Friday, September 11

The End

I am more than home now. The internship and it's adventures have come to an end. There are many stories I haven't included and many more experiences that are likely missing from the blog simply because recanting every single waking moment just isn't that fun to read. I hope of what I have included, it's been an enjoyable read!

Thursday, September 10

Home Again?

Where is home? It has been St. John for the last few months. Now, it will be Alexandria, again.

The day began early. Mister Al picked us up at the hotel and drove us the short distance to the airport. Already sweltering hot just after 6:00am, we were dripping with sweat by the time we got to the check-in counter. The sun crested over the hills and showered us with light while we waited to unload our luggage and get through the check-in process, all of which is outside.

A welcome gush of crisp air blew our way when we stepped through the sliding glass doors into the Customs and Border Patrol area. A few trips to Jost Van Dyke were my only times away from US soil and not part of my current travel arrangements. It seems weird that we had to clear customs, since we were traveling from the US to the US, but I guess a lot of travelers will enter the Caribbean islands without getting the proper paperwork completed. Finally, we gave the five bags to the airline and were able to get some breakfast, after getting scanned and cleared through security. The food court was small but had plenty of choices. There were also liquor and small jewelry counters in the terminal waiting area. Our gate was easy to find amongst the less than a dozen available gates. In the food court, mom picked out a johnny cake with cheese and a side of bacon. I got a beef pate. Of the pate I've had, it was ok. I will miss being able to grab a pate for a tasty snack. Think beignet stuffed with seasoned meat (think also, hot picket, but tastier and fried). I also picked up a coffee. I used the machine that should produce tasty coffee with the press of a button (mixing powder and water). The cup of coffee was disgusting and while the button had indicated “mocha,” it tasted like stale chocolate and chalky water. Mom's coffee was a bit tastier. I guess next time I'll try a sip before I get the 20 oz. size, which in my case made the cup cost 3 times more than usual. For $12, I had a cup of something kind of gross, which I threw in the trash about half a sip later.

To board the plane, we had to walk outside and climb about 20 stairs to get into the plane. Non-stop service to Miami followed by a flight to DC filled the rest of the day. Watching the green hills and Caribbean seas disappear into the clouds filled me with a deep ache. I don't think I've ever been so upset to see clouds. I don't deny it will be fantastic to be home again, but I will seriously miss St. John. I've had a deep ache in my chest the past few days; knowing I'd be leaving was one of the worst feelings I've had in a long time.

On land again in DC, we met Dad after getting our luggage. Almost immediately, I was alarmed by the way Dad was driving- on the wrong side of the road (wrong to me). Driving on the right again will be something I've got to get used to, surprisingly. Off the plane, I'm feeling cold and grumpy.

A few hours had all of my items unpacked and mail sorted. The stress of travel is managed well with a good workout. I hit the gym right away, climbing and scaling the walls again at Sportrock. It felt awesome to see everyone again and do some climbing!

After climbing, I went to the grocery store. Holy molasses! The prices at Giant are mind-blowing to someone who has just been living in the Caribbean. For the $5.95 I usually spend on a bag of oreos (sad that it's a usual item, eh?), it was only $2.99! Creamer---normally $5, was $3.50. Yogurt, also in the $5-$6 range was only $3! Gah!!!! It's nice that eggs no longer cost $5 per dozen. I stared at all the price tags in shock and by the time I got to the register the shock and awe began to wear off as I paid my $50 for a huge basket full of goodies.

Jennie came over for a minute around dinnertime and then we decided to go over to her place for dinner, since she'd got some Chinese food from the Magic Wok. I drove over with her to pick up the order and then followed her back to her place. With her mom and dad, we ate deliciousness in the form of chinese food packed into those trademark white food containers. Jennie loved her bottle of guava rum and really enjoyed the t-shirt I got her from the Friends of the Virgin Islands National Park. The definition of the word friend on the back was all too perfect!

Got home from dinner later than I anticipated and finally got to meet up with Becca! She came over for a short spell and we caught up as she sampled her guava rum. Becca and Jennie both enjoyed the sweet fruity guava rum with fruit juice, on ice. Thinking I could hardly stay awake around 9pm, I went on to stay awake until around 2am, unpacking, everything. I didn't realize how much stuff I'd left behind until I went to put away what I had in my suitcases and realized there was no place to put things! I have too much junk! I eventually did get all of my things to fit in drawers and closets. I'm hoping I don't have the Hollywood-style closet explosion next time I open one of my dresser drawers.

Wednesday, September 9

Departure

Small Disclaimer: Imagine a sheepish smile on my face. I forgot to post the last few days of my time in the islands until the first day of October... I apologize if some of the posts are shorter or a bit different stylistically or otherwise.

Tomorrow, we fly. I'm stressed, anxious, and still in denial. The suitcases just barely fit into the car, but I figure it's alright that I have so many bags, since they're more like my moving boxes, but with wheels and nylon.

After the workout that was lifting all the bags, we headed down the hill for breakfast at the Deli Grotto. Then, we headed deeper into the island to drop off my fridge items with Keith and Breslin. They were the lucky recipients of all the perishables, condiments, and tasty treats that I haven't been able to eat or use. I think they got a pretty good stash of things – a handful of tuna cans, some whole grains, frozen veggies, and a load of spices and seasonings.

Wrapping up my final day, I walked around the Biosphere and said many goodbyes, all of which were sad. I hugged as many people as possible. For lunch, mom and I headed back to Mongoose Junction for a sandwich at the Deli, where a few people from the park were having their mid-day meal. Keith joined us for my last few hours on the island.

After eating, I stopped at the Friend's store and got Jennie a most awesome t-shirt. Then, we walked over to the dive shop where I got my dive log stamped. The day continued somewhat busily as we hustled to return the car, unload bags at the ferry dock, and board the ferry to downtown. I've not yet been on the ferry to Charlotte Amalie. It was a nice ride with great views of cays and islands not normally visible from the other ferry to Red Hook. On our ride, a few boobies flew overhead, as if chasing the bow of the ferry boat. I wearily watched them overhead, hoping no bird would unleash any waste materials onto our heads.

Our bags and luggage wheeled across the street into the back of a taxi, which then took us to the Island Beachcomber, which was just far enough that we needed a taxi instead of walking. The Island Beachcomber is nestled right next a Best Western and the Airport, on the beach, and split apart from the main part of town in Charlotte Amalie. The beachcomber rates for locals are fantastic. With proof of residency in St. John, I happily forked over the reduced rate in the form of a plastic card. We got to the room and it was quite warm. No AC? I asked the front desk and we were moved to another room, which then had a very chilled atmosphere. We eventually figured out how to turn down the AC and get the room to a more comfortable 72 degrees. Right away, we switched into our bathing suits and headed for the beach. A few short strides away, the water was warm and enjoyable. Of course, I'm biased and feel like the beaches in St. John are a thousand times better. The water here was a little cloudier (had a hard time seeing my toes when I was neck deep) and the view out to sea not as marvelous. It was still a fantastic beach (compared to back home or on the east coast).

After our bathing, we really bathed, washed up and headed out for dinner. The nearest suitable spot for dinner was actually the Italian place at the Best Western, Portabella's. Wow! I don't think I've had real restaurant-style Italian food in a long time. I miss having garlic and buttery cheeses melted over pastas and red sauces. At Portobella's we had a most tasty dinner. Some Cavit Pinot Grigio (oh man do I love it) and Ravioli for me, Lasagna for mom was most full-filling. Also, we saw a wedding while swimming on the beach earlier. Now at the restaurant, we saw the same couple enjoying their dinner. After our wine and Italian food, bedtime lured us to the room. We made it back to the Island Beachcomber by sand (parallel to the street). Within seconds Mom and I expired for the day and fell asleep.

Tuesday, September 8

Discover SCUBA and Drunk Bay

Small fiasco where I could not remember where I'd put the key to our rental. I fished through every bag and got increasingly frustrated. It's humbling when you forget where you've placed something. We did find the key and we were off. Down the hill, we enjoyed a tasty breakfast at the Deli Grotto once again. For just two coffees and a breakfast item or two, it's hard to get away for anything less than around $25. We both got the Sunshine Day Dream and I know I'll miss the breakfast sandwich greatly once I'm home again.

We set off in the direction of the dive shop after parking the car right outside The Beach Bar. Our dive sites were Little Saint James and Cow Rock, two sites I've never been to before. At Little Saint James, Mom got to SCUBA dive for the first time, ever! The dive was short and shallow, but she did it! I do mean short and I do mean shallow, though. Mom's not exactly a natural born Jaques Custeau, but I think after some more practice and time in the water with SCUBA gear, she could be crawling the bottom and playing with the lobster in no time.

For the second dive, we headed to Cow Rock, where I joined Mary and George for the dive. Mom stayed on the surface and snorkeled around the rock and back to the boat. Cow has the most amazing swim-throughs, filled with enormous lobster, corals, and fish hiding in the shadows. After you emerge, you can see your bubbles sneaking out through tiny holes, bleeding bubbles to the surface. I didn't see it, but someone else caught a glimpse of a reef shark. Ironically, we were on the hunt to see one the entire dive. I did however, see a sting ray floating across the sandy bottom. It was a fantastic dive and I felt a great sigh of happiness and sadness, knowing it will be my last dive in the Caribbean for a while.

As if two dives and a morning on the boat weren't enough to fill our day, we only were half-started. Mom and I enjoyed a lunch at Woody's, getting the grilled mahi sandwich and curly fries, with a corona. I know my mouth will water just thinking about this lunch, when I'm far away in Alexandria and without a Woody's to satiate my hunger. It's always delicious to enjoy a fish sandwich for lunch after a morning of diving. After some time perusing the stores around Wharfside Village, mom found a beautiful ring she had a hard time leaving in the store. We picked up a gift for her friend Gail and stuck our faces against more glass display cases. We did a few errands, which included me getting my final paycheck at Low Key Watersports (insert sad face) and taking it to the bank here on the island. We got some extra gas for the rental car (just over 2 gallons for $7) after our shopping and erranding around the shop. With a more full gas tank and still wearing our suits from the boat, we drove off.

We cruised around the island, enjoying the four wheel drive in the Suzuki Grand Vitara. Our next stop after lunch was the Love City Mini Mart. We got a bottle of Cruzan Coconut Rum (it's a whole dollar cheaper here than at Starfish! Crazy!), a coke for me, and ginsing up for mom. She says it's like carbonated apple juice. Drove to Lameshur where I showed mom my favorite ruins. The beveled window looking out to Little Lameshur Bay is fantastic. From there, we continued, driving to Salt Pond Bay's parking area. The 0.6 mile walk downhill was fairly easy. We found a shady spot near a picnic bench and swam around Salt Pond Bay. Mom filled up her empty bottle of Ginsing Up with sand from the beach. We decided to walk the extra 0.3 miles to Drunk Bay. Passing between large bushes, slightly overgrown vegetation, and the salt pond, we nearly collided with several cactus. As is the tradition when you visit Drunk Bay, we built our coral people. I started out with a figure for Kevin, since when we were here we didn't know that when you visit, you're supposed to create your own coral person. Then, I made mine, for the last visit. For the current visit, I made another, and so did Mom. Hers was the best of all four. We walked back to Salt Pond Bay for more swimming, just as dusk approached. The sand flies, no-see-ums, and other biting flies came out in full force, since we had the beach to ourselves, the bugs found us extra-appetizing. We quickly hauled it back up the hill in time to escape more bites. In the trunk, we extracted the jug full of fresh water and showered in the parking lot. After changing out of our suits we drove back into Coral Bay. We ate a tasty and delicious dinner at AquaBistro. Skipping the booze, we ordered Coke. I got the Gyro (out of this world kind of tasty) and mom got the Flatbread Pizza, which was also good. During the drive home, mom made it apparent that the inding roads are not her favorite part of the island. I was more hoping she'd feel like she was in a non-stop amusement park.

Got back to the house just in time for a few minutes of light. I rinsed off my SCUBA gear for one last time and dunked them in some diluted bleach water. Hopefully by noontime-ish tomorrow, the items will all be dry. We got back to the house and in a fury, we packed up all of our alcohol/duty-free rum goodness, clothes, and everything but what we need for tomorrow and Thursday. I figure it's much easier to pack at night, just before bed, so when you're exhausted after packing, you are already due for bedtime. We both felt quite tired from our big and long day anyway, so it was a bit like hitting the wall for me when I got through the first bag of luggage. Between us (this is mostly my fault), there are five large bags and two bookbags. That's a lot of stuff. I did live here for three months, though, so these bags are more like moving boxes than luggage. With bags packed, I emptied out the fridge, took out the trash, and threw in a final load of laundry.

On a side note: during her time here, Mom has seen mongoose, soldier crab, donkey, goat, lizards, pearly-eyed thrasher, seagull, ants, termites, fish, corals, and more.

Monday, September 7

Touring The Island: Tourists For a Day

Woke up just after first light and checked on the status of our sunburns. Mine is largely tan now. Mom is less fortunate. At any rate, we both slathered on a thick layer of aloe vera to quench our skin's thirst. With a small bowl of granola and yogurt out of the way, we loaded up the special honey baked ham for Thomas into our pack and walked down the hill. Mom really prefers walking down the hill via paved road, and enjoys less the rocky and uneven Lind Point Trail.

Real breakfast at Deli Grotto: the must-visit place for a tasty breakfast burrito and your morning coffee. Mom and I sat with our daily cup of wake-up and passed the time until we could head for the Hospitality Car Rental office to pick up our rental for the rest of the week. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that we might get a Jeep. I'm anxious to start showing her places around Northshore Rd. and along the way, stop at Keith's, where there is a gathering going on starting around noon today. Yay for Labor Day! I think we'll go make a special trip to Starfish market to pick up a tasty bottle of wine. My latest favorite wine is Barefoot's Cabernet Savignon. I've not ever been one that is too fond of wine, especially reds, but I've found this one is more than tasty. I could likely drink an entire bottle to myself, if left alone with a wine glass and a full bottle.

Got the car, not at the initially planned 9am, but a little after. Thomas was extremely happy about getting the Ham. He was all smiles and very pleased. We drove off with the car and the favor was immediately returned with a nice gesture of maybe letting us have the car for extra time or without having to worry about refilling the tank. I wish we could use the car for another day! Too bad we'll need to go into St. Thomas then night before we leave- the car won't do us much good on Thursday unless we could leave it at the airport.

Got the car, went to get a bottle of wine for Keith. Stopped at Shop and signed up Mom to go diving tomorrow! She'll be doing Discover SCUBA Diving (DSD) and I'll be fun-diving.

With the car I was ready to start cruising the roads. We drove along Northshore Rd. and stopped at all the overlooks and beaches possible. I got to even show mom Island Fancy! There's someone living there now, so he let us inside so she could see my old bedroom. I still felt like I was getting home when I walked through the house. She got to see the views and smell the air. We talked to the new resident and had a great time. Then we drove over to Maho Bay Camps and mom got to see one of the tents there that are part of their accommodations. It's very spartan.

We continued East and drove all the way to the end of the road at the East End, to Sloop Jones' studio. He's closed for September. It's a shame since Mom was quite excited to see his place and collection of shirts and other items I'd e-mailed her about. We turned around and decided to make our way back toward Cinnamon. However, by this time, we'd both skipped lunch and were getting kind of hungry. We went into Lily's Market in Coral Bay and got some goodies, BBQ chips for Mom and Babybel semisoft cheese for me, and sodas for us both. I do love those little cheese wheels wrapped in wax.

Drove to Keiths and joined the fun being had on his beach. We sailed the sunfish, swam around Cinnamon Bay, had some awesome pulled pork sandwiches, and enjoyed the sunshine. On my sandwich, I added a few drops of Miss Anne's hot sauce... the number one ingredient is habanero peppers. It's hot. Mixed with some bbq sauce, it ended up making a pretty mild few bites. As the sun started disappearing over the horizon, the boat left the bay and Ronnie started the trip to return it to Maho Bay. As the crowd thinned we followed suit and headed home for the night. Rinsed off and fresh feeling (it does feel amazing when you rinse off the crusty salt water), we went back to Starfish Gourmet & Wines and picked up our fill of duty-free spirits. I got three bottles of guava rum, one dark rum, and one light rum, all Cruzan. Mom got her blackstrap Cruzan (actually she got that at Lily's Market in Coral Bay), some Pineapple, Mango, and Black Cherry Cruzan, and Jim Beam Whiskey on top of that. She has six bottles total. I can't remember her sixth bottle, but I bet it is something tasty. Oh I know! It's the Coconut rum we haven't picked up yet (see tomorrrow's post). Then, we went in search of a proper dinner. We found Morgan's Mango open and not crowded. Mom enjoyed the recommended Hurricane Hugo. I also ordered and enjoyed a Hurricane Hugo. Something about that drink makes it very easy for me to fall asleep at night. We both got the special appetizer, which was 4oz. of sashimi quality tuna with a rockin' spicy wasabi sauce and yummy soy and ginger sauce drizzled across the plate. The meal of an appetizer was tasty and hit the spot. We glugged down the drinks and felt happiness with each sip. I love drinks that taste like strawberry puree.

Sunday, September 6

Soggy Dollar Bar, Jost Van Dyke, BVI!

A wholly delicious day. Two delicious coffees and a breakfast burrito from the Deli Grotto for second breakfast. First breakfast was a few hours earlier, which consisted of yogurt and granola. Between first and second breakfast, we headed down the trail to Salomon Beach and swam around, doing a little bit of snorkeling. The water, as usual, was quite clear and lovely. We toweled off in time to walk down the trail into Cruz Bay.

After our second breakfast was complete, we walked down to the ferry dock. There, we met Ilya, one of our crew for the day. We happily hopped on the dinghy and shortly thereafter, boarded the Dream Weaver and met our captain, Jini. Once everyone was on board, we set sail for Jost Van Dyke. Sailing and sunbathing through the morning is really one of the best ways to pass one's morning. Mom got to man the wheel for a good distance. When the sails are tightly held and full of wind, you can hear a whistling sound. The scream of wind howling past lets you know you've got the wind fully harnessed. Mom produced much whistling with her steering. During the sail, we met our fellow passengers, which consisted of some Cruzans (St. Croix folks) from Ohio, who were very interesting people. One of the girls on the boat happens to have worked for David Letterman as his personal assistant. Of course, she has some very excellent people in her social circles and it was very entertaining to hear her talk about having a drink with folks like Jennifer Aniston and Cameron Diaz. Of course, these people are famous, but they are people too, and they are fully capable of sitting around having a nice “regular” chat over some cocktails. It was refreshing to hear that even with extreme fame and/or fortune, they're still very accessible and human. It is awesome that you can get thrown on a boat with random strangers for 7+ hours and end up getting along with them quite happily. It may have just been the painkillers, or the cool island breeze, but man, I love new meeting people down here.

Sometime around noon, we arrived at Grand Harbor, Jost Van Dyke, to clear Her Majesty's Customs, and swim into White Bay. The beach is phenomenal. Soggy Dollar Bar was alive and well. Mic fixed us two painkillers straightaway and then we hit the lovely gift shop for our Soggy paraphernalia. Mom found a bright yellow hooded-zip sweatshirt, we both got some slap-koozies, stickers (I do love stickers), and a surprise for Dad.

For lunch: two orders of chicken roti and garden salad. Wonderful and splendid to share things like roti with Mom now that she's in the Caribbean, too. I am also excited to show her some pate and a mahi sandwich from Woody's. If you've never had roti, I should do some explaining. The roti here in the Caribbean is like a curry. With raisins, spices, curries, and other ingredients I don't know about, mixed with chicken (bone-in or bone-out), the dish is a must-try if you're around the area. I suggest bone-in if you like sucking on a tasty bone until it's nothing more than a toothpick. There are so many tasty places to eat, I don't think we'll have time to visit them all before it's time to go home. I'll make sure no meal is wasted on silly places, though, that's for sure. Somewhere in the mix, and after two painkillers, we settled up the tab. I suppose life was feeling very wonderful, because after I paid the bill (long afterward), I realized that I paid about $28 too many for our drinks and lunch. I guess our tab was mixed-in with the rest of the boat and someone probably thought they got a free lunch or free drink during the trip. At any rate, I'm not terribly worried about it- it was a fabulous time that was had by all on the boat, and especially at Soggy Dollar! Mom really loved the day, although as it wore on, we started noticing our pale skin was turning a bit more red. The sunblock must have either been expired or nowhere near strong enough. We both got “boint” (read: burnt with accent). By the time we got home, the redness was more fully set-in. A few layers of aloe gel will do the trick! I'm hoping mine turns brown by tomorrow. Last time I had a burn of this quality pink/red, I found that the very next day, all pink was gone and I appeared more in the tan spectrum. Mom hasn't had as much sun this summer, so I hope she does well to not turn red and peel, although as a tourist, it wouldn't be the first or the last time it's happened. We even have a tree on the island named the tourist tree- because it turns red (the bark) and peels. Hehe.

Tomorrow, we get to pick up the rental car and begin driving around the island. I think giving le grand tour of the island is one part of Mom's visit I've been most excited about, both for the joy of sharing “keep left” and all the beautiful sights within the park, including the beaches and ruins. Heck, I'm excited to have her here, period- she gets to see Jost Van Dyke, most of the island, a handful of beaches, a few great restaurants, lots of smiling faces, several good friends, and the place I've fallen in love with and called home the past three months.

Saturday, September 5

Mom's Here!!!

What a rain! The skies emptied today. Rain came in sideways through the jalousie windows. As the rain poured onto our wireless router positioned near the window, I jumped into action. I moved the router onto dryer counter-tops and then noticed the spare bed we've got sitting in the living area was also getting a dousing of rain. I pushed it around on the floor to get it away from the window. A GIANT scorpion was left hiding in the corner between the wall and the floor. Two inches of mean scorpion tail were staring at me. I don't want to get stung by the critter so I went back to my room to grab my zapping racquet. By the time I returned from the other room, the scorpion was gone! I'm keeping my fingers crossed that I do not find him again in less favorable circumstances.


Yesterday:
Ater work, I went out to AquaBistro for my evening Budweiser and to hang out with good friends. There was a funny joke I heard at the bar from one of our favorite bartenders: “Looking for a job with big tips? Circumsize Elephants.” It may be a bit colorful to share on this blog but it made me laugh in a deep belly-jiggling kind of way, so I just had to share it!

After AquaBistro, we headed into town and for the first time, I had some Chinese food from Lucky Pagoda here in Cruz Bay. Keith and Breslin came over to enjoy the good eats and indeed, the Kung Pao Chicken and fried rice with a spring roll were a great dinner. I think they each ordered General Tao's Chicken, which they also enjoyed.

Today:
I woke up and gazed out the window. There is rain today. Lots of rain. I debated on the topic
of when and how I should get down to Cruz Bay and the ferry dock, since eventually, I need to meet mom after she gets off the ferry. It's wet out there. I grabbed my dry bag reluctantly (it's leaked the last few times I've used it) and then my raincoat. I walked down the trail that I know well and avoided the guts and drainage streams easily. The red flowing muddy water gushed downhill. The image of the flooding trail catapulted me into imaginations of the lives described in the book I've been reading, Death in Grand Canyon. These small streams of runoff appear harmless to me, but is that how those ill-fated people regarded the small eddys and rapids as they rode down the Colorado? St. John's water-filled guts are not quite the Colorado, but I've heard flooding can get quite nasty when the cisterns start over-flowing island-wide. I let my thoughts wander to what might happen if I, clad in my Chaco's, stepped into one of these streams of water and was carried off down the hill into Cruz Bay. The vision turned comedic, as I'd likely just get dumped onto a concrete roadway and then the marina with its 2 feet deep water. After every possible thread of my shorts was soaked, I finally arrived at Mongoose Junction. I think I chose the most absorbent shorts possible for this trip. I hovered over the toilet at the Deli and wrung out my shorts. A few cups of water dripped out into the bowl. That's a lot of water for a pair of shorts. They are still quite soaked and I'm thinking a few hours at the Air Conditioned Deli will lend itself well to leaving here with somewhat dryer clothes. My top stayed entirely dry, as the Mountain Hardwear Conduit material is space-age with its water proof qualities. My dry bag fared far worse. Last time I opened the dry bag (Soggy Dollar visit with Kevin when he was here) was after a short swim. I opened the bag and water had collected all around the top of the bag, which then flowed into the bag as soon as I had opened it. This time I precariously opened the bag, wiped it dry, then reached a napkin into the bag to dry out the immediate inside, while carefully keeping the bag horizontal, so as to avoid any water from being gravitationally pulled into the bag. It was somewhat silly looking, if anybody were paying me any attention. Fortunately, things in the bag stayed dry, which this time, included my phone, laptop, wallet, and camera. I may have to consider some alternate dry bag or dry box for future excursions.

I love knowing a place well enough that you feel happy to see a familiar face. I greeted the usual folks working at the Deli Grotto and filled up my large coffee. I do love getting my coffee here. Usually I'm here by 8am. Today, the time was closer to noon. I was jokingly reminded that I was late. I felt happy at hearing the comment. I got my cup filled with delicious French Vanilla, cream, and sugar. Next, I enjoyed my plain bagel toasted with cream cheese. Delicious. Nearly an hour after plopping down here at the Deli, I'm still quite drippy in the shorts. I suppose I will need the help of a real mechanical dryer if I expect to completely dry out anytime soon.

In the Deli, I came across more familiar faces! The group I had been diving with last while at Low Key Watersports was in full force at the Grotto! The group of travelers greeted me and re-thanked me for an excellent time diving this past week. I was only sad to report that I didn't get to go out with them on Thursday, as they had requested; I'm not in charge of scheduling. They all agreed that their diving had been quite fantastic and truly appreciated my help during the three times that I helped each of them with the small rescues that took place on our trip. It was noted that my professionalism was spot-on. I owe this mostly to Kim and Jake. Yay for having such fantastic dive instructors back at the Scuba Club at Virginia Tech! I will definitely need to call Jake and Kim and share the story of the dive with them soon.

Mom and I have been playing tag over text and voicemail. Looks like she was a bit slow getting into Miami, with delays on the runway, waiting to get into a gate. From there, there were delays with flights leaving Miami, due to the rain. I imagine they are talking about the rain that is hovering over St. Thomas right now. The rain, based on satellite images, looks to be torrential. With 4 inches expected in about 2 hours, looking at the most non-conservative estimates, that's a lot of water. I'm eager to have Mom get on the island and start enjoying the tropics. Hopefully, by the time she gets here, it will dry up a little and she can see some of the glorious sunshine!

After the Deli, I walked over to Starfish Market to pick up a few rolls of toilet paper. Fabulously, I stumbled across a hot dog eating contest! In three minutes, grown adults wolfed down as many hot dogs as possible to compete for a shopping spree at Starfish Market. The winner consumed 8 hot dogs in the allotted three minutes and then ate two more in celebration of his win. At one point he was double-fisting with the hotdogs. I enjoyed a complimentary hot dog (don't worry, I didn't participate) and a cold Heineken. At the Book and Bean, I got some thank you cards for folks at the park that have helped me have a great internship. There's no favor too small to warrant a thank you card. From the marketplace, I ventured back down the hill to the ferry. With plenty of time still until Mom would arrive, I hung out at the visitor center for a short while. Weather reports indicate the storms are going to stay away for a short pause, but more rain should pour down later this evening. I'm hoping the break in the clouds is long enough to get the luggage from the ferry to the house.

While continuing the wait (the day sure turned out to be a lot of waiting), I grabbed a bottle of juice from the Bayside Mini Mart. I don't think I've been in that mini mart but a handful of times. They do carry one of my favorite juices- Nantucket Nectars' Pomegranate Pear. I wonder if I can get that at the grocery next time I'm there. Nothing quite like a satisfying bottle of juice.

During the final moments of waiting for Mom's arrival, I checked in with Jini on the Dream Weaver. We're still a go for tomorrow's trip to Jost Van Dyke. Yeah! for painkillers and beautiful sandy beaches.

Sometime about an hour or so after I thought she'd arrive, mom did finally step off the ferry and onto St. John. The reality that I'm closer to home is hard to grasp. With mom's visit comes the joy of sharing such a neat place, but also the terrible knowledge that it's coming to an end.

We found a temporary home for the luggage at Slim's lot and continued on to the Beach Bar. There, we met up with Keith and Breslin for some cocktails and a bite to eat. Of course, Mom was starving after a day spent traveling. We got cheeseburgers, which were tasty. I ordered a bushwhacker for mom (I think either Beach Bar or Morgan's Mango have the best bushwhackers, of what I've tried). For me, a Lime & Coconut hit the spot. Bellies full and livers working hard, we went home with the luggage, just in time for the rain to start again.

In my continued reading of Death in Grand Canyon, I've found a few more items that would make a hike into any canyon a little bit more survivable. I'm going to have to add a whistle, signal mirror, and dry matches in a waterproof box to my list of things to pack for the next big hike (I've got a whistle built into one of my packs and I always carry a magnesium stick).

Old News:
Back in August, I fruit-snacked the bed. It's not quite like wetting the bed, but it's just as annoying. I sometimes will have a snack just before falling asleep, if I get late-night munchies. One night, I had such a craving for some fruit snacks. Typically, the tasty Welch's fruit snacks are perfect for writing and late-night reading. I woke up in the middle of the night feeling something gooey and sticky on my leg. I felt my legs and found more on my thigh. Curiosity got the best of me and I tasted what the sticky substance could be. It was sweet and fruity. Strangely, it was a lot like my fruit snacks. Half asleep, I had a eureka moment and realized I'd fallen asleep with a few gummy fruits right in my bed. Orange flavored. It had melted in the heat and was spread across the full width of the bed, smeared into the sheets. Gross. My fears turned to the ants swallowing me whole as they swarmed the bed, hunting after the sugar. Surviving the night without having ants in my pants became a huge priority. I got up and started collecting my sheets and items to run them through the washing machine. I had some fears about waking up a housemate that sleeps near the machines, so I opted instead to sleep on the spare bed in my room.

Friday, September 4

Last Day at the Office

I've never been a huge fan of goodbyes.

I started today with a slippery walk down the hill (along Northshore Rd. today, since the trail is likely quite slick after the rain last night). I led the final tailgate session and bid adieu to the Maintenance Team. We snapped a group photograph, me clad in my SCA t-shirt and them in the NPS uniforms. I will feel strange not to start each day down at the maintenance yard wishing folks good morning and asking everyone how their day is going.

The rain is coming down in spurts and small trickles today. The horizon is gray and the waters have lost their bluish hues. White caps in the distance break over the shallow reefs and I am enjoying a cool breeze that is unusual this time of year. Birds and frogs still chirp wildly, calling to each other across the point. I'm going to miss the cacophony of sounds from the bush. I can gauge the wind by the way the screen chinks back and forth in its window frame. With increasing breezes and gusts, I hear the metal frame clang against the bracket. The bay below still bustles despite the waning sunshine, with the gurgle of diesel powered ferry boats and rumbles of truck traffic wafting up the hill.

I feel a little funny; I hope I am not getting sick. The rapid change in the weather and this storm system could be the source of my icky feelings. I'm going to guzzle down a few packages of Emergen-C and hope that I'm not getting a cold or something else unpleasant.

Thursday, September 3

I Think I Scare Away The Storms

Tropical Storm Erika has brought us a beautifully purple, pink, and rose colored sunset with a nice cool breeze. I'm anxious to see if my cistern will actually fill up with any rain from this incoming storm. I think we could use another 10 feet or so of water in the cistern to fill it up, so bring on the rain (just a little).

Almost the last day at the office! I prepared my final report and presented the sum of my internship to the Superintendent today. It has been a very wonderful experience and I am most happy to have had this great opportunity. Who can deny that spending 12 weeks in the Virgin Islands is a great way to spend 12 weeks? It was great to review my outputs and other items that came up during the internship and discuss future opportunities. I still haven't completely ironed out what the next steps are for me, but I'm eager for the next adventure.

Weather in Virginia is quite beautiful this week, I hear. I'm excited to come home to fall-ish temperatures and maybe even see a few leaves change colors. The cooler months are going to be upon us, back in Virginia, very shortly. I am excited to do some rock climbing outside and enjoy the smooth and cool rock. I wonder if putting on my climbing shoes (they're 3 sizes smaller than street shoe size) will hurt all over again. They never did stop hurting before I came down here, but I was at least used to the pain of a well fitted climbing shoe. I hope I'm not wimpy when I slide them back on. Admittedly, I did put them on a few times down here when I got rock-sick (like homesick, but for climbing), but it was only ever for a few minutes.

Mom is nearly here. As her arrival nears, our conversations become more closely spaced. All is in order for Mom to start enjoying St. John and all that makes it known as Love City. There are quite a few places in town and across the island that have closed for a few months (we're almost in the peak of off-season), but there are still plenty of great spots that will be ready to accept our happy faces.

I think tomorrow I will make my rounds and say my goodbyes across the park. It is really strange that these three months are truly over, so soon. I felt like I was really making a home for myself here the whole time. Knowing my flights home are in less than a week, I'm almost nervous. I had a great conversation with Becca about coming home and she does know me well. She already has the notion that I'm plotting the next adventure, before the current one is even over. I'll likely get home, love it, enjoy it, but eventually I'll get bored, feverish, and return to lusting after more excursions or experiences. We sat chatting and I divulged all that is brewing in my stewpot of a brain. Through the end of the year, at least, I will most definitely be enjoying life in Alexandria. Beyond that, there is a possibility for a trip abroad. I'll see where life takes me.

Wednesday, September 2

Labor Day is Almost Here

What does one do to prepare for labor day? Why they labor, of course! That's just what I did today!

There was a heap of paperwork for the finale of my internship and I happily filled in the questionnaires, surveys, forms, e-mails, applications, and other items that needed to be addressed.

Tropical Storm Erika is on its way and I'm not quite sure what to make of it. The day fluctuated with news of big rain, nearly nothing, and cries that it might very well sit on top of us for hours. I honestly don't mind what the forecasts declare, as long as my cistern is full at the end of the storm and that my house doesn't flood in the process.

The thunderclouds wont keep the Low Key folks from doing a trip tomorrow morning, thankfully (the storm shouldn't even get close until later in the evening). Unfortunately though, I'm not on the boat tomorrow. Maybe I can spend the “extra” day to do another assessment in the park!

After work, I hiked down to Cruz Bay and wandered around somewhat aimlessly. There are a few hours between me finishing work and the end of daylight. On a hot, sweltering day like today, I'm going to just refuse to be inside the house all that time. I walked along the beach, through town, wandered over to the school with Meika, Anin, and Michael (the school is actually pretty awesome!), then decided to get a smoothie. Guava Strawberry Banana! Mmmmm! Thomas (the same Thomas from Hospitality Car Rental where I'm getting a car in a few days) fixed me up the most delicious smoothie and threw in a banana to boot! What a wonderful dude! I will miss the friendly faces here when I go home!

With my smoothie quickly disappearing, I stopped to say hello to some lifeguards and rangers by the visitor center before getting on the trail. The uphill wins every time. Before I hit the front door, I'm dripping with sweat. Once inside the house, it only made sense to sit there under the fan for several long moments before moving again.

I cooked up a tasty meal of madras lentils and naan and tried to finish up my reading of Grandma Raised the Roof. For being such a short bit of a book, it sure is taking me a long time to finish it!

In other news, I've made my hotel reservations for St. Thomas during my travel back to the states. Mom & I shall be staying over at the Island Beachcomber! Wonderful! Mom will be here in just two and a half days!

Tuesday, September 1

Bubble, Bubble

I saw a dolphin and sort of saved two lives today. I'm happy.

Carvel Rock and Grass Cay were on the menu for dive sites today. What a show! During the first dive, I hopped in the water and started guiding the way through a canyon between two rocks out at Carvel. I peered down and saw a lobster. Neat! The dive continued, past amazing views of corals, fish, sea feathers, huge file fish, parrot fish, some I haven't figured out how to identify just yet, but they were neat parrot fish. We circled around Carvel Rock and towards the end of the dive, two of my divers surfaced, a ways off from the boat. One was out of air and a little too buoyant after breathing through most of his tank. The other was just plain low on air and was still a good 150-200 yards to the boat. I'd just checked his air (I literally had grabbed his console to check for myself since his hand signals were hard to interpret), and he'd had 1100 psi not 10 minutes earlier. It was strange that after swimming along, without much current, he'd sucked the tank nearly dry. These things do happen. He did mention he was a heavy breather... After confirming all was okay, I helped tow him back to the boat. As we were nearing the boat, we saw a DOLPHIN! It's rare and a real treasure to see a dolphin in these waters. Wow! It leaped into the air, appearing to dive over the ladder (lovely visual illusion). Several divers swam in the direction of the dolphin while others offed their tanks in time to jump back in with just masks and snorkels to get a closer look. Fantastic. I stayed on the boat, as the newbie (at least one crew has to be on the boat at all times, I think). People do love to see dolphins, especially when they're in the water- I'm no exception. The tips today were also evidence of just how happy folks were to see the beautiful dolphin streaming through the water.

Just as I finished switching over some 11 or 12 sets of gear to new tanks, we pulled up to the second site, Grass Cay. Another fantastic site full of all that the Caribbean has to offer underwater. I can't get enough of these reefs. Nothing beats being prepared for a dive in the ocean. Rather than get into the specifics of how two folks could have enjoyed their dive(s) better, let me just make a plug and reminder for maintaining ones gear and performing final buddy checks before getting in the water. Having a clear mask and a first stage with all the hose connections tight is just as important if not more important than wearing a bathing suit. That said, the dive went well. During the second dive, I helped two divers in situations that could happen to anybody. Using experience and training, I interrupted their dives when it became necessary, and helped them back to the boat calmly and safely. Back on the surface and on the boat, both thanked me and appreciated my efforts to keep them happy and safe, even if it meant blowing fewer bubbles on the bottom. It feels great to help people!

But wait, there's more! Coming back to the bay, we tied up the boat and started filling-in everyone back at the shop about our dolphin sighting. There were some green faces (envy, not seasickness). There is great exercise to be gained from carrying tanks across a sandy shore. I can appreciate carrying the tanks for not only having something to breathe later, but also for keeping me prepared for whatever adventure finds me next. (Despite pig-outs of Mahi-Mahi sandwiches, chocolates, and tropical drinks, I'm still relatively svelt.) Today I must have made folks on the boat quite happy- I've been requested to dive again with them on Thursday! Insert cheers and hoorahs here. I'm excited to get on the boat again soon and see more beautiful water, from the bottom, up.

Later in the day...

There's nothing more thirst quenching than the drink you're craving when you're parched. Sometimes it may just be plain water. For me, tonight, it was a limey drink. I felt like a Lime & Coconut from The Beach Bar would hit the spot. On second thought, once I walked all the way down the hill and got to iScream, the Key Lime Smoothie sounded much better. For a 16oz. $6 smoothie, my thirst was quenched. I love feeling like I'm drinking key lime pie. At home, to make something similar, I might mix about one or two cups vanilla frozen yogurt or vanilla ice cream, 1 cup margarita mix, some lime juice/pulp, and ice. For an adult version, throw in one or two shots of rum. It's good.

I'm going to see if I can finish my reading of Grandma Raised the Roof tonight. Tomorrow, I will conquer a supreme day at the park, wrapping up my last week with as much gusto as possible.

Monday, August 31

A Donkey Named Daiquiri

There are many many contests that have deadlines either by midnight tonight or sometime in September. I am eager to finish and/or polish a few short stories and get them entered and try my hand for getting published to a wider audience.

Very few days in the Virgin Islands go as they had initially been planned. The joke is in the planning and thinking you'll actually get all of your to-do list completed. My morning ultimately consisted of driving around to Trunk Bay, Hawksnest, and Jumbie Beach to check on some coconut trees that needed trimming, coconut removal, or cutting down. Not surprisingly, a stop at the Visitor Center completed the coconut field trip, as more information needed to be gathered on just how to go about requesting the purchase to pay for the removal and pruning of said coconut trees. By then, it was well into lunchtime territory.

At the Deli Grotto, I scanned the menu. After all this time on the island, I've only been there for coffee and breakfast, never lunch. I read the ingredients with a meticulous eye, in hopes that I'd find the perfect sandwich to quench my hunger. Pink Cadillac. What kind of sandwich hails back to The Boss and his well-known song? This sandwich, that's who. It's turkey, cheddar, guacamole, salsa, and cream cheese, on pumpernickel. I initially said, no cream cheese. The lovely woman working the register was frank- the cream cheese is what really makes this sandwich. To ask for no cream cheese is nearly blasphemous. I changed my mind, quickly. I do love cream cheese ordinarily, but the mixture of it with the listed ingredients, all together, made me just the teenciest bit squeamish. My response to the nice lady was to make it however the deli normally makes it, and I'd love every bite. She smiled. I got my sandwich not too many moments later. Back at my desk, I dove into the Pink Cadillac.

It was delicious.

I would recommend ordering one to the next person I see looking for a good sandwich. Next time I visit, however, I'm interested in the hot roast beef and cheddar on french bread. There's not too much in this world that rivals a good roast beef sandwich, which is a matter of personal preference. My ultimate favorite roast beef sandwich? I'd have to go with the one I had from JJ's... Jimmy John's – I can't remember it's official title or number on the menu board, but it's one of the subs that has double the meat and double the cheese (roast beef and provolone), and I like mine with peppers, o+v, s+p, oregano, and easy on the mayo. Mmmmm....

Eventually the day turned into discussions of the incoming area of interest in the tropical Atlantic. Tropical Cyclone formation is highly likely in the next 48 hours. That would place the storm potentially right over top of us, soon. There is a potential that we'll go into Incident Command mode soon, if the area of interest develops into a tropical depression, storm, or H. I'll be following the weather underground and National Hurricane Center closely during the next 72 hours or so.

After work, I stretched my legs and felt the itch to go running. I Ran. Goal: 5 Miles. 88-90 degrees. Heavy haze. Muggy. Searing hot sun. 750 mL in a water bottle not meant for trail running, but it will have to do. I dodged rocky boulders leaping out of the trail, roots teasing my shoes, and branches swinging low enough to clothesline me in an instant. I ran on, steadying myself with every muscle in my legs. My wrist grew tired as I pinched my hand around the water bottle. I reminded myself the sensation isn't too different from pinching onto one of the ginormous pinches at the gym. My mind shifted: this is a double workout. I'm practicing my pinching while trail running. Perhaps my comeback to climbing shall go well afterall. I ran on, swapping my bottle from left to right, then right to left, back and forth, trying not to lose my balance too badly as the water sloshed around with each stride. I ran on down the hill from Lind Point into town. From there, I surged forward far enough to go back uphill again, to Gallows Point and then on to Battery Hill. The sweat poured down my face. I waved to hello to anybody that paid me any attention. At last, my Forerunner let me know I'd run at least 2.5 miles. I turned around. The ride back was wonderful. I stopped at the dive shop for just a moment and checked the schedule. No diving for me tomorrow. I ran on. Jeremy, one of the instructors and captains honked his horn at me as I passed through Wharfside Village. I turned back. He asked if I could work tomorrow. Yes. I can be on the boat tomorrow, happily. Excellent! I'm going diving!

I ran home with an extra surge of energy. The mostly uphill trail returned me back to Lind Point. From there, I gathered my snorkel gear, which I'd left in the office, in order to bring it with me while diving tomorrow. Hardly before I'd finished stretching, I got my gear together and set aside my stack of goodies to take with me when I walk down to the shop in the morning. Mind you, it doesn't take long to throw a bathing suit, SCUBA gear, and some leave-in conditioner into a pile.

I read some more of Grandma Raised the Roof, which is a nice account of how Island Fancy was built. It is of particular interest since I actually got to live in the location about which the book is written. With the reading, I scarfed down two bean and cheese burritos, which I'd purchased on a whim last time I was at the market. Patio Burritos... a small step above Swanson frozen dinners, aren't too bad. For $1.06 per burrito, it's a cheap dinner to eat just two. It was a good blend of fat, protein, carbs, and sodium.

OH! I almost forgot to mention! I recently got a gift certificate for Amazon.com. I do enjoy a nice gift certificate now and again. I have noticed that my SIGG bottle has not done well in the salty air. With chips and dents galore (evidence of my hardcore badassery), it's started to leave chips of paint everywhere from my hands, clothes, and desk, to my floor. As nice as the trail of blue paint chips may be, I think I may need to retire this bottle. Enter gift certificate. I searched high and low and found that SIGG is now making steel bottles- under the name Steelworks by SIGG. For the first time, they're making bottles overseas, in Asia. Rather than having my bottle being Swiss made, it'll be Asian made, per the Swiss. I guess it should arrive in Alexandria just as I get home.

Sunday, August 30

Just a Few Moments Remain

More laundry and a big mug of coffee let the morning turn into early afternoon, as I sat working on reviewing part of a grant proposal that Hannah (my awesome cousin) is using to apply for a Fulbright Fellowship. I really hope she is able to pursue her dreams in medicinal chemistry, especially if that means she gets to go abroad. In addition, I'd love to visit her while she studies abroad! It was great to whip out the red pen of track changes and hopefully provide some valuable input that will improve the proposal.

The days go by quickly here on the island. This weekend enters me into a countdown with less than 12 days on the island. To be more specific,11 Days, 1 Hours, 56 Minutes, 0 Seconds (last time I checked). In the realization that I'm returning to Virginia quite soon, I've gone ahead and started getting together information about where I can host book signings and create entries for upcoming deadlines on writing competitions. I have a handful of short stories I could polish into entries and more ideas that could blossom into entries. I'm now in need of a few good friends to review these stories and let me know what they think- so if you have a few spare moments in your day, let me know!

Off I go to see what I can create in the way of short story magic.

Update:

A trip to the beach is in order! Just after 1pm, the sun is not quite as bright and my skin is screaming, give me sun! I grabbed my suit, a book, a towel, snacks, water, and sunblock and off I went! I first stopped at Jumbie beach, since I have not been there yet. I know why- it's a good place to go if you would like to say you've been to every beach on the island. Otherwise, skip it. I went on to Trunk Bay and enjoyed the sugary white sand, a beautiful clear day, and soothing hot rays from the sun. No burn after 90 minutes without sunblock between 2pm and 3:30pm, except for the spf 30 I put on my face and neck. Nice. After a few hours out of the sun, I'm burn free and happy to be slightly more tan.

I caught up my dive log with my dive computer and I'm happy to report that since arriving in St. John, I've added 17 Dives to my logbook. Not bad!

I have some spelling errors I've recently uncovered in the blog. My apologies. I'd correct the spelling mistakes but it would make the chronology of posts all kinds of messed up, so I'm going to just make a blanket statement...if there's a spelling error, my apologies. I'm using open office for writing before I copy and paste my posts. Often times, I've found the spell checker to be less than satisfactory, so I just ignore the program's red squiggly underlines in general.

Another random note, I bought a case of Island Pure water from the market last night. I was hoping a few jugs of filtered and purified water might be a little treat for quenching my thirst. Nay, the water seems to have a dusty aftertaste. It's almost like when you leave rainwater in a barrel for two years, then chill it...that's the taste I'm sensing. It's rather unappetizing and I've never tasted it before with this brand of water... I wonder if it's a bad batch. I hope I'm not clogging my body with weird chemicals or minerals. Compared to this stuff, I prefer the taste of the cistern.

Saturday, August 29

Lazy Saturday

After hydrating with more than a few gulps of water, I spent the morning watching movies. The queue included Shoot 'Em Up and Forgetting Sarah Marshall. Good stuff!

The rest of the day was spent lazily enough, catching up on sleep, doing some reading, rinsing off my SCUBA gear, and doing laundry.

Friday, August 28

DIVE! DIVE! DIVE!

8:00AM. I'd say on the dot, but I mean on the dock. The dock is really a beach. I love working at the shop. Around 6:30AM I got a text letting me know I'd be on the Hey Now. Woohoo!

Aboard the Hey Now, we shuttled off to two beautiful reefs, nestled in crystal clear blue waters. First, we pulled into Congo Cay. I love diving at Congo. We dropped down, swam along the sand, crossed over some low profile reef, and then swam around the end of the cay. Of course, I helped my divers see as much underwater scenery as possible, including arrowhead crab, some beautiful file fish, parrot fish, and conch, peeking all the way out of their shells. Dropping over the crest of a reef, swimming past a pinnacle reaching to the surface, then swimming farther along the reef, it's heaven. At one point, I looked towards the surface and thought for a moment I must be just a few inches from the surface, but after thinking for a second, I realized it was a school of small fish, undulating with the surf, switching directions rapidly enough, or letting the sunlight reflect on their scales loudly enough, it made the impression of looking just like the surface. Beautiful. I swam on, leading a group of four divers through an underwater paradise.

It's a good day at the office when you can poke your head into ledges and holes and find neat things to point out to your divers. I let a few divers hold an arrowhead crab and the sand dollar. Fortunately, it wasn't alive any longer, otherwise I would have let it stay on the bottom. During the second dive, at Stephen's Cay, I've realized that ledge reefs lend themselves to inflicting a higher level of danger upon my person than any other type of reef. I managed to brush against fire coral, either directly on the reef or some that was floating through the water. Ouch! Along the second dive I came across reef squid, six-keyhold sand dollars, isopod on a squirrelfish, plenty of flamingo tongue, and jawfish popping out of their holes along the sandy bottom.

Back at the shop and after wrapping up the day I picked up a few new t-shirts from Low Key Watersports! I love the feel of super soft fabric for a shirt. After work, with a little bit of the tips I just earned, I indulged in a delicious cheeseburger at Woody's Seafood Saloon. Wow. I don't know if it is because I was so hungry or if it was just pure culinary genius, that was a great tasting cheeseburger. If you are in town and can stop at Woody's, try the Mahi sandwich AND the cheeseburger. That's at least two stops. Also, I keep hearing stories about the mythical food at Shela's. She has some dishes there that are crowd-drawing. I haven't had real mac n' cheese for a while... not unless you're counting something that came out of a box... so I'm interested to try hers, soon. I'm aiming for sometime on Tuesday or maybe when Mom is here, to try out her massive portions of spoon-filling awesomeness. I think if Mom and I just get one order, we'll both be more than full when we're done clearing the plate. I also keep hearing and have on my radar to get a smoothie, soon, from the smoothie place right in the middle of downtown Cruz Bay. The yellow walled building makes the freshest smoothies with only fresh fruits, no extra weirdo additives. There are still so many places on the island to explore before I must leave. I'm anxious to try the smoothies, Shela's, Candy's, and more Pate, since I won't get the chance to have any for a while.

Since at least yesterday evening, I have been thinking I would be enjoying something along the lines of a Lime & Coconut by noontime today. I've been craving one lately, almost the way someone might crave a Frosty to go with their cheeseburger. I love lime, and I love key lime pie...and this drink, it tastes almost like a blended Key Lime Pie. The bushwhackers are pretty decent as well. Thus, not long after finishing the day, I headed off to AquaBistro to enjoy one such libation- a bushwhacker. It's not a bad thing when the bartender makes a little too much and hands you two glasses instead of one. It catches up to you quick, though. As with most drinks, each bar does it their way. Here at the Aquabistro, they blend it up with light rum, dark rum, vodka, Baileys, Kahlua, amaretto, crème di cooca, and ice. It's then thrown into a cup lined with chocolate sauce, finished with a cherry or two, and sometimes, if you're lucky, whipped cream.

The night wore on and the fun seemed to be in full supply. The bartender joined us after his shift was over for a few shots of liquid cocaine, which really amounts to a 50/50 mix of Jagermeister and Peppermint Schnapps. It's a table-slapping kind of drink, for me, since I don't really enjoy anything flavored like licorice. However, I was thankful for the gesture of kindness from the bar.

Thursday, August 27

An Unusual Sort of Thursday

Started out the day simply enough. After a morning tailgate session and fetching my morning cup of coffee, I prepared to process the hundreds of photos I've taken during recent risk assessments. I was interrupted (the good kind of interruption) with an invitation to go into the field and provide assistance with a wildlife issue near the Brown Bay Trail. I was just on that trail yesterday! We took the boat out this time and dispatched the stinking goat that was far too close to the trail for people to be able to walk past and enjoy the hike. After some dirty work, we took some time to snorkel around Brown Bay. During the dispatching of the goat, we noticed there was quite a large deposit of conch shells...of sizes that were nowhere near legal and in proportions that are considered commercial. Are there even any more conch left in the water? The answer is a very almost no. After about 45 minutes of snorkeling in a bay that is typically covered in conch, I saw not more than a dozen or so. Very troubling.

The boat ride, wildlife excursion, and brief conch count finished just in time for our tummies to welcome lunch. I love my chicken parmigiana delight. It truly is tasty.

I think I may go into town tonight and enjoy a beer or two, or perhaps just a cola, and do some writing, or at least, catch up on this blog! I'm going to take tomorrow off from work and make sure I'm enjoying the island to the fullest, before I have to head home. I'm in more than great shape with the internship and getting my main tasks completed. I'm thinking I'm quite ahead of the ball game and I hope to finish my final report with good news of fantastic successes and accomplishments that have helped the park improve it's overall safety operations.

Update:
There was no trip downtown, as much as I was salivating for a Lime & Coconut at The Beach Bar. I did however, find out I will be on the boat tomorrow!!! Yippeeeee!!! I'm very excited to get on the boat and do some diving. I think my gills have dried out for far too long. I'm also excited to pick out a t-shirt or two from the shop. I do have a small addiction to t-shirts, what can I say! With permission to have tomorrow as a bit of a lieu day, I'm stoked for hitting the waves and making some bubbles. Maybe after I get off the boat I can enjoy a tasty drink after rinsing off the saltwater and finishing my duties at the shop.

In other news, I calculated what I was spending at the grocery for coffee and creamer. For just around $2/day (give or take a few cents), I can have coffee that I brew at home. At the Deli Grotto, for $2, I can get a large coffee. I think it's actually a better deal to get my morning coffee at the Deli Grotto! How does that make any sense!?! But there's more... I am not all that shocked. I think I will finish whatever coffee I have left in the pantry and fridge and move on to enjoying the deliciousness available at the deli. An added bonus: I can still use my travel mug if I'm going to stay keen on saving a few paper cups.

Wednesday, August 26

Time Flies

Presents! For everyone! A Hike!

Lauran's Birthday is today! She's a cool gal and I was happy to drop off her wonderful card this morning as I passed through the office. I hope she comes in today!

Debacle. Brown Bay Trail to Johnny Horn Trail plans dissolved into Cinnamon Bay Camp Assessment followed by Water's Edge Walk, to be followed by other assessments. Then, ranger Dave magically appeared at the right place, right time, near Annaberg, and we set off to do the Brown Bay Trail, to Johnny Horn Trail, to Leinster Bay Trail. We parked one car at Hermitage and left another at Annaberg, making for an easier one-way hike.

3.5 hours, about as many miles and a few liters later, I have a ton of amazing photographs, memories of beautiful views, a greater awareness of hazards along the mentioned trails, and an appreciation for sun. We had our hike during the hottest part of the day, between 10:30am and 2pm. I was of course back at the office right around 3pm. Good day.

Stopped in Coral Bay on the way home and picked up some items for friends. A few t-shirts, some stickers, and a koozie. Then, I got home and tried to switch gears quickly into enjoying the afternoon. I zonked out and instead of “resting my head for just a moment” I took an hour nap. I got up and dusted myself off, washed out the crusty salt, and set off for town. I'm not on the boat tomorrow, but I did get to say hi to several folks at the shop, who were amidst preparations for a night dive. How cool. I love night diving. I do not, however, like swarming box jellies that are attracted to light.

After stopping for a hello with Slim at his parking lot across from Wharfside, I entered the Turquoise Turtle to get a special gift for someone back home. There are many shops and many stores on the island, but only a few have items I've really come to fancy. Today's little shopping spree was a bit extravagant, but necessary. I am looking forward to sharing some of the island with people I love and care about back home. I'd gush about what I got, but it's a surprise for Becca's Birthday! She may read the blog and then the surprise would be ruined, so I'll just say for now, it's a very cool item that I am most sure she will greatly enjoy.

Lauran's Birthday Celebration was a fantastic way to enjoy a good friend having a fantastic day. She got to go on the boat, snorkel, swim... it was basically one of the best days ever. Today was very clear out, with little or no haze, making the snorkeling today likely quite amazing. When I was atop some ruins by Leinster, I could see clear down into the water, to see where the reefs were located and where the sand met the reef, rocks, shore, or deeper waters. It's a nice commodity...sunshine.

At The Tap Room, we all joined together and raised a glass for Lauran. After the drinks at The Tap Room, we set off for Woody's for sandwiches, burgers, fries, and more tasty beverages. I made the switch to water and began the happy wait for a tasty mahi sandwich.

While at The Tap Room, I shared the ginips I found along Johnny Horn Trail with Meika, her friend, and her newly arrived sister.

Trying a new style this time with the post. It's a bit more abbreviated, far less grammatically correct, but whippier and snappier. I will most likely return to my long-winded orations of blogness with the next post.

Tuesday, August 25

Tuesday's Gone

Mom is going sailing when she's here. It's not completely a sealed deal, but I know being on a sailboat will make her trip ten thousand times better than it would otherwise. I'll also have a rental car when she's here...hopefully riding along with me, while I drive on the left, won't surprise her too much! I found a great deal with Thomas, at Hospitality Car Rental. Based on my interactions with him so far, I would definitely recommend his outfit to anybody visiting St. John that could benefit from the use of a rental car. He is very friendly and exudes cheer. We'll have the car the 7th-9th, which should be more than enough time to visit a few of the amazing spots on the island, including where I've lived, my favorite spots, and some great views.

The details of what boat and what captain are not confirmed yet, but I do know we will be going to Jost Van Dyke on Sunday the 6th. There shall be fun and games at Soggy Dollar Bar. A trip to the islands really isn't complete until you've been to Soggy Dollar and/or Willy-T. I find the two places a bit of a novelty but also a slice of heaven. I'm happy to return to soggy dollar for the third time, to enjoy more libations, more ring/hook game fun, and the beautiful sugary white sand beach.

I went swimming at Hawksnest for the evening with some awesome ladies! Meika, Sara, Jenn, and I enjoyed the beach fully as it slipped through dusk and into dark. I found out Meika has not had ginip yet! I'm shocked! It's a tasty native plant dating back to the days of the taino people. Ginips are quite delicious... I've decided I must get some for Meika and share them with her the next time I see her! Likewise, I shall make sure Mom gets to try a ginip or two when she's here, if I can still find some good ones!

I think my night was just about done by the time I got home from the beach, with just enough energy left to read some more of the book I've been working on (as a reader), Death in Grand Canyon. It really is something else to read about deaths in one of the world's greatest wonders, a place that we all know to be dangerous. I am most shocked about just how many people think they can get through 120 degree heat with just 2 Liters of water a day. I can easily drink 4 liters in 2 hours on the island, and it's 90, humid, and nowhere near that hot. It's astounding!

Plans for mom to arrive on the island are pretty well firmed up at this point. I'm going to be very glad to show her around!

Monday, August 24

Wind-down

There's no need for two-weeks' notice, but I definitely have just that long before the internship is complete. I'm happy about what I have accomplished during my 12 weeks and am planning out a few activities for the next intern, so the torch can be passed from me to them.

Work day went per usual, 7AM-4PM. I have a shorter list of things to do, but plenty to fill the next two weeks.

Came home with the intention of going on a nice run. The skies looked angry and my Ultimate Direction water bottle died on me. I went to squeeze out a mouthful of delicious h20 and was blasted in the shirt with a shower. The kicker valve has come loose, a result of dropping the bottle on its lid too many times. The lid is garbage. The bottle part can still be used with spare lids I've got at home. I turned around and went to the house to get another bottle so I could at least run with some means of hydration. The humidity felt somewhere in the 80-90% range, with sweat forming just from standing outside. It's hot out there. I scanned the skies and saw thunderous, dark, and bleak clouds. I don't want to get stuck 2 miles from the car in a downpour.

I resigned to do no crazy-running exercise today. I instead switched gears and caught up on some tasks I've been delaying for quite some time. I have now finished FEMA ICS Training and reciprocity paperwork to get my VA EMT-B certification card. I sent out an e-mail to my contact with the Franconia Volunteer Fire Department. I'm excited to start riding with the team.

Sunday, August 23

Relax and Sunbathing

Yesterday:
After the Deli Grotto, I stopped at the Dive Shop to see if I'm on the boat tomorrow. Results: not on the boat tomorrow. I did bump into Keith and Breslin at The Beach Bar and stuck around for their quick bite-and-run. Breslin has a significant movie collection so I ventured over to their place to watch something I haven't seen before and enjoy their company. We ended up watching The Edge, with Anthony Hopkins and Alec Baldwin. The movie is on the older side and I enjoyed it- I'd definitely recommend it for a rainy day when you've got a chance to swing by Blockbuster or your local movie rental place.

Today:
Beach Day! I know most people will not feel any kind of sympathy for me when I say what I'm about to say. We had a day of sort of not nice weather. It was a funk for St. John, the skies were cloudy, the horizon hazy, the water cool, the seas rougher than usual, and the shorebreak more intense, with shorter periods. I think the beach at Cinnamon by Keith's is significantly transformed in its physical appearance, particularly after we had Bill get sort of close to our shores. I was hoping to bask in the sun, get unbearably hot, then dip in the ocean for a snorkel around cinnamon cay, maybe a paddle, and then finish the day with a run around Lind Point. My plans were foiled by icky weather. It's just not as fun to romp around the beach and ocean when its cloudy and gross-looking. The water was still just as blue and transparent, although the hue was not as vibrant as usual.

While playing around in the waves, I did gather together a small handful of beach glass. Whoopee! I have added it to my cocktail glass I've been keeping on my dresser. It's a good collection and I'm eager to show Mom just how much I've scavenged.

Between stints at the beach, I caught most of the movie, I think the title is Falcon and The Snowman. It's an interesting film from the 80's with Sean Penn, with two young guys selling secrets to the Russians during the 70's. It's always interesting to watch movies from the cold war era, with stories of espionage, spy games, and the like.

The day could not be fun in its entirety...the laundry pile has caught up with me! I headed home to spin a few loads through the washer, plot out how I could get something tasty for dinner from the ingredients in the fridge. My best bet was a trip to the grocery. I formulated a plan with Michael, our new temporary roommate (long story...), and decided I could use my penne pasta with some new jars of spaghetti sauce and chicken tenders, to make mini chicken parmigiana. The new dish was born shortly thereafter.... Chicken Parmigiana Delight. While at the grocery, I found a most extraordinary deal... a dozen large brown eggs for $1.00!!!! Last time I got eggs, it was $5 for a dozen. I happily got a carton and started thinking about making a tasty egg salad once my leftovers from the pasta dish are gone. I got some silly little chicken fritter things...I think the Any'tizers line from TGIFriday's from the freezer section. They're not too bad, albeit quite bready. Interestingly, the breading doesn't seem to be in the ingredients... maybe I just read the package incorrectly. At any rate, the little round chicken bread balls were perfect. I stirred them into the heated spaghetti sauce, cooked penne pasta, sprinkled on some romano/parmesean cheese, and dug in. It was fantastic! Mmmm!

I will look forward to having good tasting meals for lunch/dinner the next few days. I've also got awesome hard broiled eggs for breakfast and snacks. In light of my training for the Army Ten Miler getting ramped up, the extra protein will be a fantastic item to have in the fridge. I'm thinking tomorrow I may go for 6 miles, if the weather is right.

Internship:
449.5 Hours worked so far for the internship. I'm more than okay for meeting the 450 hour minimum requirement. I've got two more full weeks of work! My last day with the park is supposed to be September 4th. Mom gets here the 5th and we both go home the 10th. Despite my best efforts to formulate a plan to keep myself on the island and with a roof over my head, I do believe I will be booted out on the 10th.

A lot of folks have been asking me what my plans are after the internship. I can't help but feel myself think of a thousand answers. I have made it quite clear that I'd love to work for the park, stay on the island, etc. I'd love to work for the park, even if it's back in the states. I the park doesn't work out, I'm happy to be at Sportrock, instructing rock climbing and reestablishing badass status as soon as possible. I'd also be quite excited to continue my plans to take White Vacation from town to town, with more signings. Finishing the next book is also on the top of my list. There's no lack of things to do. When I'm back, there's also the beginning of my volunteering for the Franconia Volunteer Fire Department. I can't wait to get on a call and ride in the ambulance. I've tried my best to keep my skills sharp, work on my CEU's, and stay abreast of any changes that seem to be happening in the emergency medicine world. I love emergency medicine. I do definitely feel like the next book may need to incorporate some aspects of my wilderness medicine trainings and experiences. There will also be a lot of St. John sprinkled into the setting, whether it takes place here in the Caribbean or elsewhere (somewhere fictitious)

Saturday, August 22

Lameshur, Yawzi, Europa!

I got up early. When there is hiking on the itinerary, I seem to bounce out of bed so much more easily. In this climate, hiking early in the day, finishing before 10am, is generally a good idea. I hope to finish by around noon, or 1pm.

I saw my first stoplight on St. John. Boy, times are a changin'. Fortunately, the lights are only temporary, due to a construction project for a roundabout in the middle of town. In the past 3 months, it is the first time I've been driving and encountered a traffic light. I had visions of the 12+ lights common in the intersections around northern Virginia. Based on square footage alone, the island will never be in danger of such massive intersections, thankfully.

Michael and I headed across the island and then down from Coral Bay to Lameshur. We parked in Lameshur. I took some time to walk around the ruins at Lameshur and conduct a full site assessment. I love the views from Lameshur. I'd have to admit, it's one of my favorite views on the island, second to Ram Head.

The day's hiking started with Lameshur Bay Trail. We followed the trail uphill and to the intersection with Reef Bay Trail and Reef Bay Great House. After Lameshur Bay Trail, we went on the Europa Bay trail, and then the Yawzi Point trail. Both Yawzi and Europa are very short. All trails led us to phenomenal spots.

Walking on coral pebble beaches is a wonderful and melodic experience. The coral crunches beneath your feet, almost like stirring a trashcan full of glass bottles. The chinks and tinks of coral pieces grinding together is truly a unique sound to the islands. Also of interest, there are some great spots for bouldering along Lameshur, Yawzi, and Europa, if you don't mind lugging the bouldering pad around on island trails. I would love to scale the rough rocks by Europa Bay, where a fall would land you in a small gut with water that's about 2 feet deep, littered with corals. Getting scratched up is guaranteed.

The first thing I love to do after a 3+ mile hike in the island heat usually involves beer and a burger. Today it was a soda and Gyro, at AquaBistro. Wow! If your'e on island, the gyro is a surefire way to have a tasty lunch. It's simple, but yummy.

After refueling, I went on back to Cruz Bay. I stopped at home long enough to grab my laptop and then headed to the Deli Grotto. A cool place with AC is not a bad idea on a day like today. Despite the cool breeze at AquaBistro earlier, I did get a pounding headache from the heavy air lurking on the horizon. I think we are fixing to have another significant dust event. I got a bottle of Blackbeard Ale at the Deli. My first of this particular Ale. It's quite tasty. A little bit chocolatey, somewhat sweet, and still an Ale. It is a little bit different from other brews I've tasted, and despite it's being from the Virgin Islands Brewing Co, it's made in Cold Spring, MN. Of course!

At the Deli Grotto, I caught up with some writing for the blog and also delved in to the novel again. I like the new idea I've developed, but I know it will take a lot of time, energy, and soul. There will likely be much sweat and blood infused into the story. I hope I can recharge my batteries long enough to spill out wondrous pages and satisfying fiction.

What's in the news? It's Kim's Birthday today! Happy Birthday to Kim!

Friday, August 21

The Office

Do you ever have a day where time just seems to escape? Today could possibly be described as one of those kinds of days. I started out early enough, getting a tailgate session underway, then getting a most delicious breakfast bagel at the Deli Grotto with my morning coffee. Sunshine Day Dream, with bacon, on a plain bagel... it's delicious (egg, cheese, bacon, plan bagel).

I can't really say that it was the most productive day I've ever had, but I got plenty done during my 8 hours. Part of my duties with the internship involve planning for the next intern to come to the park. I helped develop a strategy of visitor safety videos that we could potentially show at the visitor's center. We secured a filmographer and made a request to get the work done by one of the park's partnerships. I love knowing there will be a lasting impact of something I've done. In this case, it's a series of videos that will help educate, inform, and notify visitors about ways to increase their safety and reduce their exposure to risks and hazards.

For lunch and dinner this weekend, Pizza is on the menu. I've picked up two Digorno pizzas from the grocery and am thinking I could eat about half of each for each meal.

After work, I took a nap. It was one of those afternoons where a nap felt very necessary. I woke up sometime around 7pm to realize the night was nearly getting away from me. I cooked up my pizza, caught up on some housekeeping, did some reading, and prepared my things for a hike I'm planning for tomorrow.

Thursday, August 20

Caneel Hill Trail and Ascent

I worked in the office until around noontime, catching up on my to-do list. I keep having people ask me how much longer I'm here, when Mom gets here, and those sorts of questions. They aren't the only ones realizing I'm nearing the end of my internship... I'm amazed that it really is time to bring things to a close on the island.

Mom will be here in roughly 2 weeks... arriving on September 5th. I'm excited to show her as much as I can between the 5th and the 10th, when we both board a plane to return to DC. There is so much to see and do, and I've covered most of it in the blog, so you can see, with what amounts to like 90 pages so far in a word document, I've got plenty of things to fill the days. I think I'll show her at least the following: Ram Head, Aqua Bistro, Surly Cantina, Low Key Watersports, The Beach Bar, Salomon Beach, Trunk Bay, Jost Van Dyke's Soggy Dollar, Cinnamon Bay, Maho Bay (where I used to live), Annaberg, Francis Bay (amazing snorkeling!), Leinster Bay, and Waterlemon Bay. We'll for sure need a rental car or else rely heavily on other means for transportation to see it all. I'm thinking for Jost, we'll spend a day at Soggy Dollar, hopefully either renting a hobie cat, or maybe getting on a ferry or some other vessel that will let us enjoy the atmosphere at Soggy Dollar for as long as possible. If it all possible, it would be awesome to take Mom on the ranger-led Reef Bay Trail Hike, showing her things like Bay Rum, Ginip, Stinky Toe, Monkey-no-climb, Turpentine, Cacao, Elephant-tree, Christmas tree bush, Reef Bay Great House, Petroglyphs, Reef Bay, Dildo cactus, Turks cactus, corals sealed into the walls of ruins, millipedes, soldier crab, and golden orb spiders.

The second half of my work day was a glorious hike across part of the island. Christy dropped me off at the trail head for the Caneel Hill Trail just across from the Caneel Bay Resort entrance. I hiked around 2.4 miles, returning to the maintenance yard in Cruz Bay. The hike was a lot of fun, physically demanding, and it took me just over two and a half hours. I drank 4 Liters of water. Again, it's worth emphasizing that it was about 90 degrees out, almost no wind, between the ours of 12 and 3pm, in not too much shade. I had just the smallest spec of dry fabric in my entire outfit by the time I finished. Along the trail, I really enjoyed the views of the southern parts of the island, which were great from both Margaret Hill and Caneel Hill. I would very much love to have a buddy and a bouldering pad at Margaret Hill, where there is a good spot for some nice bouldering. Unfortunately, the approach is pretty intense, to be carrying a bouldering pad. Not for the weak of heart.

I would imagine I walked through anywhere from 30-40 spider webs today on the trail. There were many that I did not run into, so the number could easily soar into the hundreds. Based on how many I did find scattered onto my legs, face, and arms, I'm thinking the trail hasn't gotten much use in the past few days, making the webs big and sturdy. The golden orb ones are always a treat...nearly stopping you as you walk forward. One of the golden orb spiders I agitated was something like three inches across, including the leg-span. That's a big spider! I was sad to have ruined part of its web, but I know it will re-spin the whole thing again, every day, so all is not lost.

It wasn't until I got back to the office that I realized today is probably one of the hottest days we've had in a long time. I believe it! I felt drenched from just 2.4 miles! Of course, I gained around 2300 feet in elevation during the hike, according to my Garmin Forerunner. There is a link for the hike's GPS data... http://connect.garmin.com/activity/11635679 Let me know if you have any trouble viewing the hike!

I returned from the hike, showered off the layers of crusty and salty sweat, and headed over to Keith's. There, I enjoyed a delicious tuna casserole surprise and got to watch Easy Money with Rodney Dangerfield. Sad to say it took me 26 years to get around to watching it! I love movies from the 80's! That reminds me, I saw One Crazy Summer on iTunes for like $4.99! I'm tempted to get it! It's like that bargain bin at Walmart with very low-priced DVD's- it's hard to pass up!

Wednesday, August 19

Hurricane Bill Schmill

It's Official! Hurricane Bill came nowhere near us, nor will it. We may get some rough chop on the northern shore, but all appears quite calm, when considering a Category 4-ish hurricane is offshore.

I hosted another tailgate session with the maintenance crew. There is never a loss for things to discus when it comes to safety! I added a gadget to my blog that has information about tropical weather conditions from the weather underground.

After work today, I went for a run! Training is totally underway and in no time, I should be ready for the Army Ten Miler come October. I'm excited for October! I've got the Army Ten Miler, Annapolis Sailboat Show, fall, cooler months for outdoor climbing, and plenty of time for some camping and hiking trips along the Appalachian and Shenandoah. I'm stoked!

For my roughly 4 mile run, I weaved through Lind Point, Wharfside Village, toward Gift Hill, near the battery, through Gallows Point, and finished back at the house. It was hot and leg grinding, but amazing and rewarding.

After the long haul, I played in the street with Kyle, which was mostly watching him volley tennis balls up the steep hill, so he could have them roll back down the grade and do it all over again.

Tuesday, August 18

Great Tings!

In the morning, I still felt consumed by exhaustion, which is a feeling I thought I had left at home. For the longest time, I thought the deep sense of fatigue must be related to hydration, nutrition, location, happiness, etc. Those factors probably do impact how tired, exhausted, fatigued a person might feel, but writing, it is the kind of work you can pour yourself into, forgetting to breathe and blink if you're not careful. I can go for hours without eating or drinking, if I've been writing (read: possible dehydration?). Anyway, I'm rambling. The writing felt wonderful, no matter how much it sapped me of my energy. It quenched my need to express myself and nourish my creative being. I'm now to the point that according to Franz Kafka, must be reached, the point at which you cannot turn back. The new story is on my mind during the day and I'm delighted to sprinkle the new ideas as they come into my head, onto the page.

With all this writing, I will need coffee. Lots of coffee. I'm nearly out. I went to the market to fetch more coffee and for some Caribbean grown grounds, I doled out a steep $15.99 for just 12 ounces...not even a full pound. I do believe at home I think $9 is rather steep for the same amount. I should think this stuff had better make me pee gold.

While at the market, I also picked up a most delicious sub sandwich. Turkey, cheddar, oil & vinegar, little bit of mayo, lettuce, tomato, multi grain french bread, mustard.... it was heaven. I haven't had a real sub in a while (read: I think 3 months), so you can imagine how good it must have tasted. It was an astonishing $8... what a great deal! I will have to go there for lunch again!

For dinner, well, pre-dinner, I ate my extra extra wholly brown and mushy fig banana. Christy had given it to me when Kevin was still here, perhaps on Friday, over a week ago. It was the most delicious treat I have had in a long time. The fig bananas have a different flavor than the chiquita bananas you normally find in the produce section. I only wish I could grow a tree in my backyard at home so you could all try some! Maybe I can just stay here forever, grow trees, you can visit, try my bananas, stay awhile.

After work, I walked what I would guess is about three or four miles, round trip, to Starfish Marketplace, to the Book and Bean. It's a lovely little place with lots of books, lots of coffee, and a few chairs and little table. It's a great spot to exchange books, get something new, or just have a smoothie or coffee. I have noticed they've got a section just for Caribbean authors and artists, so I made it a point to stop in while the owner was working and see about having my book for sale at the store. Success! I've now got a few signed copies available at the Book and Bean! Look for the books in the Caribbean artists section!

Along the walk home, I checked my e-mail on the iPhone and read the awesome news that Nicole got one of my prints off Barnwood Studio's site, http://barnwoodstudio.smugmug.com/ ! She'll have the print soon and I'm excited for her to have it!

Farther on down the road and on my way back up the hill along the Lind Point Trail, I returned a call from Jennie. She's making a shepherd's pie tonight. She's sampling a recipe so she can make another one when I'm home again. I'm a shepherd's pie fiend. I hope her recipe turns out well!

I got another splash of ideas for the book. It's crazy the way I feel nearly out of breath after writing. It's not quite 10:00pm, but I'm so tired, I feel a little dizzy. I think that is my cue to go to bed!

Monday, August 17

Home Sooner Than I'm Ready

I can't believe it will be time to board a plane again so soon. I feel like I've only just gotten started here. I do miss home and things like my dog, my friends, my family, and climbing, but I love the ocean breezes, the island people, folks at the park, the dive shop and all of its awesomeness, the beautiful beaches, and the breathtaking reefs. I could jump on the dive shop part-time, get another gig at the park or with a boat chartering operation and stay here quite possibly forever. I could also return stateside and try for the NPS job somewhere in a park. The other option, returning to my calling as an author and finishing my second book, Blue Wilderness, which will be set in tropical waters, either the Caribbean or in Australia. I will happily return to scaling the walls at Sportrock and outside, wherever a carload of climbers may be headed.

What was unique about today? It's hard for me to remember what I may or may not have already written about, if I've done something before. I've walked the roads, listened to the frogs at night, seen the light dancing on the bay below, waited for the wind to whistle through the house and cool off my bedroom, made my meals, swept the floors, done my laundry, walked the two or three miles to Starfish Market, and then walked back, going mostly uphill. I've called the diveshop every evening around 5:30pm to see if I'm working the next day or not. When it's dark, I've found I'm usually at home, since wandering the trails at dark is not really too easy or cozy feeling. Last night, I opened my laptop next to my bowl of madras lentils and started writing. I started writing something new and something a little bit old. I started a story back in 2004, about Alastrina, being chased down in the parking lot just outside the marina where she runs a dive shop. I let the story evolve and take-off. I spent hours writing. I stopped as I grew bleary eyed and tired. I showered and prepared for bed. In the middle of my shower, I was hit with another wave of ideas. I could hardly make it to my laptop in time to spill out the words that had been racing through my head. I spent another hour or more filling in more pieces to the story as it snowballed into something bigger, more complex, more dynamic. The writing left me quite exhausted. It was the kind of exhausted that I have not felt since I've been in St. John. I think writing is the only way to really get me to that level of exhaustion. I fell asleep and woke up with a towel still wrapped around my head.

Sunday, August 16

Surprise Dive!

I woke up and began a rather lazy day, sleeping in, enjoying the sounds of rain coming and going. I love the sounds of thunderstorms and rainstorms. I checked the bay through my living room windows and saw one of the dive boats was still out. I'd like to swing by the shop sometime today and grab my gear from the boat so I can rinse it off (I bet it's really crusty by now...it's been on the boat since Wednesday and without any freshwater rinse so far). I ate some breakfast and checked the window again. Both boats were in the water by the shop. I decided to descend the trail and go see about getting my gear rinsed.

I made it down to the shop just in time to be asked if I wanted to diving. Diving? I'm glad I packed my swimsuit, just in case. Like I said before, never go anywhere on the islands without your suit handy. I checked that my suit was in fact in my bag and confirmed I was totally up for an afternoon dive trip! The Low Key was the boat of the day, which just so happened to be the very same boat that I had left all of my gear on, last time I was on the water. We headed off and did some diving at Mingo Cay and Stephens Cay. The trio of guys from the Westin were awesome divers. We enjoyed both dives to the max, seeing flounder, Arrow Crab, conch, sea cucumber, flamingo tongues, sea feathers, Christmas tree worms, lots of neat ledges (at stephens), striped drum, trunk fish, cleaner shrimp, anemones, neat little fish that pop out of their hole in the sand like a finger (I forget their name right now), hard and soft corals, sponges, many corkscrew anemones, sand dollars, a few bits of fiberglass wreckage, and even a HUGE spotted eagle ray! Woo-hoo! I even pumped my fists underwater in sheer celebration after the ray sighting! I haven't seen a spotted eagle ray in the Caribbean until today! They are beautiful creatures. While trying to point out a fish, I clumsily burned some of my shin on either fire coral or something else that stings. Ouch and oops.

While on the boat, I was the only crew besides the captain, for the first time, with Low Key. I learned all the lines on the boat, the way the captain likes to tie into the mooring buoys and anchors, and for the most part, tied in all on my own! Sweet! At the end of the dive, hard work at spotting quite the array of awesome sights was rewarded with excellent gratuities, which were greatly appreciated!!

After all this diving, I have realized my dive log is slightly out of date. I'm going to need to sit down soon and enter all the dives from down here, soon!

At the shop after diving, I prepared to head home with my salty gear, up the long steep trail. Rain poured from the sky. I had my laptop with me (I didn't know I'd be diving, so I'd planned on doing some writing at the bar all afternoon), so walking in the rain wasn't going to work. I hung around the shop for a bit and grabbed a beer from the Beach Bar while I waited for the rain to pass. Back in the shop, I spotted the perfect size Pelican dry box for my iPhone and knowing the storms are coming, figured it might be a good idea to get a dry box for my iPhone, cash, passport and other essentials, should I need to grab it and go in a hurry. It is also the perfect accessory for my next trip to the Soggy Dollar or for the next time I'm on a sailboat and worried about capsizing or just general sea spray. The rain continued and after the beer, I had dessert at I-Scream, which included a tasty “Tropical Storm” of chocolate ice cream and reese pieces (think: blizzard from dairy queen). The rain subsided eventually and I walked up the hill with my SCUBA Gear and laptop in tow.

After rinsing off my gear in the last slivers of light for the day, I set it all in the tub to dry. Normally I'd leave it outside, but with the impending doom of a tropical depression/storm, I figured inside was a bit safer.

Food note of the day: Papaya juice is interesting. I've not had papaya juice before. I got some while on an evening trip to the Starfish Market to pick up a few first aid supplies for my varied scrapes and abrasions. I saw the juice on my way to the checkout and thought I'd give it a try. I don't think I'll try papaya juice again. It's kind of like a funky melon with a bite. Ick. I've had real sliced papaya before and I thought it was quite tasty. I wonder if this juice tasted bad because it has so many other juices mixed in, like pineapple, pear, apple, and who knows what.

I can't believe it, mom will be here in about 20 days. Then, we fly home together. It is unreal that my time here is coming to an end. I am still interested in finding a way to return here as soon as possible.

Tropical Storm Ana is now Tropical Depression Ana, and is getting disorganized and weaker. Tropical Storm Bill is nearly a hurricane and could pass over us and save us from a direct hit. I've heard all kinds of crazy rumors, one includes Bill becoming a Cat 2 by the time it makes landfall near the U.S. Virgin Islands. I'll believe it when I read it or see something about it on NOAA's National Hurricane Center website....for now, that's my source for information. I see there's a big storm in the gulf hitting Florida. Hopefully everyone there does alright.

Corrections to previous posts:
Mentions of arrowhead crab and/or arrowhead shrimp, really are Yellowline Arrow Crab
The albino sea urchin I may have mentioned is really the West Indian Sea Egg
The jellies that I've seen while snorkeling at night, swarming me as I approached shore were sea wasps, which are highly toxic. Thank goodness I exited the water very quickly after seeing them swarming around me at Hawksnest the other night.
I've seen massess of jellies aggregating near the surface at the end of my dives. While they do appear to be quite alarming, given the sheer number that can be found near the ladder of the boat, the sea walnuts are quite harmless.
Anything I've called a cuttle fish is really a Caribbean reef squid
The Octopus I've found along the reefs are Caribbean Reef Octopus
I've seen many sea Cucumbers, most of which are the Donkey Dung Sea Cucumber

Other creatures I've encountered and identified using the reef creature book include the Sponge Brittle Star, Blue bell tunicate, and corkscrew anemone.