Jamie Elliot, our regular writer from St. John has taken a little time off to assist her husband, Doug Bean, to relocate to California. Doug has had a relapse from cancer and is seeking treatment back home. Our prayers and thoughts are with Doug for his quick recovery so that we may join him again at Skinny Legs restaurant in Coral Bay, St. John. We also look forward to having Jamie’s article back next month, but for now you will have to hear about my trip to St. Thomas.
Spirit Airlines has a way to motivate. They simply send an e-mail offering $99 one-way rates and presto, I was on the phone trying to find a place to stay. I called our advertiser, St. Thomas Escape.com and secured one of their properties at Sapphire Beach, St. Thomas, USVI. This was to be my first extended stay in St. Thomas, as before I just passed through on my way to St. John. Escaping Washington, D.C. in the middle of March is always a treat, but going to the Caribbean made it extra special. As the teal waters came into view the plane touched down and we disembarked into 85-degree weather. Break out the shorts. Although my car reservation somehow got lost, Bobbi at the Budget counter quickly had me into a Ford Focus and we were on our way to Sapphire Beach, near Red Hook at the east end of the island.
Although a little cramped for four adults, the studio condo worked out very well after we got settled in. After all, we were in the Caribbean, so who was going to stay indoors. The beach led from the back of the condo 50 feet to the waters edge. Gin-clear water beckoned us for a swim. We were lucky enough to have a small reef right off of the point at Sapphire Beach. Snorkeling over the reef you could see a variety of multi-colored fish and many different types of coral. Throughout St. Thomas there are many beautiful spots to swim and dive.
On our third day there we made a two-day trip over to St. John. It was our chance to have breakfast at the Donkey Diner (www.donkeydiner.com) an advertiser of the Old Town Crier for over two years. It truly was “Kick Ass Food”. After the diner closed later that morning, we went with owner Doug Weaver for an afternoon sail in his sailboat. In stiff winds we sailed out of Coral Harbor to a little cove where we dropped the anchor and had a wonderful afternoon swim. The Virgin Islands are a sailing paradise. The trade winds blow a steady 10 to 17 knots every day.
Upon our arrival back to St. Thomas we decided to make a trip to the capital city, Charlotte Amalie. There is a lot to do in Charlotte Amalie, open air markets, parks, museums, abound… and then there is shopping. A duty free city, there are many deals to be found here from jewelry stores, art galleries, to clothing outlets. There are also great restaurants everywhere, from the less expensive to very expensive. Later that afternoon we met Dawuud Nyamekye, marketing director for Caribbean Historical Tours. All four of us hopped on his truck, which had been converted into an open-air taxi/bus and enjoyed an informative tour of St. Thomas. The views are spectacular, especially from “Top of the Mountain”, which is 1500 feet high.
No matter what motivates you to go, now is a great time to head to the Caribbean. Seasonal rates begin to drop in April, the wind is strong, and the rainy season has passed. It is summer in the Virgin Islands. The scenery is beautiful, the weather always warm, and the people are friendly. With one layover, you can be there in about 6 hours. And remember, it is still cold here.
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