Tag: St. John

SNUBA in St. Thomas

Day 4, Tuesday, September 13, 2016

Coral World Ocean Park in St. Thomas
Coral World Ocean Park in St. Thomas

I was on the dock in Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas by 8:20 and on my way to a SNUBA adventure at Coral World Ocean Park. This was a first for me, and I looked forward to it. I was not disappointed. Except for being tethered to the oxygen, SNUBA is similar to snorkeling, but at a deeper depth. Since my body is very buoyant, I wore 11-pound weights to keep me at around 20 to 25 feet below the surface, about one atmosphere below sea level. My ears popped and it took most of the rest of the day to equalize the air pressure in my sinuses. Even so, the experience was worth the discomfort.

SNUBA Equipment
SNUBA Equipment
Turtle pool at Coral World Ocean Park on St. Thomas
Turtle pool at Coral World Ocean Park on St. Thomas

After the SNUBA, I visited the 42-acre park. There were turtle pools, birds, demonstrations with various aquatic animals such as sharks and sea lions. The park has an open-water system where water flows through each of the exhibits and back out to the ocean. After exploring the park, I sat on the beach people watching. There were a lot of islanders on the beach, and I enjoyed listening to the Creole, Spanish, and melodic English. As I was walking along, I stepped on an iguana’s tail and jumped when I felt it move. I’m glad the Florida reptiles are not this size. These herbivores have spines on their back and down their tails. Like many other lizards, iguanas will grow a second tail if the original one breaks off in a defensive maneuver. Iguanas have a dewlap, the flap of skin below their chin, that helps regulate body temperature. Apparently, female iguanas find the dewlap attractive. Though not eaten on St. Thomas, the iguana is eaten, and, you guessed it, tastes like chicken.

St. Thomas Iguana
St. Thomas Iguana

Later in the day, mom and I sat in the hot spa, sipping a Painkiller Cocktail, a rum concoction that was the drink of the day. I took a tube ride down the water slide, just to say I did. I didn’t think at my age that it was wise to take a ride down the other slide where you stood on a platform that opened and dropped you almost vertically. Do you think you would have enjoyed that free-fall sensation?

At night we went to the show, For the Record: The Brat Pack. This musical production of The Breakfast Club featured the music of the 80s. The strobing lights, the choreography, and the vocal quality made this the best performance on this ship. In fact, it exceeded anything I have seen recently. For being on vacation, mom and I keep busy.

Wednesday, December 8: St. Thomas

Wake-up call at 6 A.M. At breakfast I asked for a bran muffin. Our server asked why I would order that. Apparently she dislikes these so much that she does not serve them; instead, she brought be a pastry basket, which I did not want.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERABy 8:15 we were cued up on the pier in St. Thomas for the Champagne Catamaran Sail and Snorkel to St. John. Even though it was raining, the trip was not canceled. The all-female crew on the Adventuress was strictly business as we set sail. They explained how to use the on-board toilet: “If it doesn’t go through your system, if won’t go through ours.” Once everyone was geared up and trained, we jumped into the blue-green water to see sea turtles, sergeant majors, gar, other tropical fish, sea urchins and a little coral. Dennis and I agree that the fish are more plentiful and varied in Cozumel, Mexico. I think the waters are warmer there too.

On our return trip, the crew served cheese, fruit, and French bread and drinks. They made a great rum punch with pineapple, orange, and guava juices. There were also beer and champagne for those who preferred. With the music cranked up, the booze, the sun, and the sails billowing, it was a short, but happy, ride back to port. To date, this has been the highlight of our week as sea.