The one good thing about moving back to a climate that has boarder
line "uninhabitable winters", is it forces me to get away and travel to warmer
climates. This year’s winter hiatus was
to the island of St. Croix. St. Croix, commonly
known as STX, is the largest of the US Virgin Islands at 28 miles long and 7
miles wide, with a population of about 50k.
The topography is like the island of Achilles meets the
great state of Vermont. Lush green
mountains in the middle, surrounded by sandy white beaches and tropical
turquoise waters. The best of both
worlds as far as I’m concerned. So much
in fact, that it’s inspired me to update my resume and start researching jobs
and housing. I’m not saying I’m going to
drop everything and buy a one way ticket to the Caribbean, but at
this point, I’m pretty damn close.
Highlights of the first part of the trip include:
1. Scuba Diving:
I chartered 3 days of diving with SCUBA (St. Croix Ultimate Bluewater
Adventures). Molly, Ed and the entire
SCUBA staff come highly recommended.
They were super friendly, took me to great dive sights, and the diving
conditions were impeccable. They even
provide complementary post dive beers… not a bad way to kick off my
traditionally “purchased” post dive beers.
As part of the #3 largest living reef in
the world, the marine life was thriving.
On top of all the beautiful fishies you’d expect to see, we saw threshers
and black tip reef sharks, giant moray eels,
spotted eagle rays, and an abundance of lion fish (all lion fish we speared and
fed back to nature… my dive buddies will appreciate this).
I got to do a number of dives in Salt River, which is where Christopher Columbus landed on his 2nd visit to the new world… until he was run off by the natives. Not only did it feel great to be playing in the underwater tropics, I have officially dove the three largest barrier reef’s in the world. Bucket list, check!!!
I got to do a number of dives in Salt River, which is where Christopher Columbus landed on his 2nd visit to the new world… until he was run off by the natives. Not only did it feel great to be playing in the underwater tropics, I have officially dove the three largest barrier reef’s in the world. Bucket list, check!!!
2.
Jump Up:
Jump Up is a cultural party held 4 times a year. I was lucky to be in town while Jump Up
occurred, and even luckier that it just happened to fall on Friday the 13th
- the night of my 40th birthday! Yes, that’s right, the entire island of St.
Croix was celebrating this milestone right along with me. :)
They shut down the streets along the boardwalk and waterfront of Christiansted, and from 6pm to
10pm a giant “carnival” like party ensues. Vendors from all over the island line the streets selling local food, drink and artisans galore. Steel drum bands set up on street corners boasting traditional sounds of the Caribbean and the Mocko Jumbies are dancing in the streets.
They shut down the streets along the boardwalk and waterfront of Christiansted, and from 6pm to
10pm a giant “carnival” like party ensues. Vendors from all over the island line the streets selling local food, drink and artisans galore. Steel drum bands set up on street corners boasting traditional sounds of the Caribbean and the Mocko Jumbies are dancing in the streets.
 |
| Traditionally from West Africa, Mocko Jumbies are said to be “God like” creatures, protecting villagers and warding off evil. Now a Caribbean staple, Mocko Jumbies are stilt walkers in colorful costumes, standing up to 20 feet tall, who dance around and make appearances at parties and festivals… they’re great! |
I have many more adventures to highlight, but in order to spare you from a long drawn out blog, I will
stop right here and break it up a bit. Up next, details on hermit crab races, catamaran day sail, and beer drinking pigs... stay tuned
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