spotted eagle ray. We only saw one this trip and did not get a picture he was moving too fast at Waterlemon.

Thank you for taking the time to share.

The sushi looks so good we will have to give it a try!

[mindehankins]

Thank you, Becky!!! Always such great reports!