Year: 2015

A look at Maho Bay around 5 pm.  You might remember that Maho Bay had the eco-tents built on the outcropped hill on the left of this picture.  All the tents are down and some billionaire is building on a family compound.

Late afternoon is the perfect time to see rays and turtles feeding and we saw tons of them!  We also saw an arrow crab that looks a little bit like an underwater spider.  And our boy #snorkellikeaboss

This might be my favorite picture from the trip.  Just brings me back to our favorite beach at a peaceful time of day.

 Day 9, Sunday:

Back at Trunk Bay today.

We always think we are so clever parking in the gulley as the parking lot fills up.  One day we were put to shame when we saw 4 jeeps backed in to this spot 🙂

And we have \”our\” spot which is always to the left tucked in the shade.

Since Quinn had been doing great with snorkeling we decided to snorkel around the island.  Here\’s a look back to shore.  This is a long swim but there was no current at all.

This might be the littlest turtle we have ever seen.  So cute.

My free diving guys.  #snorkellikeaboss

As we were reaching the back of the island I got a peak of something way down at the bottom that I remember seeing there years ago.  Here\’s Don taking a closer look….and with Quinn.

 Don captured this 30 second video. Or here on YouTube.

And he got these pictures.  We had seen this lobster like 10 years ago before we had Quinn and it was HUGE then.  Now it has to be at least 15 – 20 pounds.  The pictures don\’t do it justice.  

The fans and coral were really lovely where the masses of people don\’t usually snorkel.

I love these snails called Flamingo tongue.

Beach games.

I kinda love this one.

 Back at the house with his book.  He always finds the funniest places to read.

Parents Night Out!  We have used the same babysitter since Quinn\’s first visit when he was about 2 1/2 years old.  Crystal has lived on the island her whole life and runs a tourist-related business with her family.  We all love when Crystal babysits!

And Caneel Bay is probably the most well known resort on STJ so we typically stay away from it.  However I had been reading about great reviews about one of it\’s new restaurants so we decided to give it a go.

Before dinner drinks down by Caneel Beach…looking towards St. Thomas.

And a crazy view of the sunset.  There is a phenomena called Sahara Dust which is exactly what it sounds like.  Sands blows across the Atlantic from the Sahara and causes this hazy affect in the sky creating amazing sunsets (despite my crappy picture).

And dinner lived up to it\’s great reviews.  Probably our best meal ever on STJ.

Day 7, Friday:

Another babysitter day with Crystal so Don and I can go out snorkeling and adventuring.

 We started our day by finding a scorpion under our beach bag.  Fortunately Crystal was there to kill it for us 🙂  Scorpion\’s aren\’t rare on the island but this was only our 2nd sighting in 10 visits.

On our way to the east side of the island.  The islanders love to embelish all the street signs.  This is a new one to us.

Every visit must include a snorkel at Salt Pond.  It\’s a bit of a hike in downhill so the walk back is never fun.  But it\’s worth it.

We saw this cute little turtle among other things.  We decided to check under the sail boat that was moored in the middle of the bay and under it was a 5 foot barracuda.  HUGE!   And that tiny needle fish in the lower right just kept doing circles around us 🙂

Then we headed out to Lameshure Bay which was beautiful and empty.  The corals and fans were so healthy.  Great to see.

Back to the beach for dinner.  A guy was selling light up toys on the beach and Quinn had to have these light up glasses.

Another fun dinner on the beach!

Day 4, Tuesday:

Before Quinn we didn\’t frequent Maho Bay very often.  But on our first visit with Quinn in 2010 when he was 2 1/2 years old we started going to Maho because it is calm and shallow with lots of shade.  Can you believe this is Quinn\’s 5th time to STJ and our 10th visit?  Our home away from home 🙂

My first picture at Maho from today.  You know it\’s going to be a good day.

This is probably our favorite little spot on this planet of ours.  Tucked in the shade under this tree.  We get annoyed if anyone else is in \”our\” spot.

It used to be we would come to Maho and only see a handful of other people.  Now that the island is so much more popular so is this beach.

Maho Bay is known for it\’s turtles and rays.  Don went on a solo snorkel and saw these guys.

Every villa on the island seems to have an iguana.  Here is \”ours\”.

Day 5, Wednesday:

Starting his morning with some San Pellegrino and Diary of a Wimpy Kid.

On our way to the East Side of Coral Bay.  At this overlook we ran in to a dad with his 2 young daughters.  We must have seen them 5 more times over the course of our visit.  They always wanted to say hi and talk.

Our first visit to Hanson Bay for a swim and snorkel.

Almost as soon as we got in we saw a school of squid.  I snapped this picture before they quickly squirted away.

Then on to Vie\’s Snack Shack for lunch. She has a very limited menu but it is all delicious.   Quinn especially loved the johnny cakes with honey.