the 'best trip' report (part 1)

The suitcases are piled, and so is the laundry, but now is the time to start reporting while memories are fresh! Yes, the beaches were magnificent, the snorkling world-class, food incredible, but we found the real gold in the people that we met! I think we made some friends that we will cherish for a long time........such GREAT folks..one and all!

departure day

Up @ 3:30 to travel to airport for 6:30 flight. We booked through priceline and got better connections than i could find any other way, I knew when i submitted the offer that we might get really ugly flight times, but lucked out; depart Buff @ 6:30, Newark @ 9:30 on STT 2:00pm! We hustled into a taxi for Red Hook, and had time for a kami-kaze run to Marina market before ferry. (though I have to admit surprise @ $1.99 per mango when i can buy them here in the boonies for .49!)

Jumped on Frett's taxi and took off for Maho Bay, snapping pictures like crazy, leaning out of bus just drinking in warm air and tropical breeze. Our tent- cottage was right on the main stairs to the beach, which did not please me at all at first, but might not have met all the wonderful friends that we did had we been tucked further into the woods! Just watching the traffic up and down the stairs was better than tv!

I had snorkling gear all packed into our hydration bags ready to grab and go the minute we arrived. Finished the evening decorating our cottage w/ parrot lights and bright flags. I was really impressed w/ the kitchen, I usually try to book places w/ kitchen facilities, and this was the most complete furnishing we have ever had, complete w/ perculator. ( i usually end up making 'cow-boy' coffee in a sauce pan!) Made a run to the camp store.....really good prices....some much cheaper than the Starfish market. Smoothies and cheese w/ crackers for dinner, then a little reading and feel asleep to the sound of gentle waves on the beach just below the tent.

day 1

our propane stove would not work, so climbed to pavillion and filled coffee pot, brought it back for breakfast on the deck, shared by banna-quits and thrashers. then off to beach. We snorkled around Little Maho, then swam to Big maho. Walked the beach, so crowded.....3 other folks! Although the sky was overcast the clarity was still great, we were both surprised by how social the fish were, we are used to snorkling w/ very shy wild-life and these guys were posing for my camera. We worked our way back across Big and Little M and went to Francis, once again walked beach to stretch legs, and i learned to pack hat and sun glasses in dry-pack for beach walking, walked most of beach w/ eyes on 'severe squint' The coral along right side of Francis was great, some soft coral, some sea grass, a great variety of critters. after 4 1/2 hours... time to get hubby out of sun ( he not only burns, he FRYS....used a whole tube of 50 baby block)

hubby flopped for a nap (his favorite hobby) and i caught the bus for town. Took off running for starfish, shopped at warp speed, loaded stuff (heavy!...diet coke, rum, fruit juice ) into roller bag and took off for bus.....was pouring sweat.....but made the bus by minutes.

a little deck time, no sunset though sky went from gray to black while i was loading camera! and tried to read, but book kept hitting nose!

day 2

after too much good coffee, packed and headed to Trunk. I wanted to avoid the cruise crowds so picked a day w/ no ships in port. Just a few folks there when we arrived, so set up camp @ far right corner in good shade, suited up and hit the water for a couple of hours.....several loups around the cay, then back to the shade for some water color fun, hard to choose, so much beauty to paint!

warmed up so back into the blue, snorkled coral on right side of bay.....beautiful! saw several small 'cuda... thought that was great... little did i know! Picnic lunch then some more lounging and took 'land camera' for a walk. watched some folks set up for snuba.

Hubby was happy in the shade so headed back into water, didnt even take camera, snorking along right side of bay was surrounded by a huge school of neons, just loving being in the middle of such abundance when i flipped my head to the right and saw the biggest barracuda i have ever seen ..about 5 1/2 feet long, maybe 4 feet away.....first thought..swim away....from a cuda?....duh.....tucked watch into gloves...and headed to beach for camera........ very polite cuda, he stayed put til i got back out armed to hunt. I got 6 incredible shots (will post on web and provide url) as brave as i am, was happy to have another snorkler in the water w/ me @ the time........

that was going to be impossible to beat, so after about 6 hours water time for me, time to head back. We showered and checked out park, showed off cuda pics, and went to wait for bus.
a little dinner, a little cruzan, a little reading ( why are my paper-backs so heavy here? they keep colliding w/ my nose!) then time to rock to sleep w/ the waves!