Uniquely Theo

A Jutting Ram and Domesticated Equines

September 2, 2025uniquelytheoLeave a comment

We had three more full days to explore St. John’s and the Virgin Islands National Park and I definitely wanted to fill them primarily with snorkeling and hiking. Our choice for Day #6 was the Salt Pond Bay Coral Reefs and the Rams Head hike, accessed from the beach on Salt Pond Bay. We had hoped for a more “private” snorkeling adventure and opted to head east and south to the Salt Pond Reef in the south west part of St. John’s betting that the the driving distance and the 1/2 mile hike in would deter any crowds.

We were greeted at the trail head by a couple of the permanent wild residents of St. John’s. – a couple of stubborn and unpredictable domesticated equines (aka burros and donkeys) sauntering down the trail to Salt Pond Bay. Eventually they veered off into the scrub along the trail but I kept my eye out unsure of where they might pop up again. We made our way down the full sun, rocky, dusty half mile trail to Salt Pond Beach. We came upon Salt Pond just before we approached the shoreline with a sandy strip separating the salt pond from the bay itself. Historically residents would harvest salt from ponds like this .

In that the day was heating up and it was already 9:15am, we opted to make our way east and across Salt Pond Bay and the sand beach. This section was easy until I reached “blue cobblestone beach, ” the nickname for the shoreline here of volcanic stones that have a bluish-gray tint. Now it was slow careful steps so as not to roll an ankle on these rolling shifting stones with each step a bit of a wobble and a clatter. But once back on firmer ground the trail began to climb up, mostly in full sun, through dry coastal scrub, a plethora of the very phallic Turk’s Cap Barrel Cacti, and views of the Caribbean’s turquoise waters.

This is windswept terrain was at its best and the wind sweeping across the trail at times tried its best to blow me over. Ram Head can best be described as a dramatic headland jutting into the sea and the reward for this close to one mile hike is a 360-degree view of the surrounding waters. Salt Pond Bay was sparkling with sapphire and ultramarine hues and the Atlantic sported a shimmering deeper blue color. It was an exhilarating experience standing atop the “ Ram” with the wind sweeping across the “Head” and the ways crashing below.

Our hunch was right and we were fortunate that we didn’t have to share this bay with an overdose of other snorkelers. It was now time for snorkeling and time to face the awkward task of entry into this underwater world. It should be easy from this sandy beach but donning the gear was not without its comedic side. Do I sit on the beach and don the fins? But I recollect that when walking in them previously, I waddled like a penguin. So I waded out into shallow water at the beach midpoint and plunked myself down. It seemed to be going well as I struggled to put on penguin shoe #1 until a small wave arrived and not only moved me around but swept the other one towards shore. I somehow eventually managed to secure both flippers on to my feet, secure the mask to my face, and get the snorkel into my mouth. I quite ungracefully tried a dolphin dive into the water resulting in getting a snorkel full of water and a mask that became an indoor pool for my face. Seems I forgot to push up the forehead hairs thus breaking the seal. But eventually success! I was cruising along toward the rocky ledges of shoreline and its coral gardens and reef fish. Parrot fish and blue tang abounded and I was enjoying the metronome of sea fans. It was exhilarating.

Exiting in the middle with its grassy beds, I was quite content with my adventure until I compared notes and my lame photos with Tasia’s and my few blue tang and blue parrot paled compared to her exquisitely captured images of a Longspine Squirelfish, a Threespot Damselfish, a Gray Angelfish, a Parrotfish, an Ocean Surgeonfish with an Foureye Butterflyfish, a school of Dwarf Round Herring, a Moon Jellyfish and a Hawksbill Sea Turtle. Clearly she is the expert photographer and I definitely qualify as the inexpert…though I am quite good at using Google Images to identify the fish she captured!

Following a very satisfying hiking and snorkeling adventure it was time to cruise on to Cruz Bay heading up route 107 to Coral Bay. I kept trying to film us traversing the road to hopefully capture a video and pictures of the road as it rises and falls along dry scrubby hillside replete with its uneven pavement, potholes and washed out edges as well as the occasional donkey or goats along the roadside. Not too captivating footage resulted. Passing through Coral Bay, a quiet village, we continued on route 10 twisting and climbing and dipping up and down the mountainside until we arrived in Cruz Bay and headed up to our villa for a chill afternoon and preparation for dining out.

Our dining choice was Morgan’s Mango Restaurant which features a Caribbean vibe as well as Caribbean food. They claim a bit of a mix of Creole, Bahamian, Cuban, Jamaican, Haitian, Puerto Rican and Mayan. I am not sure which cuisine inspired my “coconut panko encrusted fresh grouper sautéed in organic cold-pressed coconut oil until crisp on the outside & moist within— served with a white wine, coconut, lemongrass reduction a unique Caribbean blend of a potato/yuca mash & fresh seasonal vegetables.” Whichever island was the inspiration for our dishes , they were exceptional…and when sated it was then onward to the villa for a swim and relaxing poolside beneath a sky blanketed with stars.

Scuba? Snuba? Snorkel?

August 12, 2025uniquelytheoLeave a comment

A morning of tropical splendor was the way to ease into this day. I heard Tasia moving about and opening the blinds. I turned my head towards the window and I could see the palms swaying with the breeze and the harbor glistening blue beyond. After the first jolt of caffeine, served to me in bed by Tasia, the day was calling me outside. I stumbled out of the bedroom past my half-unpacked suitcase, belongings lying about and I ventured out to a much expanded view of the palms and sea. Sitting by the pool, coffee in hand, enjoying the tropical breezes, watching the boats dotting the Chocolate Hole Harbor was profoundly peaceful.

Time marched on and soon it was time to get ready for our first adventure on St. John’s which was to be the “Discover Scuba” dive offered by Low Key Water Sports. It advertises that this dive option is purported to be a quick and easy way to explore the underwater world. We would to be able to complete two supervised dives. I had had a similar dive experience when on the Great Barrier Reef many years ago and assumed I could replicate that. Wrong! Quite wrong!

Before the dive we were required to learn the safety guidelines and skills needed to dive through an online PADI course. I completed it a few days before and even took notes and reviewed the signals the morning of the dive. Our dive instructor , who would be accompanying us additionally reviewed everything en route to the dive site. I had a great vision of a fun experience swimming around and exploring. Upon arrival we were hooked into the equipment including a mask, snorkel, fins, regulator, buoyancy control device, dive gauges, and a tank. However, my adventure of swimming with the tropical fish was not quite the seamless adventure I had anticipated.

Dive #1: Gearing up was the first order of business.I was quite relieved that no wetsuits were needed as the water temperature was in the mid 80’s and stuffing oneself into a Neoprene corset is a challenge unto itself. Getting strapped into the BCD (Buoyancy Control Device) was awkward and then trying to remember which button was the inflator and deflator was the next challenge . Then, get on the clumsy fins and already fogged up mask. The first maneuver, once all geared up, was that of waddling towards the back edge of the boat to get into position for the plunge into the depths. I was aghast at how much the tank weighed. I am sure it was akin to carrying around a 25 cubic feet double door refrigerator on my back. The dive assistant was holding it up so I wouldn’t be performing a failed back flip on deck. But I took the plunge and once in the water everything I had learned began to slip away. During the initial descent the pressure in my ears was at first manageable but a few feet down I began to experience what they call “barotrauma.” Sharp pain in both ears. The instructor led me through the equalization process and eventually it dissipated about 95% but my ear drums refused to feel totally comfortable. I was biting down hard on the regulator. Guess I was a bit anxious, but soon I began to relax and I was gliding around with the bright fish flickering about and observing that colorful cast of characters (better than in “Finding Nemo”) and the coral gardens. We were discouraged from taking our underwater cameras on the first dive so I do not have any evidence of having completed that dive ( just in case anyone choose to dispute the fact that I completed this dive). Removing the fins and then gripping the metal rungs, I hauled myself out of the sea like a harbor seal in slow motion with the help of the dive assistant latching onto this lighter weight tank (perhaps 38 pounds now instead of 40 pounds). Eventually we were all back up on the boat. .

Dive #2: I sat on the edge of the seat as the crew prepped the tanks for the second dive. I kept pondering the ear issue. It wasn’t hurting but I was a bit hesitant as I still felt pressure in my ears but not pain. I had done what I been taught about equalization on first dive but it had not completely helped. Should I go again? Do I listen to my body or follow my heart. You might have guessed I would make the more reckless choice.

So I again lumbered off the boat, tank in tow, looking like a like a lame penguin. After plunging into the depths of only about 20 feet, I knew immediately this would be a no go. It felt like my ear drums were screeching and not wanting my ear drums to explode or implode, I signaled thumbs up after only one attempt at equalization. Already struggling with hearing loss already, I chose not to risk making the loss total and permanent . Disappointed yes! But choosing to make the best of it after dumping everything but the snorkel and mask, I went snorkeling over near Luke who had opted not to try the scuba diving. I enjoyed it much more, going at my own pace, with no rush to keep up with the others leading the charge as on St. Croix and my ears were not screaming. I had my waterproof camera in tow and managed to take many unremarkable photos of fish and fans. Clearly underwater photography is not my forte.

Once back at the dock it was time to re-group, arrange to rent our snorkeling gear for the rest of the visit , and head back to our “Bellavista.” But before that I had to visit the St. John’s Bay National Park Visitors Center to get the park maps and stamps so we opted to take a short sweaty walk over to it only to find it was closed. What”s next?

The family decided to walk back via Mongoose Junction. The “bio” for Mongoose Junction claims to be St .John’s premier shopping and dining destination “with a collection of fashionable shops and restaurants in a unique architectural and tropical setting unmatched in the entire Caribbean.” Miriam had had ice cream on her mind and had been hinting at it for several days now, so we happened upon St. John Scoops of Mongoose Junction and that was the moment when her fondest wishes were realized. As the family walked back with ice cream dripping from the cones, of more interest to me were its chickens, roosters and other colorful buildings in this historic neighborhood Enighed.

Back on the road it was time for food, dinner, swim and planning for the following day.

A Bed Crisis and Hairpin Laced Ascends

August 2, 2025August 7, 2025uniquelytheo2 Comments

It was travel day to St. John’s so we dutifully followed the VRBO checkout instruction…reminds me how glad I am that one doesn’t have to have to strip beds before checking out of a motel. But such is the case here. So we tidied up best we could, though not too much of a challenge as it would have been with all the detritus of our harder living younger day’s. Feedback from the owner rated us as 5 Star guest. Is this akin to our even younger selves always reaching for that elusive “A” in our school days?

The smoothest part of the trip was getting to the airport. We were flying on Cape Air back to St. Thomas from the Cyril E King airport. My grandson Luke is nuts about planes and flying so this was special because Luke had no idea we were flying back and thought we would have to get to the ferry dock for another 2 hour experience of the slapping of the waves and the curtains of saltwater spraying the windows. In the midst of figuring out the mechanics of getting from “here-to-there, ” he would ask questions about getting from “here-to-there” and everyone rudely ignored him or pretended they did not hear. So he was quite astonished when we preceded to the check in at the Cape Air counter instead of proceeding to the taxi stand to get to the ferry terminal. It was my “birthday party” for the family for Luke’s upcoming 18th birthday. That elation was short-lived though and it turned into panic when he realized he had left his passport and money in the rental car. Nick high-tailed it back there and fortunately was able to quickly retrieve it but so began the self-recriminations. Now was the time for Nick and myself to rise to the occasion and tell stories of his dad’s misplacing tickets, lost wallets, lost watches …. a pretty extensive history.

The plane for our flight was the Cessna 402, known as an workhorse aircraft and a favorite of regional aircraft for island hopping. Compared to all those jumbo jets it looked like a toy airplane. Luke was not assigned the copilot seat as it seemed they were assigning seats by body weight and he and I were the ‘light weights” assigned to the two rear seats. But it really didn’t matter since I was sitting next to this young man who couldn’t stop beaming. This was pure joy for both of us. The plane ride was but a brief 20 minute skip as we skimmed low above the Caribbean and gazed at the postcard picturesque scenes. Stretching below was a quilt of green and the deep blue depths of the open water. Though we took off in the brilliant sun we landed during a typical daily rain squall.

After snagging our suitcases, we headed out to a chaotic scene of taxi service hawkers. I grabbed one of these would be transporters and inquired about service out to Redhook. For $25.00 per person we were treated to a “locals” description of his life, his seven babies (he said he kept quite busy) and discussion of his fishing excursions and the fish he liked to cook and how he prepared it etc. The roads were steep, narrow with hairpin turns (beginning to get used to these) and we arrived at the Redhook terminal for the 2:00 PM ferry. After purchasing tickets for both ourselves and our suitcases from a rather abrupt ticket agent (I guess suitcases have personhood as they cost the same as a person), we parked ourselves in this shabby bustling tropical waiting room with its mismatched benches and open air architecture but enjoying the bustling with a mix of humanity of sunburned tourists, day trippers, locals, business folks… This 20 minute excursion to St. John’s was unremarkable.

Finally, after collecting our checked luggage we made our way through the crowded waterfront up to L & L Jeep rental to get our rental car for the week. I thought I was signing my life away with all the waivers, inspection of the body, and instructions per return. Finally loading up, Nick began an even more challenging driving odyssey. In a crazy roundabout, we definitely emerged onto the wrong street and ended up taking a circuitous route toward the VRBO. Driving St. Croix was a breeze compared to the bumpy, steep, curvy, corkscrew roads which were primarily in disrepair on St. John’s . After numerous sharp curves and steep ascents we were headed in the right direction. I was grateful to not be the driver but wished that Nick did not have to tackle all of the white-knuckled roller-coaster roads on this trip.

At the same time as we were trying to arrive at our destination alive, I kept getting text from the VRBO manager. He had a broken Murphy bed in the third bedroom (I guess the previous guests were pretty rowdy) and wanted us to make the decision about the replacement mattress we would desire. Did we want a blow up mattress or a futon.” JP” was supposed to meet us at the ferry but clearly was immersed in his bed crisis… We finally said we would find our way there and decide then.

I was getting pretty annoyed by the whole scenario but once on the property any semblance of annoyance vanished as we gazed upon the view of Chocolate Hole and Great Cruz Bay. Upon our arrival, he was sincerely apologetic and very chatty though in my mind he was somewhat of a scattered ADHD adult. He proudly showed us about this renovated property (much of his work) and called our attention to the bottles of rum which we might enjoy partaking of. The Westin below us with their mini-bar can’t compete with this establishment! I wasn’t about to disappoint him and tell hime we were not big alcohol consumers. JP played the role of a helpful concierge by suggesting many places we might be interested in patronizing. He finally took leave to hopefully solve the bed crisis as we had requested the futon.

This luxury villa had two bedrooms with king beds, and what they called a third bedroom (this is a questionable assignation) which was supposed to have a full-size pull-down bed. I found it more akin to an office area to be walked through to get to the other bedroom. Delightfully, both bedrooms had al fresco showers. As in St. Croix the open-air living room and kitchen and al fresco dining area blended the indoor and outdoor spaces thus allowing the topical breezes or the brisker trade winds to blow through.

Invitingly cool and refreshing looking, we discovered this sun heated pool was not particularly cool. Nevertheless it still was always a refreshing dip.

Eventually we picked up a few groceries for simple meals and sat back and enjoyed the surrounds, a swim in the pool, the lights on the harbor, the gentle breezes. Lounging in the WARM WATER, with the breathtaking views of Chocolate Hole Bay, lights of the harbor, and the gentle breezes was much more than we had hoped for. But where was JP as we were winding down for the night? The new bed, a futon, finally arrived around 9:00 pm so Luke finally had a “bedroom.”

The following is my son Nick’s take on the same day of the adventure:

VI-Day 5 – Fancy That!

https://honimills180.wordpress.com/2025/07/21/vi-day-5-fancy-that/?_gl=153f66f_gcl_au*MTYwMzE0OTE0MC4xNzUyNzE5MTg0

Trounced by Trumbull and Sidling to the Sea

July 25, 2025July 25, 2025uniquelytheoLeave a comment

I was quite grateful for the air cooled bedrooms in our Judith Fancy villa but, as I emerged from it the second morning, I was so much more appreciative of the balmy breeze, salt tinged air, the wide blue sky and the blazing island sun. But no tarrying on our only other full day in St. Croix. We had decided the day’s adventure would be hiking the Trumbull Trail to the Annaly Bay tide pools and needed to get on the road if we hoped to reach the pools at low tide.

The difficulty rating of the the Trumbull Trail is a relative thing and despite reviews of it being easy ( rated a stroll in the park that young strong legs make it out to be) or moderate (rated by most middle of the pack hikers)but for an 81 year old 4’11” female it was an adventure that left me so acutely aware of the withering of my formally very strong Ironman legs despite the fact that I regularly do weights for leg strengthening. But with walking stick in hand, I was oft times sandwiched between Nick and Tasia to hopefully catch any forward or backward stumbling, skidding on loose gravel, missteps, trips or other lost footings. I have never been the most coordinated person nor been known for my graceful movements. For me it was a rough, somewhat punishing experience of a trail being outfitted with tripping roots and skidding rocks, lots of short steep up and down on a very narrow ribbon of gravel, rock and roots. I also have to admit that I did not have the wisdom to wear my hiking boots. The sign at the trailhead speaks a lot about the trail upkeep .

My walking stick worked overtime. I crept along like a determined little arthritic mountain goat and I lost track of how many times I nearly stumbled. But, Nick and Tasia were always there to provide emergency arm assists. Luke was my temporary hiking sherpa though I am sure he would have much preferred to be daypack free. I gratefully accepted any helping hand which was offered knowing I was not as spry and agile as I envisioned myself to be i.e. that vision is of a gazelle over the terrain. Thankfully the thick tree coverage shaded much of the trail but it also blocks almost any breeze. The sweat factor might be described as a full body drip exacerbated by my wearing SFP gear with long sleeves and long pants.

Many reviews of this hike suggested good footwear but heartbreakingly, mid-hike one of Nick’s old Merrill sandal straps snapped ( definitely not an ideal situation on a trail that would not be considered well groomed) . So he began joking about it, only to have a strap on the other sandal give out on the return trip. He the coined them as his “fop-flips. I am wondering if the next time I see him hiking with sandals if it will be the old Merrill’s “repaired” with string, twist ties and silver tape.

In short and succinctly put – rocks, roots, humidity, sweat . . . perfection! It was a great hike of 1 hr 30 minutes to the stony beach which would eventually lead to the tide pools. The round trip was a 4.25 mile workout.

I had to think twice about making the scramble over the lava rocks to the tide pools as I could see some very jagged rock and ledges which I would need to climb up and over to access the pool. This was flirting with danger such as a twisted ankle, a lacerating trip on the jagged lava rock, the choose-your-own adventure nature of the scramble, or a fracture of my osteoporotic bones… It would be a tough sweaty brutal carry out of my damaged body as there is no cell service and no easy rescue.

So I let my imagination run wild and decided that this could be just one bad step away from catastrophe (and for those who know me well, I tend to err on the side of reckless decisions) and opted to stay on the beach and piddle around in the sea gardens there. I also reminded myself that there was a repeat of the previous hiking adventure in reverse awaiting. Though disappointed in not getting to see the grand finale of this hike, I recalled that I had been to magnificent tide pools in Cannon Beach Oregon just last year.

The sun was intense and the marine gardens at the edge sea were intriguing. I plopped myself in the water with a rock as my backrest and sat mesmerized by the miniature pools of flickering water surrounding me. They were teeming with a variety of marine algae both glimmering pink-hued and brown algae looking like ruffled paper, shells, corals , black snails…

The family reappeared about and hour and a quarter later having had an exhilarating experience, though Nick did loose a bit of his dignity in an encounter with the lava obstacle course and was bemoaning the jarring his body took and the decorative lacerations on his appendages. Can we blame it on the “flop-flip? On the hike out from the beach we were all to glad to bail on the final section out to the official trail head, bypassing some of the jungle slog, and take the unofficial backdoor out to the car. The landscape changed from rocky sandy slopes to a “spa brochure “ walk through the Carambola Beach Resort.

With still a few hours remaining for adventure, Nick , Tasia, and I opted for a drive to the farthest eastern point on the island and the eastern most point of the US. The sole purpose was for me to say I had been to eastern most point in the US. It is a popular sunrise adventure but I did not feel compelled to be at the eastern most part of the US at sunrise. Luke and Miriam were of the mindset that a vacation is for resting and opted out. However it was much more than a bag another first experience. The vast ocean surrounded in every direction.

Point Udall was named in honor of the politician Stewart Udall in 1968. Topping this spot it is a geometric stone structure of spike-like pillars, the Millennium Monument. It is a modern looking stone compass built for the millennium to commemorate the dawn of a new century. It was the place to be on 01/01/2000 as the compass marked the azimuth of the first U.S. sunrise of that year.

After milling about for a bit, we saw the trailhead for the Jack & Isaac Trail. Needing to stretch my limits further with another hike, I was hoping my body would forget that I had already hiked today. The trail cut downward on a well worn relatively obstacle free path through windswept terrain similar to the tropical desert on Buck Island. As I trudged along what lay before me was stunning. The landscape of Issac and Jack’s Bays was a ribbon of white sand between the brilliant turquoise of water and the verdant greens of the hills. At the second egress for Isaac’s bay we doffed anything we did not want to get wet and plunged into this cool salty blue sea. Afterwards we hiked back partially on the beach. I was so grateful to have the energy to be able to experience the immersion into this postcard perfect scene.

There was one last adventure to be had which basically turned out to be a real dud. A walk to “Bio Bay” from our Judith Fancy VRBO was undertaken to hopefully experience the Salt River Bay glow. When the water is agitated the bioluminescent organisms (fireworms, jellies, and marine planktons) light up.I had seen this in the Florida Everglades and was anticipatory of a similar experience. I at first thought I saw the water light up but upon a closer look it was only the moonlight reflecting on the ripples. So Nick was glad to oblige us by wading in and agitating the water. Nothing. Throwing rocks, nothing. More agitation, nothing, So we eventually called it a day and meandered on back to our lodging.