My favorite, and simplest, way to enjoy the water is snorkeling. There's so much you can explore underwater, with oodles of coral reefs and the cruise ship pier. Even on a sandy bottom, or a bed of sea grass, you never know what you'll encounter. We've seen more than I can even list, some things being almost adorable, and others downright creepy. I hope to get a set of waterproof cards that we can take snorkeling and diving, so we can mark off as we identify the different flora and fauna.
If I had a horse I'd want to take him or her swimming. It's not uncommon to see horses in the water, sometimes being exercised to heal from an injury.
Below, horse and owner feeling refreshed after their late afternoon swim.
One of the most exciting things we've done so far is to get scuba certified, at Sweet Bottom Dive Center. We took a few weeks to complete the workbook, did a few days of testing and training at a relaxed pace, then had to take some time off while Mike went off-island (back in the States we would say "out of town"). As soon as he returned, we finished up our PADI Open Water Diver Certifications. There were several really nice people who contributed to our training, including Mel, Greg, Matt, and Darrin. I was especially grateful to Mel, who held my hands and helped ease my anxiety the first time I went underwater (in the pool). I think it was the weight of the gear, and the sensation of being pinned to the bottom, that got me unnerved.
Below is Mel Gapen, who did most of our training. If you're not already certified, and you want to do it, you can complete your PADI coursework online so you can get in the water that much quicker after you arrive here.
Sweet Bottom and other dive shops on the island also offer "Discover Scuba" (click the link) experiences, where you learn the basics and actually go on a dive under the close supervision of your trainer. If you are not a diver, and don't ever plan to become one, this "Discover SCUBA" experience should most definitely be on your bucket list!
So far we don't have an underwater camera, but we're anxious to get one so we can share our diving adventures with you. We've done some breathtaking dives, including one at the wall where we had five large sharks circling us for quite a while. That's a story that deserves it's own blog post, and I will share as soon as I can.
Another thing we like to do is kayak. We had these kayaks in Phoenix, to use out at the lake, but we're getting a lot more use out of them here on on St. Croix (duh). Mike put together a Harbor Freight trailer we purchased before leaving Phoenix, and built a rack for the three kayaks. One of the kayaks is a two person ride, and there are two singles, so all four of us can go out at the same time.
There are lots of places to kayak, including some lagoon areas. One time we used the kayaks to get ourselves and all our SCUBA gear out to a dive buoy, where we moored the kayaks then dropped down to explore. It's a challenge getting ourselves and our gear back up onto the kayaks, but we'll get it worked out.
These photos are from Altona Lagoon, near Christiansted. Mike, Jesse, and I took a few hours to paddle the entire perimeter of the lagoon one afternoon. The beach (sea) side is a popular Sunday spot for swimming, fishing, and cooking out.
Mike made a friend who looks just like him - don't you think? Same smile, anyway...
When we were loading up the kayaks some people came to sail their RC boat in the water. There's always someone doing something interesting wherever you go.
One day we tried kayaking from the beach across the street from our house. It was a windy day, lots of waves, and not good for this activity. Mike and Jesse tried surfing, and both ended up with sea urchin spines in their feet. The picture below is of me kayaking into the waves, struggling to keep from turning sideways, lest I get knocked over. On the way back to shore, I (unintentionally) caught a wave which took me on a heart-pounding ride right up onto the rocks, where, thankfully, Jesse was waiting to help me and my shaky legs out onto the beach.
Follow THIS LINK to see what IS good to do on a windy day at our beach :) Apparently, the youtube video I made won't play on mobile phones. It seems to be because I added a clip of music to the short video, thereby making it a copyright issue. But if you're at your computer, and you want to see another fun watersport, click above where it says "THIS LINK"
The kayaking below was definitely much nicer. Traci and Mimsel joined me for an invigorating trip out to Shell Island (Ruth Cay), across from Hovensa (oil refinery), where we beached, snorkeled, and had a picnic lunch before another energizing paddle back to the mainland.
One of the things you'll most certainly do when you visit us is to kayak or swim in the bioluminescent lagoon, near our house. I have no doubt that it will be a highlight for you, just as it is for us, although I don't have any photos to show you. You'll have to trust me...
This is just a nice late afternoon picture of fishermen cleaning their catch at Altona Lagoon Beach.
Another popular activity on St. Croix, although we haven't tried it yet, is Stand Up Paddle Surfing (SUP). I hear it's a lot of fun, and great exercise. One business on the island has full moon SUP outings, that include a beach fire finale...
I hope you're starting to get some ideas of what you'd like to do when you come visit. Just let me know, and we'll start getting a plan put together for you :)
Until then,
Laurel
