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Published: January 17th 2011
Oliver's on the Ferry, Getting Ready for Sun
This photo was taken before they turned on the engine of the ferry and before Oliver started screaming in hysterics.Last night, my parents sat out on our balcony while Oliver slept to allow for Andrew and me to take a late beach walk and swim together. It felt so good to have time to connect and talk with him and enjoy the vacation together. We talked about plans for the following day and decided that we wanted to embark on an adventure and go to Saint John. Saint John is another island in the US Virgin Islands, and it's only three miles from Saint Thomas.
My mom and sister joined Andrew, Oliver and me. We took a taxi from our hotel to Red Hook. There are two locations on the island that offer ferries to Saint John. Red Hook is one of them; it's a cheaper and shorter ferry ride, but it was a longer and more expensive taxi ride. Still, we got to see more of Saint Thomas as we road to the port.
Oliver freaked out on the ferry. Literally, he started screaming when they turned on the engine. He continued to scream for the remainder of the fifteen minute ride. At first, we tried so hard to distract him and calm him. He got hysterical,
My Mom and the Roosters
Although there are some roosters and hens on Saint Thomas, they're everywhere on Saint John! though, and I knew the only thing we could do was love him. Thankfully, he calmed as soon as we stepped off the ferry. We strolled around the small town of Cruz Bay a bit. There were roosters and hens everywhere, and a few of the roosters let out their famous call. That was fun to hear!
We were hungry and kept our eyes peeled for something to eat. There were places that advertised Texan food and New York food. None of that appealed to us, but a place called Spy Glass ("brunch with a view!" the sign advertised) did. Indeed, there was an incredible view of the harbor, and the food was fabulous to boot. Oliver was a bit tired and cranky, but we still enjoyed our meal.
After getting directions from one of our servers, we set out to do the Lindt Point Trail, as it was closest. We cut through town and headed to the trail head, which is directly behind the National Forest Welcome Center (Saint John is 75% forest preserve). Apparently, the stairs behind the Center were just completed a week ago! We climbed up the wooden stairs behind the Welcome Center and
Spy Glass Brunch in Saint John
This was our "brunch with a view." then proceded up the set of stone stairs. From there, our plans were to hike the trail to Salomon Beach and then on to Honeymoon Beach and then to some fort ruins. The climb was rocky but not too difficult in itself. We made the mistake of hiking during the hottest part of the day, however. The sun beat down directly on us while we struggled to carry Oliver. Our four bottles of water were drank before we arrived at the first beach, and so we admitted defeat. We turned around to find some AC to cool off. Even though we wouldn't see much of Saint John, I tried to enjoy the forest as we hiked back. The forest was dense with trees and cacti and bustling with reptiles. Through the trees, we caught the occasional glimpse of ocean (the water was so blue!), and it really was lovely. It would have been a great day trip had we planned better (bring lots of water!).
Once back in town, we stopped in a few stores to cool down and browse souveniers. I enjoyed a shop called St John's Spice, although I didn't purchase anything there. I could smell the
Hiking up Lind Trail in Saint John
Here we are beginning our unsuccessful hike on Lind Trail. spices from outside the door, when the air was thick with aroma when I stepped into the store. Numerous items caught my eyes, including handmade boxes made with just cloves and string, hot sauce made & bottled locally, and bags of whole bean Jamaican coffee. It was hard to walk out with nothing, but I did it!
On the return trip, Oliver did better on the ferry because we sat inside where the sound was much quieter. The taxi ride back to our hotel was an adventure, though. Our driver clipped the side mirror of the car next to us! The man who got hit was angry, and our driver declared to him, "maybe you were too far over in your lane!" They then examined the situation of the vehicles and decided, based on the location of the car that was hit (which was at a stop because his lane was stopped from a traffic light), the taxi-van could not have passed him without driving up onto the sidewalk. I was shocked when the man whose car was hit consented that the taxi driver was right, and left. Insane!
Our particular little trip to Saint John was probably
Cacti Overgrowth
It's a good thing the path was cleared and wide because there were cacti everywhere else. not worth the time and money of a rountrip taxi and ferry, but I'm glad I got to see the island and spend a little time there with my family. Had it turned out differently, and had we got to see the beaches and ruins, I think I'd feel differently about the cost-benefit of the trip, but I'll still say that I'm glad we went!
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Aunt Gerry
non-member comment
St. John
Hi Becky, I should have warned you that the hiking on St. John isn't easy. But with water and without a 1 year-old, the hikes are some of our favorites anywhere. Challenging, though. When Wayne and I have been there, of course, we've gone as two adults -- doing snorkling, hiking, beaching. We've actually spent a week there. We love the chickens and roosters! Poor Oliver -- so sorry the ferry upset him! Love, Aung Gerry