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Trip blogging first 4 days so far--very long
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gymnastika
- Posts: 291
- Joined: Fri Mar 28, 2008 10:01 pm
- Location: texas
Trip blogging first 4 days so far--very long
Thursday March 27
Well it started out with the kids practically jumping out of bed at 3:30 am rearing to go. Couldn't believe it. We get to the airport, get in line at Delta to find out our 5:40am flight had been canceled. Long lines trying to accommodate everybody. There was a man, who happens to be behind us that was also trying to get to st. Thomas, since he lives there and works for TSA at the St. Thomas airport! Imagine that! The airline agent wasn't familiar with all of the connections that come into St. Thomas and her solution was "sorry, you could try again tomorrow on the same flight". That man behind us was telling her different ways we could go to get there. Well, we made it after 19 hours of travel. Our boys, 5 and 7, were troopers. When we finally get to our villa (terrahawk), it was 10:30pm. We could hear the waves slamming down on gibney. At first, we didn't recognize the sound, we thought it was several mac trucks passing by (not really, but...). The swells were really up, but after a couple of days, gibney looked like its old self. (at least of what I remember from last summer). The waves were crashing! Not exactly the calm seas of summer that I remember. Okay, so I am learning the difference of winter swells and calm summer seas.
Friday March 28
When we got up, the boys just played outside, HAPPILY, finding shells, snails, lizards, old coconuts, you name it. We leisurely got ready for the beach and off we went to Caneel. Beach looks good so far. Off the shoes go and into the water the kids go before I can even turn around. Hubby's right there behind him. I ask him how cold is water at 78 degrees? Cold he says. Aggghhhh! No, it can't be cold. Then my turn. The moment I touched the water I immediately think that anybody who thinks this is warm is CRAZY! I'm a wimp. I like my water WARM. Well, I got used to it, eventually.
We went to town and did some quick grocery shopping. I picked out my groceries in record time as the boys waited in the car with my husband. And then the clerk rang me up in "island time". Oh well.
We went back to the villa, which is perfect. It has taken me three trips to find the ultimate place to stay. Caneel is the best thing st john has to offer as far as luxury, but it comes with that scary price tag in high season. Through my exhaustive research, I found a cute little villa that is one of the few rental houses in st john that are walking distance to a northshore beach. It is a 2 bedroom little thing that fits all of our needs. The kids moved right in and unpacked their bags and put their clothes in their drawers and put them into categories and got organized all before I could even find the lights in our own bedroom! Our porch has a great view of the gibney, hawksnest and Caneel's hawksnest. It's great where it's located. Close to several northshore beaches, caneel and town. We will definitely rent this place again.
We had a "picnic lunch" as our 5 year-old calls it, out on our deck. The boys then proceeded to play contently some more around the villa. After awhile they were asking to go to another beach and hubby wanted a little R and R, so I gladly volunteered to take them to Gibney. I seem to have a superpower-like energy when I come to the islands. It is now proven I run on solar power. I wish I had this kind of energy back home. You don't have to ask me twice if I want to go to another beach, I'm in!!! so off we went. When we get there, all I see is huge crashing waves and I think no way. But I have been jaded to summer's calm seas, so these waves are still a baby pool compared to the gulf coast. So the boys just start playing in the waves and having a grand ol time. I played like I was a kid too. And the water felt warmer!!!! I was told that it warmed up around 1:00. they were right! Yay!!!!!! I'd sit down for a minute on the water's edge, and my 5 year-old would say "come on momma, it's so much fun." So off again I am in the water playing. This cycle continued a few more times. hubby eventually came down to the beach and I ended up talking to 2 ladies that were painting on the beach. They live here part-time and own houses and rent it out when they aren't here. I talked to them for awhile and we hit it off right away chatting about st john and other things. That was fun. But I sure am jealous now.
The boys watched a movie as we relaxed before our dinner at morgan's mango. Dinner was great and we really enjoyed it there. It's a great place for a nice dinner without having to feel unwelcome with children. Perfect.
The kids went to bed really easy and we enjoyed our evening drinking Carib's and talking about our day and our love for st. john.
Saturday March 30
This morning the boys were up even earlier. Our morning, however, was a bit slower to start. We enjoyed the kids early bedtime last night and stayed up watching Lethal Weapon as I read st john forums...
This morning, hubby took the boys to Peace Hill to find hermit crabs. They found a ton and brought back as much as they could to the villa. Of course, it didn't go without incidence. Our 5 year-old was holding 2 crabs and they simultaneously snapped him. The bigger one got him quite a bit and he was really upset about it. My husband had to keep from laughing as he sees one crab pinching one finger, and then the other finger was being pinched by another. It was the second one that made it hilarious. Of course, our son didn't think so at the moment.
After the boys set up the crab's new habitat, we were off to Maho beach. It was a favorite for my 7 year-old since he could swim out far with little surf. Both our boys swam out with my husband and got to see two turtles. One was really big. Bigger than the many ones we had seen last year. Our trip would not be complete without the boys seeing turtles. I did what I love to do--go up and down the beaches making conversations with people, seeing where they are from and what walks of life.
Back to the villa for quick showers and BLT's. The boys played around here climbing walls and cracking open coconuts.
We are all a little more tired today. We are slowing down to island time. It normally takes till about day 3 of a vacation, but I think we accelerated it a bit.
We discovered we like to do one beach by jeep per day and then to Gibney beach, because it is walking distance to our villa. After some time chilling out at the villa, hubby walked the boys to Gibney beach while I cooked some dinner for the boys and the babysitter tonite. I then went down to gibney to join them, but once again, I did what I love and came here to do, chat away with people on the beach. I can hold my own, you know, when it comes to island talk. I have so much fun. I met a couple from Massachusetts and san diego. They almost bought property here 2 times. They said I didn't have an accent being from texas, but could here a little bit. I told them as I age it gets more and more drawn out, just like my parents. HA! I then met another couple who had a cute 4 year old playing on the beach that were renting the Gibney cottage. They are from Chicago. We chatted for awhile. Then my phone rang. (Crazy my phone can ring here on the beach in the virgin islands. In fact, I've noticed my service is all over the island now. I think Sprint has added a tower?.) anyway, it was the baby sitter on her way! Oh no, I have to hurry. Up the steep driveway I go, huff puff. Hurry, get dressed, off we go!!
The kids did great with her. She was a nice woman from Maine. I found her by calling the Westin kids club a few weeks ago to see if our kids could come to an evening session. Not in high season, she said, but she would offer to come to our villa instead. Sounds good to me.
Anyway, we went to dinner at ZoZo's. they didn't have the diver's scallop my husband was hoping for, since it was his favorite meal from last year. After dinner, we walked around and went shopping at a couple of stores. Well, we were tired so we came home and the boys were almost in bed. Ha. I say almost.
we love this island. Everyday we are here, we scheme how we could afford to live here. We still can't figure it out. Oh well, we'll just enjoy it for now.
Sunday March 31
The mornings keep getting earlier. I think at 6:20am, I feel a tap on my forehead. My five year-old says he and his brother see a spider on their wall. So an hour goes by and we finally make it out of bed. It's a new day. Hubby makes pancakes and I do some laundry. While he relaxes awhile, I take the boys back to peace hill to release the hermit crabs and find some new ones. That was a lot of fun. Our five year-old lost interest quickly in finding more crabs and found a great tree to climb or two. Our seven year-old, however, was on a mission to find certain size of hermit crab. The prized find: a really, really small hermit crab.
Okay, time to go to church. We were wanting to go to the Pentecostal church we had gone to last may when it was just my husband and I. thought it would be neat to be back somewhere we had already visited. So off we went. Gonna cut it close with time. What's new? Hmm. Can't seem to find this church with only 3 roads on the whole island.!!? Now we're really late. Pass the Baptist church along the way. Okay, the Baptist church is looking good right about now. Let's try that. So we turn around and decide this is what we'll do. We enjoyed it very much.
After church, we go back to the villa and pack up for the beach. Did I ever know what would lie ahead? We wanted to go to one of Caneel's seven beaches called Turtle Beach. It is my favorite of Caneel, as I had stayed there the last two times,and my son really wanted to go back as we found some sand dollars there last summer. (I know, it's illegal, we put them back. Okay I lied. Maybe one for the road) Now, all of the virgin island beaches are public, right?? What I didn't realize is that Caneel doesn't want you on them except for their main beach by the restaurant. They have signs on ALL of their beaches that the loungers are for guests only. So off we went to caneel. We get there started walking towards the main beach. We noticed there was more security and monitering than when we were here Friday during spring break. The security guard asked if we were going to caneel's beach. "yea, yea". So off on the trolley we went. Went to Turtle beach. Then the bartender strolling the beach starts acting funny towards us, an hour later a security guy comes up asking if we are guests. We say "no, but aren't the beaches public??" Granted, we rode their trolley which is morally wrong. I know. I know. he kinda dodges the question, (he's a local, you know he knows this and doesn't care that you are there but is doing his job and asks us to leave, along with a few other people that are there doing the same thing). I can't believe it! I'm on the outside of the law! I'm breaking violations. I'm riding the line of moral humanitarian decisions. I'm jailbait. I can see it now..."Family of four, escorted off beach". Here I was at church an hour earlier and now I'm sneaking on trolley's. I need help.
Anyway, at least we were there for a couple of hours and got to go snorkeling on my favorite beach of st. john. There was broken elkhorn scattered everywhere there.
I was shook up for awhile. My hubby reminded me in situations like these, he always remembers his sweet little Baptist grandmother, while in Africa, smuggled diamonds in her Braziere, and when the customs officer asked her if she had anything to declare she said "No." love that story.
Husband and 5 year-old leave and go get cleaned up back at the villa and get scallops at Woody's (still upset no scallops from ZoZo's) while my seven year-old and I stay at Caneel's main beach (legal, all legal). We build a sandcastle when a nice man tells us to check out a fancy dinosaur someone had made in the sand down the beach. So, we go check it out. Just when I think we're done (it's almost 6:00) making our sandcastle creation, my son decides he is going to make a dinosaur just like the professional one down the beach. He does a great job. He is really a determined little kid. I am amazed how well he works from inspirations. It's the artist side of him.
Hubby has already gone to bed. I'm enjoying sitting out on my deck listening to the waves crash on gibney beach as I pluck away on the computer and enjoy wireless wifi in St. john. So far away, yet not far at all.
Well it started out with the kids practically jumping out of bed at 3:30 am rearing to go. Couldn't believe it. We get to the airport, get in line at Delta to find out our 5:40am flight had been canceled. Long lines trying to accommodate everybody. There was a man, who happens to be behind us that was also trying to get to st. Thomas, since he lives there and works for TSA at the St. Thomas airport! Imagine that! The airline agent wasn't familiar with all of the connections that come into St. Thomas and her solution was "sorry, you could try again tomorrow on the same flight". That man behind us was telling her different ways we could go to get there. Well, we made it after 19 hours of travel. Our boys, 5 and 7, were troopers. When we finally get to our villa (terrahawk), it was 10:30pm. We could hear the waves slamming down on gibney. At first, we didn't recognize the sound, we thought it was several mac trucks passing by (not really, but...). The swells were really up, but after a couple of days, gibney looked like its old self. (at least of what I remember from last summer). The waves were crashing! Not exactly the calm seas of summer that I remember. Okay, so I am learning the difference of winter swells and calm summer seas.
Friday March 28
When we got up, the boys just played outside, HAPPILY, finding shells, snails, lizards, old coconuts, you name it. We leisurely got ready for the beach and off we went to Caneel. Beach looks good so far. Off the shoes go and into the water the kids go before I can even turn around. Hubby's right there behind him. I ask him how cold is water at 78 degrees? Cold he says. Aggghhhh! No, it can't be cold. Then my turn. The moment I touched the water I immediately think that anybody who thinks this is warm is CRAZY! I'm a wimp. I like my water WARM. Well, I got used to it, eventually.
We went to town and did some quick grocery shopping. I picked out my groceries in record time as the boys waited in the car with my husband. And then the clerk rang me up in "island time". Oh well.
We went back to the villa, which is perfect. It has taken me three trips to find the ultimate place to stay. Caneel is the best thing st john has to offer as far as luxury, but it comes with that scary price tag in high season. Through my exhaustive research, I found a cute little villa that is one of the few rental houses in st john that are walking distance to a northshore beach. It is a 2 bedroom little thing that fits all of our needs. The kids moved right in and unpacked their bags and put their clothes in their drawers and put them into categories and got organized all before I could even find the lights in our own bedroom! Our porch has a great view of the gibney, hawksnest and Caneel's hawksnest. It's great where it's located. Close to several northshore beaches, caneel and town. We will definitely rent this place again.
We had a "picnic lunch" as our 5 year-old calls it, out on our deck. The boys then proceeded to play contently some more around the villa. After awhile they were asking to go to another beach and hubby wanted a little R and R, so I gladly volunteered to take them to Gibney. I seem to have a superpower-like energy when I come to the islands. It is now proven I run on solar power. I wish I had this kind of energy back home. You don't have to ask me twice if I want to go to another beach, I'm in!!! so off we went. When we get there, all I see is huge crashing waves and I think no way. But I have been jaded to summer's calm seas, so these waves are still a baby pool compared to the gulf coast. So the boys just start playing in the waves and having a grand ol time. I played like I was a kid too. And the water felt warmer!!!! I was told that it warmed up around 1:00. they were right! Yay!!!!!! I'd sit down for a minute on the water's edge, and my 5 year-old would say "come on momma, it's so much fun." So off again I am in the water playing. This cycle continued a few more times. hubby eventually came down to the beach and I ended up talking to 2 ladies that were painting on the beach. They live here part-time and own houses and rent it out when they aren't here. I talked to them for awhile and we hit it off right away chatting about st john and other things. That was fun. But I sure am jealous now.
The boys watched a movie as we relaxed before our dinner at morgan's mango. Dinner was great and we really enjoyed it there. It's a great place for a nice dinner without having to feel unwelcome with children. Perfect.
The kids went to bed really easy and we enjoyed our evening drinking Carib's and talking about our day and our love for st. john.
Saturday March 30
This morning the boys were up even earlier. Our morning, however, was a bit slower to start. We enjoyed the kids early bedtime last night and stayed up watching Lethal Weapon as I read st john forums...
This morning, hubby took the boys to Peace Hill to find hermit crabs. They found a ton and brought back as much as they could to the villa. Of course, it didn't go without incidence. Our 5 year-old was holding 2 crabs and they simultaneously snapped him. The bigger one got him quite a bit and he was really upset about it. My husband had to keep from laughing as he sees one crab pinching one finger, and then the other finger was being pinched by another. It was the second one that made it hilarious. Of course, our son didn't think so at the moment.
After the boys set up the crab's new habitat, we were off to Maho beach. It was a favorite for my 7 year-old since he could swim out far with little surf. Both our boys swam out with my husband and got to see two turtles. One was really big. Bigger than the many ones we had seen last year. Our trip would not be complete without the boys seeing turtles. I did what I love to do--go up and down the beaches making conversations with people, seeing where they are from and what walks of life.
Back to the villa for quick showers and BLT's. The boys played around here climbing walls and cracking open coconuts.
We are all a little more tired today. We are slowing down to island time. It normally takes till about day 3 of a vacation, but I think we accelerated it a bit.
We discovered we like to do one beach by jeep per day and then to Gibney beach, because it is walking distance to our villa. After some time chilling out at the villa, hubby walked the boys to Gibney beach while I cooked some dinner for the boys and the babysitter tonite. I then went down to gibney to join them, but once again, I did what I love and came here to do, chat away with people on the beach. I can hold my own, you know, when it comes to island talk. I have so much fun. I met a couple from Massachusetts and san diego. They almost bought property here 2 times. They said I didn't have an accent being from texas, but could here a little bit. I told them as I age it gets more and more drawn out, just like my parents. HA! I then met another couple who had a cute 4 year old playing on the beach that were renting the Gibney cottage. They are from Chicago. We chatted for awhile. Then my phone rang. (Crazy my phone can ring here on the beach in the virgin islands. In fact, I've noticed my service is all over the island now. I think Sprint has added a tower?.) anyway, it was the baby sitter on her way! Oh no, I have to hurry. Up the steep driveway I go, huff puff. Hurry, get dressed, off we go!!
The kids did great with her. She was a nice woman from Maine. I found her by calling the Westin kids club a few weeks ago to see if our kids could come to an evening session. Not in high season, she said, but she would offer to come to our villa instead. Sounds good to me.
Anyway, we went to dinner at ZoZo's. they didn't have the diver's scallop my husband was hoping for, since it was his favorite meal from last year. After dinner, we walked around and went shopping at a couple of stores. Well, we were tired so we came home and the boys were almost in bed. Ha. I say almost.
we love this island. Everyday we are here, we scheme how we could afford to live here. We still can't figure it out. Oh well, we'll just enjoy it for now.
Sunday March 31
The mornings keep getting earlier. I think at 6:20am, I feel a tap on my forehead. My five year-old says he and his brother see a spider on their wall. So an hour goes by and we finally make it out of bed. It's a new day. Hubby makes pancakes and I do some laundry. While he relaxes awhile, I take the boys back to peace hill to release the hermit crabs and find some new ones. That was a lot of fun. Our five year-old lost interest quickly in finding more crabs and found a great tree to climb or two. Our seven year-old, however, was on a mission to find certain size of hermit crab. The prized find: a really, really small hermit crab.
Okay, time to go to church. We were wanting to go to the Pentecostal church we had gone to last may when it was just my husband and I. thought it would be neat to be back somewhere we had already visited. So off we went. Gonna cut it close with time. What's new? Hmm. Can't seem to find this church with only 3 roads on the whole island.!!? Now we're really late. Pass the Baptist church along the way. Okay, the Baptist church is looking good right about now. Let's try that. So we turn around and decide this is what we'll do. We enjoyed it very much.
After church, we go back to the villa and pack up for the beach. Did I ever know what would lie ahead? We wanted to go to one of Caneel's seven beaches called Turtle Beach. It is my favorite of Caneel, as I had stayed there the last two times,and my son really wanted to go back as we found some sand dollars there last summer. (I know, it's illegal, we put them back. Okay I lied. Maybe one for the road) Now, all of the virgin island beaches are public, right?? What I didn't realize is that Caneel doesn't want you on them except for their main beach by the restaurant. They have signs on ALL of their beaches that the loungers are for guests only. So off we went to caneel. We get there started walking towards the main beach. We noticed there was more security and monitering than when we were here Friday during spring break. The security guard asked if we were going to caneel's beach. "yea, yea". So off on the trolley we went. Went to Turtle beach. Then the bartender strolling the beach starts acting funny towards us, an hour later a security guy comes up asking if we are guests. We say "no, but aren't the beaches public??" Granted, we rode their trolley which is morally wrong. I know. I know. he kinda dodges the question, (he's a local, you know he knows this and doesn't care that you are there but is doing his job and asks us to leave, along with a few other people that are there doing the same thing). I can't believe it! I'm on the outside of the law! I'm breaking violations. I'm riding the line of moral humanitarian decisions. I'm jailbait. I can see it now..."Family of four, escorted off beach". Here I was at church an hour earlier and now I'm sneaking on trolley's. I need help.
Anyway, at least we were there for a couple of hours and got to go snorkeling on my favorite beach of st. john. There was broken elkhorn scattered everywhere there.
I was shook up for awhile. My hubby reminded me in situations like these, he always remembers his sweet little Baptist grandmother, while in Africa, smuggled diamonds in her Braziere, and when the customs officer asked her if she had anything to declare she said "No." love that story.
Husband and 5 year-old leave and go get cleaned up back at the villa and get scallops at Woody's (still upset no scallops from ZoZo's) while my seven year-old and I stay at Caneel's main beach (legal, all legal). We build a sandcastle when a nice man tells us to check out a fancy dinosaur someone had made in the sand down the beach. So, we go check it out. Just when I think we're done (it's almost 6:00) making our sandcastle creation, my son decides he is going to make a dinosaur just like the professional one down the beach. He does a great job. He is really a determined little kid. I am amazed how well he works from inspirations. It's the artist side of him.
Hubby has already gone to bed. I'm enjoying sitting out on my deck listening to the waves crash on gibney beach as I pluck away on the computer and enjoy wireless wifi in St. john. So far away, yet not far at all.
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gymnastika
- Posts: 291
- Joined: Fri Mar 28, 2008 10:01 pm
- Location: texas
I am loving your trip report! -
chicagoans
- Posts: 1586
- Joined: Thu Jan 18, 2007 2:51 pm
- Location: IL
Great report!
The cell phone ringing on the beach made me laugh. I had just finished snorkeling at Salt Pond Bay when I received a call from my son's teacher asking to reschedule our parent teacher conference. Salt Pond of all places! Sprint MUST have added a new tower because in 2006 I had no service at all when we stayed at Concordia.
The cell phone ringing on the beach made me laugh. I had just finished snorkeling at Salt Pond Bay when I received a call from my son's teacher asking to reschedule our parent teacher conference. Salt Pond of all places! Sprint MUST have added a new tower because in 2006 I had no service at all when we stayed at Concordia.
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gymnastika
- Posts: 291
- Joined: Fri Mar 28, 2008 10:01 pm
- Location: texas
verjoy, yes, It is okay to go to the churches here. they are all very welcoming of visitors. They consider a huge compliment that you would take time out of your vacation to come visit them. they treat you as an honored guest. Island church is something we look forward to when we visit different islands in the caribbean.
Re: Trip blogging first 4 days so far--very long
I am right there with you. We stayed next door 2x and we really missed exactly what you described above. As soon as our son "ages out" of the child restriction, we are back!gymnastika wrote:
We discovered we like to do one beach by jeep per day and then to Gibney beach, because it is walking distance to our villa.
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gymnastika
- Posts: 291
- Joined: Fri Mar 28, 2008 10:01 pm
- Location: texas
i've been telling people our experience with caneel, while we were hanging out at the westin, and i have figured out where we mostly went wrong with getting asked to leave turtle beach. first, we probably should have ordered a drink from the beach guy that reported us, and second, we should have brought less stuff. we have 2 snorkel bags, being a family of 4, and had a little red cooler, just like the ones they provide in their rooms when we were there last august. we didn't bring our own chairs and just set up under a tree, not using their loungers, like the sign asks. people have shared that we really are allowed to use all of the beaches. what do you guys think??
gymnastika, all St. John beaches are public from the water to the vegetation line, but only if approached by water. The problem is, you crossed private property (their land) to access Turtle Bay beach.
They won’t ask you to leave if you set up on Caneel’s main beach, everyone is welcome there. There are signs posted all over the access points from the public areas asking you not to proceed onto the other parts of the property unless you are a guest of the resort.
I know it must have stunk to be asked to leave. You are not the first person on the forum that this has happened to! I've personally seen people be asked to leave, in the off season, and I imagine they are even more vigilant about it now, when the resort is at capacity. It might seem mean, but look at it from Caneel’s perspective. People are paying a LOT of money to stay there, and one of the big attractions is the uncrowded beaches. It's their right to restrict access via land. We always tack a couple of days at Caneel on to the beginning or end of our trips so we can experience all of their great beaches and snorkeling.
I hope you are continuing to have a great time!
They won’t ask you to leave if you set up on Caneel’s main beach, everyone is welcome there. There are signs posted all over the access points from the public areas asking you not to proceed onto the other parts of the property unless you are a guest of the resort.
I know it must have stunk to be asked to leave. You are not the first person on the forum that this has happened to! I've personally seen people be asked to leave, in the off season, and I imagine they are even more vigilant about it now, when the resort is at capacity. It might seem mean, but look at it from Caneel’s perspective. People are paying a LOT of money to stay there, and one of the big attractions is the uncrowded beaches. It's their right to restrict access via land. We always tack a couple of days at Caneel on to the beginning or end of our trips so we can experience all of their great beaches and snorkeling.
I hope you are continuing to have a great time!
It's like looking in your soup and finding a whole different alphabet.