Thursday, January 19, 2012

St. John, USVI

Pete and I took a winter vacation to St. John in the USVI. We flew to St. Thomas and took a ferry across. 7200 acres of land and 5600 acres of underwater lands of the island's 20 square miles are National Park.
Flying into St. Thomas

First view of the Caribbean on the Ferry from St. Thomas to St. John

Sailboat

St. John from Ferry

Our cottage at Cinnamon Bay

First night at Cinnamon Bay

Beautiful flower

Termites Nest - notice the trail up the tree to the left

Cinnamon Bay Factory Ruins

Notice the brain coral and other coral making up the supports - much stronger than the bricks/mortar they could make on the island at the time

Critters seen at the Ruins
Millipede which the locals call "gongolo" - legend says that it will make you blind if it spits on you - the venom it secretes can cause temporary blindness

Spider - non-venomous but can grow very large - could not get it in focus

Snail party

Rum bin at the factory ruins

America Hill Ruins - a short but uphill hike from Cinnamon Bay factory ruins


What a view!



Some sort of wild peas that the honey bees love!

Goat herd along the way to the South End towards Salt Pond Bay

Wild donkeys!

Our jeep - not the most pretty vehicle but we made it

Big Lameshur Bay - first 4-wheel adventure

People left on the rocks on the other side of Salt Pond Bay after taking the Salt Pond trail

View of Rams Head

Beach opposite Salt Pond Bay

Salt Pond

Sting Ray


Pete Action Shot

Fan coral and others

Yellow Snapper

Squid - Pete is the most amazing snorkeler ever - he finds EVERYTHING! - Look at bottom middle of picture

A nurse or reef shark! - Another one of Pete's finds



Me and my shark - he didn't bite me though!

Trumpet fish

Sargent Major - fish

Smooth Trunkfish

Blue Tang

Elk Horn Coral

School of Blue Tang

Conch on lower left and upper right of coral reef

Sea Urchin

I was able to swim with an Atlantic Green Turtle! Who knows, it may have been Reed's relative!






Tune back for more pictures and video soon. I may get the pictures on tomorrow, but Pete and I are headed to North Carolina for the weekend so I may not get to the video! New news: My car and I are officially Virginians and I accepted a permanent PT position at UVA Medical Center!

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