St. Croix Vacation

Last week we took a much needed tropical vacation to St. Croix in the US Virgin Islands. We had a wonderful time with ideal weather, tons of relaxation and a bit of culture too! The highlights were a sailboat trip to Buck Island and all the fun we had at the beach in the sand and water.

On our way!

We're here and we have our own room, with a TV and DVD player!

Dinner the night we arrived in the Martel Lounge with live music (much needed entertainment to keep the girls at or at least near the table).

We are SOOO excited (and at least one of us is SOOOOO tired).

Dancing time.

Everyone needs a pedicure for a beach vacation.

Even Charlotte. Marin is being very careful to let her nails dry.

I am ready for the beach.

Mermaid Beach

Feeling the water for the first time on the trip.

This vacationing is hard work.

Marin is definitely her Daddy's girl.  Look at all that sand and it does not phase her one bit.  Bring on the snack!

On your mark, get set, GO!

M&M snack time.

Dinner at the Mermaid for night #2.

They have gluten free pasta and bread? Yes please!

They wanted to be buckled in their seats in the room - a little comfort from home perhaps?

Marin's favorite location at the resort, the Grotto Pool.

We brought this raft for Charlotte, but Marin loved how she could get around the pool "all by herself!"

This is the life!

Walking along the Grotto Beach.

Here comes the water.

Sandy toes.

And sandy fingers.

A sea urchin in the coral reef right off shore.

Time to run again!

Checking out the snails on this rock.

Pineapples growing in front of the main house at the resort.

In a detention cell at the fort in Christiansted, dating to the 1700s.

I was ok in there until Marin closed the door, then the cell felt VERY low and cramped.  Marin didn't seem to mind at all.

The canons on top of the fort.

Do you think we can load this one?

This is the entrance to the powder room where all the gun powder was stored for the fort.

In Christiansted.

Sitting on the boardwalk in town.  Marin really wanted to find a bench, but this spot looked as good as any and she was not moving any further.

A tropical drink for Marin (or was it sprite with an umbrella). She loved it.

Since we didn't bring the double-wide, the girls figured out how to both fit in the stroller.

Riding in the taxi back to our resort.

Sugar mill ruins are seen all over the island.  This is one that was located at our resort.

Back to the pool

I love this place!

Holding hands to walk on the road back to our villa.

Are we adorable or what?

Take a look at my rock.

The back of the resort's main house. We ate breakfast on the terrace each morning.

Bill Bass, THE steel drum player on St. Croix.

Mocko Jumbies - traditional dancers on St. Croix. 

The girls were initially not so sure about these guys, but warmed up after their dance.

An Iguana on our front porch.

Swinging in the hammock at the No Hurry Zone at the Cruzan Rum distillery.

The rum sits in barrels from 14 months to 12 years.

Waterfront in Fredericksted.  This is where the cruise ships dock on the island. 

Playing in the water again.

The fort in Fredericksted.

Marin was sure this door would open at the base of a clock tower in town so she checked it out. No such luck.

It was hard to capture, but this was a super narrow, winding road through the rain forest on the island.

The Green Cay Marina, where we had dinner one night.

At the Galleon, such a fabulous restaurant.

This is Shrek and he loves kids.  He follows them around the tank and will come up to give kisses if they get close.

Charlotte is puckering up!

Columbus Landing - where Christopher Columbus hit land in the New World back in 1493.

Trying out this makeshift swing.  It was not so fun.

Driving down to Cane Bay with the mountains in the distance.

Cane Bay, a very popular scuba diving location where there is an underwater wall that drops 13,000 feet just 300 yards off shore.  Pete snorkeled over to it, but the wall was too deep to see very much.

Photo by Marin. 

We love this shot by Marin.

Yummy Lime in a Coconut drink.

Daddy is enjoying his too (with rum)!

Mommy and Daddy's sunglasses are so much more fun.

Marin trying to wait patiently to go back to the pool while we visited the beach. She is ready to turn and run for the pool at a moments notice.

Daddy and Charlotte out for a paddle.

Charlotte says "That was fun, but I am done."

The Jolly Roger.

Captain Mike who is coincidentally from New Paltz and an ultramarathoner!

Our destination, Buck Island, one of the 10 most beautiful beaches in the world.

Rinsing our hands off, the sand is so soft!

Marin and Layton.  Layton's family had a parallel vacation with us. They arrived on the same flight, stayed at the same resort, we saw them at almost every meal and they were even on our chartered sailboat ride!

Snorkeling at the underwater snorkeling trail in Buck Island Reef National Monument.  It was designated the first marine national park by JFK in 1962 or so.

That was fun and amazing.  Pete and I took turns and between us we saw a sea turtle, a ton of barracudas and reef squid along with tons of fish and coral.

Enjoying the sail back to our resort.

"Just hanging out."

Ready for our final dinner before we head home.  What a vacation!!