If you could do only one thing on St John....

[Joe Jackson]

You know how it is... a day from another time that may have actually happened in one form or another.

I wake up out on the deck just before sunrise when a little dusting rain cloud floats over. I'm sideways in a lounge chair and wearing the same clothes from the night before, although I really can't remember where the 'duck hat' came from... Go back inside and fall back to sleep on the couch trying to watch the sunrise just over the balcony.
Wake back up about 8:00, throw my clothes in a pile somewhere close to the bedroom door, put the coffee on, and go out and jump into the pool to clear the head a bit (I like to think of the morning dip as 'mental flossing'). Dry off a bit, have a cuppajoe, then clean up, change and head down town to JJ's for breakfast.
Ski's still holding fort at table one. Stevie's behind the bar, and Sharon's waiting tables. JJ's smiling like always and Larry's on his fifth or sixth Coor's Light. Cap't Phil tells Larry that clocks and cocktails are not related to each other in any way. For me, a toasted bagle with peanut butter and a Dr. Pepper. The dietary equivalent of hitting the lottery.
After breakfast to Connections for mail (none, thankfully)and over to Oscars to pick up some tuna for beach sandwiches (none, predictably). Back to the house to change to go to Maho for the day. What was that I just heard? The couch knows my name - it's calling me! Oh, no - a nap is in order...
Up at noon. Make ham sammies, fill the cooler, head for the north shore. It's low tide and no one's at Maho. Park on the beach, plop the chair, crack a green one and a book (third time reading for a Travis McGee book Jimmy McLaughlin lent me...). Watch the pelicans dip and dive. Kill the six, the sammies and the book, hit another quick sand nap. One last dip, dry off, throw the crap in the back of the Samurai and head out to Skinny's for a beer or six.
English Steve, Grant, Dougie and I play a few dart matches. I win them all and drink for free, but I still leave a ten spot on the bar for Charlie. Heading out to go home, the car somehow exerts more control than me and makes a left at the triangle. Next thing ya know I'm sitting at the bar at Sea Breeze with AC George, Hitchcock, Costanza and St. Croix Tom. Two beer limit and back on the road. Gotta stop at the Yogurt truck for a road beer, and home I go. Just missed hitting a cow just before Neptune's. Is that the same cow I almost hit last week?
Clean up and change after a little nap out on the hammock on the deck and then head down town again. Find a parking spot right in front of Connections. Give Lindy a buck and tell him to watch my car. He NEVER steals any of MY stuff - wonder why? Wave to Josh in front of Roma and walk over to Benny Iguana's for a little sushi with Sinbad and Slimman. Pump the sushi chef a beer and he buys us cali-rolls.
Next is over to Uncle Joe's for a takeout combo. Up to Tamarind and a beer or two with Eric and Marvin Moorehead with the dinner.
Fatigue's kickin' in... Heading for home, I give a ride to four tourists heading for the Hyatt. Just watching them pile in and out of the back of the Suzuki makes my day. They invite me down to the pool bar for a nightcap. One (yes - just one) $5.00 Heineken with Rupert Marsh at the pool, handshakes and thank-you's all over, and off I go.
Back at the house, I crack one last beer and head out to the deck to watch the stars. Put my new David Benoit on the CD and I'm back in my favorite lounge chair. The night is just plain gorgeous. Light breeze, no clouds, half moon, about 78 degrees.
I close my eyes just a bit to see if I can hear the Coki's. Somehow, the beer and the day have slipped from my grip. I'm off to Joeyland again.
Next thing I know, I'm awakened by a little dusting rain cloud that floats over. It's morning, and there isn't a duck hat to be seen.

THAT was a pretty good day...

[Xislandgirl]

Good God Joe. You just about made me cry. I felt like I was sitting at Table 1 with you and Ski and Steve-o was pouring Baileys into my coffee before heading to the office.

Damn, I miss those days......and those guys!

[LysaC]

Wow.

[liamsaunt]

Joe Jackson, that's a LOT of beer!

Thanks for sharing the memories, it was fun to read.

[jayseadee]

Benny Iguana = Beach Bar? Do I remember that correctly - I know the Beach Bar was a sushi place at one time, but they made a mean Bushwacker even then.

[flip-flop]

Can't narrow it to one ... so how about 2.

1 - Spend a day at Francis
2 - Uncle Joe's bbq with ALL the sides!

[Bob & Anita]

We really had a hard time figuring out our answer to this topic's question. It is so hard to narrow it down to just one thing; which is the reason why we are going for 2 weeks on our next trip - we couldn't even narrow it down to one week, let alone one thing!!!!

Well, with the prelude here's our answer:

If we could do just one thing on STJ it would be to spend the day at one of our favorite beaches (Salomon, Waterlemon, Salt Pond – oh, there are so many). At the beach we would be snorkeling…


…enjoying the views and each other…


…drinking Rum & Cokes and/or Dark & Stormies…


…and limin the day away...


…until it was time to head back to the villa…

[California Girl]

Bob & Anita - Love your "illustrated" day. That's a great shot of Anita sitting on the beach! And of course, Bob and his "beach soldiers" has been a favorite pic of mine since you first posted it!

[ILoveTheIslands]

What would it be?
Imagine that you can only do one thing, just one, what would it be?

I am trying to make a list of things for my first timer friends.

Thanks

Snorkling at Salt Pond. Be sure to make the walk over to the cobblestone beach, and leave a small coral momento for others to see....