Our Caribbean Adventure: A Much-Needed Getaway
It has been nine months since the passing of Molly. I mention this because for the last five years of her precious life, Molly needed a lot of close personal care. This prevented us from taking any vacations where we had to leave her home.
Our little pup had many needs, and we didn't want to burden anyone with those issues. To be honest, we weren't sure when her time would come, and who wants to place that responsibility on someone else? So, we didn't take any vacations away from home or without her tagging along in the car.
A New Journey Begins ..
Over the last five years .. We managed to save some money and finally planned a nice vacation to the tropical Caribbean island of St. John in the US Virgin Islands (USVI). St. John is accessible by ferry from St. Thomas, as it has no airports due to its small size and underdeveloped landscapes. This remote yet somewhat developed Caribbean getaway was perfect for us after a five-year wait.
Cruz Bay - St John USVI
Coral Bay - St John USVI
Getting to St. John was a bit of a hassle and required some planning .. But it was well worth it. The moment our ferry docked in the beautiful Cruz Bay Harbor, I knew we had made the right choice. This was going to be a good vacation. We unloaded our bags and headed to the rental Jeep company. We wanted to explore the island at our own pace, so we rented a two-door Jeep Wrangler for the week. Taxis are available for those just visiting for the day or who know exactly what they want to do during their stay.
Lavender Hill Suites - Cruz Bay
We rented a one bedroom condo for the week in the main town of Cruz Bay. The second-floor unit had an incredible view of the harbor. When we weren't exploring the island or town, we enjoyed the view from the condo's surrounding decks. Watching the boat and foot traffic in and around the busy port was fascinating. In the evenings, things calmed down, with only the occasional boat arriving or leaving.
That's when the town came alive with tourists, all ready for good food and frozen cocktails after a day on the beach...
Drinks...
More Drinks ...
The occasional meal to go with all those drinks...
While we enjoyed most of our meals, they weren't the best we've ever had. The drinks were good too, though I had hoped for more variety in the food choices and stronger drinks for the price. But hey, everything can't be perfect.
My Personal Favorite Bar and View
The Windmill Bar
The highlight of our dining experience was The Windmill Bar.. Located a short, winding drive from Cruz Bay into the mountains, this place offered 360-degree views of the mountains and ocean. The drive up those tight, winding roads was worth it for the stunning view.
We stayed to watch the sunset .. And even though it wasn't the best sunset, it was still amazing. We met a few interesting people from other islands, which made the evening even more fun. We shut the place down and left, sad to go but needing rest for the days ahead.
Besides the bar scene ..
And climbing the steep hills back to the condo..
We spent most of our time exploring the island's rich history and ruins or lounging on the pristine beaches.
First The Ruins ..
We visited old, abandoned sugar mill plantations .. Where some parts of the buildings and windmills still stood, minus the wood elements and roofs. Walking around these sites felt like stepping back in time, and the views were breathtaking.
Amongst the ruins where wildlife, flora and fauna such as Palm trees, flowering Plumeria trees, other flowers, Goats, Donkeys and even the occasional Hermit Crab strolling the between the rocks and grass. Plenty of things to stimulate our visual curiosity.
The Beaches..
Did I Mention The AMAZING Beaches???
Trunk Bay Beach
Ahhhh The Beaches.. Oh The Beaches.. Some of the most beautiful beaches we have visited and spent time on. To reach the beaches, we drove and hiked to many scattered around the island. Honeymoon Beach, Hawksnest Beach, Trunk Bay Beach, Cinnamon Bay Beach, Maho Bay Beach, and Salt Pond Beach were all unique and beautiful in their own ways.
Trunk Bay
Some had coarse sand and calm waters, while others had silky smooth sand and curling waves. We spent a lot of time snorkeling, even though the reef wasn't extensive. We saw cool fish, live coral, squid, and many sea turtles.
Watching sea turtles dive for sea grass was incredibly relaxing. I have to admit, I felt like I was swaying with the tide in the evenings after spending so much time in the water.
We Will Be Missing Those Beaches When It's Time To Go Home...
A Pricey But Fun Excursion With 'Stormy Pirates' ..
We also booked a full-day excursion to the nearby British island, Jost Van Dyke, which was pretty much a booze cruise. We booked it with a company called 'Stormy Pirates'. It was a great time! The captain T.C. and his first mate Kevin were awesome hosts, leading us in and out of the ports and recommending cool places to eat and drink while ashore.
They also took us to a floating bar on an old ship (The Infamous Willy T, BVI · Floating Bar & Grill), Where my wife bravely jumped off a high spot at the back of the boat. I opted to stay dry and film everyone instead, playing the role of videographer for the moment.
We spent the entire day boating and drinking, But it was spread out and no one in the group of 8 got out of hand. The excursion was a bit pricy, but worth it if you like boats, tropical bars and drinking.
The Sunsets ..
Last but not least are the sunsets .. I wish I could say I was adventurous enough and willing to get up for the sunrises, but no such luck this trip. Although the weather was a little less than desirable most nights (clouds and sometimes a quick shower), we still managed to catch a few amazing sunsets.
Goodbye Day, Hello Night
Nothing like sending the day off and welcoming the night life in, with a proper display of color and calm across the bay..
A Nice Vacation = Happy Faces
We did think about Molly and even Pepper a few times while away .. But it didn't put a damper on our much deserved and much needed vacation. We had a great time exploring and relaxing, enjoying all the island had to offer.. I think our faces say it all. We had a GREAT time away.
Despite some delays and flight cancellations on the way home.. The vacation was amazing. We waited a long time to enjoy ourselves in a tropical paradise, and it was worth the wait. While I'd trade the trip to have Molly and Pepper back again, that wasn't an option and we can't feel guilty for that.
Would I recommend St. John for your next Caribbean trip?
Yes and no. It's an expensive island, the food and drinks are okay.. but if you're a beach lover, go for it! You won't be disappointed.
“No man needs a vacation so much as the man who has just had one.”
― Elbert Hubbard
No Silver Was Sold In Order To Pay For This Vacation
But I did pick these bad boys up several months ago before prices spiked into the high $20's.
20 FULL OUNCES!!!
20 mixed year Silver Eagles, all of them sealed in capsules. I grabbed them near spot at the time and was thrilled to add them to the collection when they arrived. Can't go wrong with the Silver Eagles!
Keep On Stackin!
Thank you for swinging by my blog and checking out the post. Have a great day!
All words, pictures and art pieces are the sole property of B D Miller Gallery, unless otherwise noted and credited, and are not to be reproduced or copied without the prior written consent of B D Miller Gallery.
My version of visiting St. John would be anchoring my genuine 18th Century frigate off a variety of select harbors and some secluded beaches, then takes things from there. Before I leave, I'd fire off a Rating salvo salute from One to Ten, with permission from the Island authorities of course. ☠️ Don't want to cause a panic.
How can I not picture that!
Funny thing is every other evening or so a charter cruise, a sailboat, came in the harbor and fired off a couple of loud booms. Everybody was cheering on the boat and having a good time. I could almost see a black flag on it which I am assuming was some sort of pirate flag. 🏴☠️ So I think you would fit right in 😁
Maybe we could arrange a mock gun battle for some bigger fireworks.
The Storm Crow can be available for private tours, weddings, movie shoots, and ole fashioned pirating stuff ☠️
GRRRRREAT Idea! I'm onboard with it.. no pun intended. Plus I am in need of another vacation. hehe
Looks like you had a great time.👍🏻
Yes we did. All but the stupid air port delays and cancelations. Had to get a hotel room and taxi at 2am after they finally canceled our flight.. that was fun.
“No man needs a vacation so much as the man who has just had one.”
― Elbert Hubbard
Hahaha, so true, @bdmillergallery.
I enjoyed reading your post very much! Vacations are always great when you spend them with your loved ones! The missus deserves a vacation, and you too.
I guess you will be painting some?
Nothing beats a tube of American Silver Eagles!
!BBH
!LUV
!PIZZA
I like it too. Lol
We all need some rest after vacation 😁
hehehe.. I knew you would be the one who mentioned painting. I got some awesome painting ideas for sure! I have to get my painting studio set back up so I can start. The missus had a blast as well.
This looks like a really awesome trip. I know what you mean though about not wanting to leave. We felt that way with our recent trip to Colorado with Jovi. We knew it was going to be tough to leave her if she made it to this summer. There were a couple of times when I was a bit sad that we weren't coming home to her, but like you said, it wouldn't have been fair to make anyone else have to take care of her while we were gone. I'm glad you had a good time! It looks beautiful and like someplace I would like to visit one day.
... And if I left all behind and move here?!
Lol
We like the island.. people there were a little not so chipper, but we made due by just talking to those who wanted our business. lol.
Yeah.. I would rather have the pups back in my life, but the vacation was nice too. I'm sure you guys are still very much missing Jovi. :(
Yes, every day. Like you said though, we wouldn't have felt right expecting someone else to deal with her. We only had one really bad year, I can't imagine five!
One is long enough for sure. You know how it is though, when you get used to something it becomes part of your routine and you actually start to worry less. The only time we really started to Get really really concerned was probably the last half a year. We knew something had changed at that point when they're eating and sleeping habits change you know somethings up.
Yeah, I hear you!
That's for sure a great adventure!
Love all pictures and for sure amazing Beaches.
As i like tropical and Caribbean beaches, I'll include on my travel list.
Tks For the advice, and keep Molly on your hearts and good memories.
Keep on Stackin!
Awww.. Thanks for the Molly comment.
Miss her terribly.
It was an expensive but beautiful place. Just wish the food was a little bit better than it was. Pretty much all the places had the same sort of thing.. not much variety. Oh well.
Island used to be more expensive for sure.
lay off at paradise have it costs!
!lolz
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He told me to stop going to those places.
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Oh, You need a new puppy 🐕
It helps
😊
Not yet. Soon enough but we have a few plans to take care of before another long term commitment.
So sorry to hear about your loss. I have pets and I can't imagine life without them, nor the moment when we will watch each other for the last time. Stay strong!
It was brutal having to make the decision to say goodbye, but she had such a long life at almost 16 years old. With all of her disabilities and illnesses.. she was amazing!
I am sure she couldn't reach that age after so many she's been through if she wasn't part of such an amazing family you offered to her!
awwww... Thank you. That made me smile 😊
❤️
Simply perfect, but amazing you fitted everything into one week.
That hill back to your condo, not to navigated with one too many lol.
Glad you had such a great time, and I know what you mean about having stayvacations with pups, we also did that so as not to leave them behind when they were elderly.
Totally agree 💯
We probably needed another 7 to 10 days to see the majority of the island. For being such a small island, there sure was a lot to see. The hills were crazy.. that one in the photo was mild compared to the ones I spun the Jeep tires on daily! Yeah.. pups can keep most of us dog lovers home. I know others who don't give a hoot, but that's just not us.
Wow great photos, I loved it. No age for enjoy life. Congrat.
Thanks! I appreciate the read 😁
#hive #posh
Wow.It was an awesome trip. Thank you for the engaging tour.
Sure thing! Thanks for reading my post 😁
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