So with our annual trip to St John in the rearview mirror, the next trip will be Caleb and me camping and rafting in southern Oregon. I picked this because
1. I have never visited Oregon and have always wanted to.
2. By late July I'm always looking to escape the exhausting heat of Houston.
3. Caleb is 10 and this will be the first time he and I have ever been on a "guys trip"
4. I want him to experience the outdoors in a real way, and I want to do the same.
Vacation Selection Process:
The simple fact is that I am not really a camper. I love it in concept but I just don't have much experience camping. The research kind of began with Austin-Lehman outfitters, a seemingly wonderful company started by Dan Austin that puts trips together all over the Western Hemisphere. The problem with this was that they have very specific dates and typically the trips are a minimum of 7 days. I wanted this to be shorter. Secondly, they require a hefty sum for their trips. I still hope to use them one day, probably for something in Europe or South America. These guys aren't really camping, but rather staying in lodges or quaint hotels.
So first I tried to morph a smaller trip in some of the areas visited by them, considering British Columbia, Whistler, Montana, and even Alaska. Still, I've had this craving to go to Oregon, and I'm not sure why. I looked at Mt Hood, even going so far as to selecting a couple of cabins and researching the hikes to take. It looked like a lot of fun but still, I came back to wanting more rafting, and maybe something guided.
More research brought about O.A.R.S, a national company that arranges rafting and camping trips through the US and into Latin and South America. These guys look quite reputable and I pulled up mostly positive reviews. I honed in on the Rogue River, and Ouzel Outfitters came up. They seem a little more local, so that is what steered me towards them. The price seems reasonable: $885 for me and $785 for my 10 year old son. Booked it for late July.
The logistics are challenging. First, there is no direct flight into Medford, which is by far the closest airport to the Rogue. Second, once you're in Medford, you need to drive another hour into the woods to find Galice, the meeting location. The flights ended up pricey, over $1000 for the two of us, although the connections seem reasonable. Next, do you drive or try to take a shuttle from the airport? Renting a car gives you the most flexibility, but you're renting a car for it to sit there for three days. The shuttle is cheaper, but not by much, and I'll need to arrange this to make sure we get to our flights on time. Lastly, the meeting location is a hotel that is booked solid for the night prior to our trip. So even if I do get the shuttle, I have to get me, my son, and our gear over to the other resort early in the morning. So far I've rented a car, but we'll see if anything has changed.
I'm excited though. I love rafting, and I love the Rockies. I did a day trip about four years ago in Colorado that was gorgeous. I'm ready to go back, and am thrilled my son is old enough to remember and enjoy a trip such as this.
Thursday, May 31, 2012
Wednesday, May 23, 2012
The Final Days
We're down to the last couple of days but trying not to think about it. In our last trip we didn't go to Trunk Bay, so this time we decided to go back, given that there weren't any cruise ships in port. As over exposed and over traveled as this beach is, I can still see why. The beach is huge, easy to access, and gorgeous. We went as far down the beach (to the right as you're looking out) as we possibly could, so no one was on our right for the day. Our lunch meat had spoiled, so we actually settled on peanut butter and jelly for lunch. We were like kids, and it worked just fine. My wife has always had a fear of snorkeling / scuba, but she wants to join me on these and today she was going to try. She did well, no panic, stayed close to me, and with good equipment, she enjoyed it. After this and a few hours of reading and walking the beach, I decided to get some drinks for us at the food stand. Grabbed the cash out of the backpack, got the drinks, and headed back. This would come back to haunt me. I took a longer snorkel this time, and late in the evening, we left. Back at the house I was pulling things out of the backpack, and realized that i had also pulled out my license when getting the drinks back at the beach. And put it in my pocket. And then went snorkeling.... So after a trip back to Trunk on the way to Rhumb Lines that produced no license, I came to the realization it was gone. On the list of important things to lose, this isn't really too bad. No cancelling of credit cards, no loss of cash, and certainly no loss of passport to get through security / customs. So now I'm back in Texas and ready for my trip to the local DMV.
Our final full day, we head to Mongoose Junction for some gift shopping for our family members, and for me this meant some chilling out with a cup of coffee while my wife did the shopping. Always a challenge to find something to bring back to our son from paradise. Next time, we're bringing him and his little sister. We settle on some t-shirts, enjoy our lunch at Sun Dog cafe, then go back to the house to prepare for our last beach trip. We go back to Francis, me for more snorkeling, my wife just to enjoy the beauty, soak up the sun, and read. One note on Francis snorkeling. It's easy to head out towards Mary's Point, but there is a current that you fight on the way back. There are so many places to stand, you can rest, but still, it's longer coming back. After viewing the sting rays and the snorkeling on the east side of the beach, we're ready to go back.
Our travel day back begins with packing and straightening the house up, along with some breakfast and coffee. My wife convinces me to catch the 11am ferry rather than the noon for our 2:15 Cape Air flight, a wise decision. I had decided to just go on the downtown ferry a few minutes later. When we got up to the counter to buy those tickets, there was a sign indicating that the downtown was not running that day, so we scrambled onto the 11am ferry, literally some of the last people to get on a full ferry ride. The cab gets us to the airport a little before noon, but on a Saturday, it was packed.
The customs line was snaked around the airport, and the Cape Air attendant couldn't get the printer to work, so despite being the only people at the counter, it took awhile. Eventually she hand wrote our boarding passes, something I didn't feel very good about. The customs line looked as if it would take forever, but actually moved pretty fast. We get through customs and into security, and they did have to check our boarding passes with a supervisor before letting us through. We come to find out that we are the only people on this flight, and they load us up a half hour early. We're thrilled. On the wings they load the carry-on bags, so my backpack and my wife's camera bag (big one, several thousand dollars worth of equipment) go into the wing. The pilot takes us to the end of the runway, and we take off. My wife looks to the left.... The hatch over the carry on bags is literally flopping in the wind. The ground crew failed to latch it. We notify the pilot, who quickly and sharply turns the plane around to land us once again. The hatch is closed and we're on our way. Another 'fun' Cape Air trip. Pretty rough travel over Puerto Rico, but we land safely and with all our bags intact.
Our fourth trip was maybe the most relaxing of any trip we have taken before. In the past we have gotten out the door in the morning quickly and wedged in trips to the BVIs and tried to pack in as many beaches as possible. This time we were more chilled, just hanging at the house and staying at one beach for an entire day three times. We still love this place. Our kids are getting old enough now that we could enjoy a trip to St John with them and they would enjoy it as well. I think the next time we go that will be the difference. Time will tell.
Our final full day, we head to Mongoose Junction for some gift shopping for our family members, and for me this meant some chilling out with a cup of coffee while my wife did the shopping. Always a challenge to find something to bring back to our son from paradise. Next time, we're bringing him and his little sister. We settle on some t-shirts, enjoy our lunch at Sun Dog cafe, then go back to the house to prepare for our last beach trip. We go back to Francis, me for more snorkeling, my wife just to enjoy the beauty, soak up the sun, and read. One note on Francis snorkeling. It's easy to head out towards Mary's Point, but there is a current that you fight on the way back. There are so many places to stand, you can rest, but still, it's longer coming back. After viewing the sting rays and the snorkeling on the east side of the beach, we're ready to go back.
Our travel day back begins with packing and straightening the house up, along with some breakfast and coffee. My wife convinces me to catch the 11am ferry rather than the noon for our 2:15 Cape Air flight, a wise decision. I had decided to just go on the downtown ferry a few minutes later. When we got up to the counter to buy those tickets, there was a sign indicating that the downtown was not running that day, so we scrambled onto the 11am ferry, literally some of the last people to get on a full ferry ride. The cab gets us to the airport a little before noon, but on a Saturday, it was packed.
The customs line was snaked around the airport, and the Cape Air attendant couldn't get the printer to work, so despite being the only people at the counter, it took awhile. Eventually she hand wrote our boarding passes, something I didn't feel very good about. The customs line looked as if it would take forever, but actually moved pretty fast. We get through customs and into security, and they did have to check our boarding passes with a supervisor before letting us through. We come to find out that we are the only people on this flight, and they load us up a half hour early. We're thrilled. On the wings they load the carry-on bags, so my backpack and my wife's camera bag (big one, several thousand dollars worth of equipment) go into the wing. The pilot takes us to the end of the runway, and we take off. My wife looks to the left.... The hatch over the carry on bags is literally flopping in the wind. The ground crew failed to latch it. We notify the pilot, who quickly and sharply turns the plane around to land us once again. The hatch is closed and we're on our way. Another 'fun' Cape Air trip. Pretty rough travel over Puerto Rico, but we land safely and with all our bags intact.
Our fourth trip was maybe the most relaxing of any trip we have taken before. In the past we have gotten out the door in the morning quickly and wedged in trips to the BVIs and tried to pack in as many beaches as possible. This time we were more chilled, just hanging at the house and staying at one beach for an entire day three times. We still love this place. Our kids are getting old enough now that we could enjoy a trip to St John with them and they would enjoy it as well. I think the next time we go that will be the difference. Time will tell.
More Beaches
Day 3
OK, so I managed my second major screw up here. We had toyed with the idea of going over to JVD for the day, neither of us 'convicted' that this was a must-do since we had been there before. But we both woke up early, and decided that we could in fact make the ferry and have a day over there. I mean, it would be fun. This is where my genius failed me on the week. I am a wallet guy. I decided this week to be a backpack guy, just leaving my license, a bit of cash, and keys in the backpack, leaving other credit cards and cash in a safe. This brilliant idea would turn out to be the bane of my existence for the week.
So we get into town and realize I have left the credit card back in the house, which I planned to use for some of the trip costs. I probably have enough cash to make a day of it, but with no debit or credit cards on me, i'll pass on taking any risk. C'est la vie, we weren't just dying to do this, so now what? Back to Deli Grotto, had our chairs, small cooler, and towels, we're ready to go to any beach. This time we decide on our favorite from the previous trip, Denis Bay. This is a short hike from Peace Hill on an unmarked trail to the right on the way up the hill. There is a resident on this beach with his own private property, and there is a line not to cross that is more than adequately marked. The beach is part of the park, and it is absolutely gorgeous. The parking and hike down are easy, and we're the only ones on the beach, early at 9am. Today the surf is unusually high, particularly for the summer. The winds are kicking. I wish there was more to report here, but this was a day we loved. For the better part of six hours, we were alone on this beach. A boat came in but the passengers never came to shore. Some snorkelers were there for a short period but we could barely see them. I tried snorkeling but the water was rough and cloudy. Still, being alone on a St John beach for a day was wonderful. In the evening we hit Banana Deck (see other post), came back to enjoy the hot tub, and had enough fun for the day.
Denis
Day 4 is south shore / east shore day. We plan to go to Salt Pond and possibly hike to Drunk Bay or Blue Cobblestone. Again we early-birds are the first arrivals (sort of, there were Ram's Head hikers not on beach). The snorkeling was amazing, I probably went too far, saw more turtles and rays. It rained on us pretty good for about five minutes and then it was beautiful for the morning. Saw a scrawled filefish, something I read is fairly common but that I'd never seen before. The past two visits here I had seen a spotted eagle ray, so was bummed that he was gone this time and I couldn't get a picture. Salt Pond was never crowded and we couldn've easily stayed here for the day. Just didn't have anything to eat. From here we headed to Vie's for a late lunch and maybe a move to Haulover for the afternoon. We arrive at Vie's at about 1pm after picking up a couple of necessities at Lily's Market in Coral Bay (the guy running it seems angry). Loved this (see other post), and then decided to just stay there at Hansen Bay since it was nearly 3pm. About the time we paid and got on the beach it began to rain. This time, it wasn't going to stop. We picked up our gear and headed back for the rest of the afternoon in the villa. After the rain subsided we cleaned ourselves up and had our first meal at the Maho Camps. We stayed late, went to the glass shop (amazing stuff, expensive stuff) and even watched a few minutes of the movie they were playing (March of the Penguins). Don't know if we're really allowed to do this, but it wasn't crowded and no one seemed to mind. Now we're off to bed. Some Salt Pond and Vie's Pictures....
OK, so I managed my second major screw up here. We had toyed with the idea of going over to JVD for the day, neither of us 'convicted' that this was a must-do since we had been there before. But we both woke up early, and decided that we could in fact make the ferry and have a day over there. I mean, it would be fun. This is where my genius failed me on the week. I am a wallet guy. I decided this week to be a backpack guy, just leaving my license, a bit of cash, and keys in the backpack, leaving other credit cards and cash in a safe. This brilliant idea would turn out to be the bane of my existence for the week.
So we get into town and realize I have left the credit card back in the house, which I planned to use for some of the trip costs. I probably have enough cash to make a day of it, but with no debit or credit cards on me, i'll pass on taking any risk. C'est la vie, we weren't just dying to do this, so now what? Back to Deli Grotto, had our chairs, small cooler, and towels, we're ready to go to any beach. This time we decide on our favorite from the previous trip, Denis Bay. This is a short hike from Peace Hill on an unmarked trail to the right on the way up the hill. There is a resident on this beach with his own private property, and there is a line not to cross that is more than adequately marked. The beach is part of the park, and it is absolutely gorgeous. The parking and hike down are easy, and we're the only ones on the beach, early at 9am. Today the surf is unusually high, particularly for the summer. The winds are kicking. I wish there was more to report here, but this was a day we loved. For the better part of six hours, we were alone on this beach. A boat came in but the passengers never came to shore. Some snorkelers were there for a short period but we could barely see them. I tried snorkeling but the water was rough and cloudy. Still, being alone on a St John beach for a day was wonderful. In the evening we hit Banana Deck (see other post), came back to enjoy the hot tub, and had enough fun for the day.
Denis
Day 4 is south shore / east shore day. We plan to go to Salt Pond and possibly hike to Drunk Bay or Blue Cobblestone. Again we early-birds are the first arrivals (sort of, there were Ram's Head hikers not on beach). The snorkeling was amazing, I probably went too far, saw more turtles and rays. It rained on us pretty good for about five minutes and then it was beautiful for the morning. Saw a scrawled filefish, something I read is fairly common but that I'd never seen before. The past two visits here I had seen a spotted eagle ray, so was bummed that he was gone this time and I couldn't get a picture. Salt Pond was never crowded and we couldn've easily stayed here for the day. Just didn't have anything to eat. From here we headed to Vie's for a late lunch and maybe a move to Haulover for the afternoon. We arrive at Vie's at about 1pm after picking up a couple of necessities at Lily's Market in Coral Bay (the guy running it seems angry). Loved this (see other post), and then decided to just stay there at Hansen Bay since it was nearly 3pm. About the time we paid and got on the beach it began to rain. This time, it wasn't going to stop. We picked up our gear and headed back for the rest of the afternoon in the villa. After the rain subsided we cleaned ourselves up and had our first meal at the Maho Camps. We stayed late, went to the glass shop (amazing stuff, expensive stuff) and even watched a few minutes of the movie they were playing (March of the Penguins). Don't know if we're really allowed to do this, but it wasn't crowded and no one seemed to mind. Now we're off to bed. Some Salt Pond and Vie's Pictures....
Honeymoon Cottage
We stayed at Honeymoon Cottage, which as its name implies, is a romantic studio house right near Francis Bay, down the hill from the Maho Bay Camp Grounds. There are two other houses here, along with one under construction (sort of, will get to this later). Villa Serenity is one rental that is located along the same 'road'. For two people it is well appointed, meaning the furnishings and kitchen has just about everything you should need. They supply some beach chairs, coolers, and snorkel equipment (I would either buy or rent my own). The back deck has two comfortable lounge chairs, a built in bench, and a wonderful Weber gas grill. There is a screened in porch to keep the bugs out while you enjoy meals. From the deck there is a small path leading up to a hot tub, along with a covered deck that has a bed and small table for two. We thoroughly enjoyed the hot tub in the evenings. The bathroom has two sinks and an outdoor shower and is beautiful. Privacy is complete here, as with the exception of the very front of the house you can't see anything other than the woods or Mary's Creek and Tortola. This house is very well landscaped, and this just adds to the beauty and ambiance of the property. Terry and Olivier are always available to help and we have rented from them three times now. I recommend contacting them directly to rent.
Some other details before the pictures
Kitchen: Completely sufficient, but won't satisfy the 'gourmet'. The knives are dull, the cookware is old and if you need spices or any supplies you should count on bringing them. In our trips this is normal in St John. It more than did the job for us and the use of the Weber grill adds a lot of capability. There is a good water filter on the sink that makes the cistern water drinkable.
Living / Bedroom: Being a studio you get a very comfortable queen sized bed with a couch in front of it. They have a wall mounted flat screen that is connected to a DVD player (no cable). In the desk there is a collection of DVD's and books if you don't bring your own. The A/C is excellent and cools the small space off quickly. We only used it when we had to lock up the house and couldn't get a breeze. There is a large desk in between the couch and kitchen that can give you extra counter space in the kitchen.
Location: This is the difficult part of the review, because the location makes this villa not perfect for everyone. You are a solid 25 min drive from Cruz Bay, and about 15 min from Coral Bay. So if you plan on spending every evening in Cruz Bay, I wouldn't stay here. The close proximity to Maho Bay Camp Ground (as long as it's around) provides an easy, high value dinner and a few provisions if you need them. You can walk to Francis Bay and are only about five minutes from Maho. We love this place for its location. There is little noise, you can't see another house, and you feel like you're all alone out there.
View: The view is incredible. You look out of the house to the east, which has a few implications. First the sun beams into the house in the morning, so if you are a light sleeper you may want to think about this. Second, in the evenings you won't have a sunset view. Ah, but on the positive side now.... The evenings on the porch are magnificent in terms of temperature. In complete shade, with a cool breeze, you can comfortably enjoy the hot tub and porch without getting too hot. Open the back doors and close the screens and you get plenty of breeze. In May we didn't turn on the A/C until bed time when we locked everything up.
Internet / Cell: There is basically no ATT wireless reception here, in fact it connects to the BVI's most of the time (which is useless). The internet was out for the first several days, and when it came back it was too slow for anything other than emails. This is pretty common on the island from what I have read.
There is a house that is sort of under construction above the cottage. It's basically impossible to see it from the house, but on about three occasions there were two people doing some very minor construction there. They seemed to have framed it, and then real construction stalled out. You could hear the two guys working, but at least right now there isn't enough to be bothered with. That said, until it's done you always run some risk of daytime construction noise. This was a non-issue for us.
This Cottage is for Couples looking for a romantic getaway that:
1. Plan to spend evenings at their home or in Coral Bay.
2. Want to stay near Northshore beaches, particularly Maho, Francis, and Cinnamon Bay.
3. Enjoy a hot tub.
4. Need or want true privacy.
This Cottage is not for:
1. More than two people. It has a pullout couch but I think its too small for more than two.
2. People that will spend a lot of time or every evening in Cruz Bay.
3. Those that are looking for a sunset view.
4. A tight budget.
The Entrance
Front of House
The View
Porch and Hot Tub
View From House To Jeep
We stayed at Honeymoon Cottage, which as its name implies, is a romantic studio house right near Francis Bay, down the hill from the Maho Bay Camp Grounds. There are two other houses here, along with one under construction (sort of, will get to this later). Villa Serenity is one rental that is located along the same 'road'. For two people it is well appointed, meaning the furnishings and kitchen has just about everything you should need. They supply some beach chairs, coolers, and snorkel equipment (I would either buy or rent my own). The back deck has two comfortable lounge chairs, a built in bench, and a wonderful Weber gas grill. There is a screened in porch to keep the bugs out while you enjoy meals. From the deck there is a small path leading up to a hot tub, along with a covered deck that has a bed and small table for two. We thoroughly enjoyed the hot tub in the evenings. The bathroom has two sinks and an outdoor shower and is beautiful. Privacy is complete here, as with the exception of the very front of the house you can't see anything other than the woods or Mary's Creek and Tortola. This house is very well landscaped, and this just adds to the beauty and ambiance of the property. Terry and Olivier are always available to help and we have rented from them three times now. I recommend contacting them directly to rent.
Some other details before the pictures
Kitchen: Completely sufficient, but won't satisfy the 'gourmet'. The knives are dull, the cookware is old and if you need spices or any supplies you should count on bringing them. In our trips this is normal in St John. It more than did the job for us and the use of the Weber grill adds a lot of capability. There is a good water filter on the sink that makes the cistern water drinkable.
Living / Bedroom: Being a studio you get a very comfortable queen sized bed with a couch in front of it. They have a wall mounted flat screen that is connected to a DVD player (no cable). In the desk there is a collection of DVD's and books if you don't bring your own. The A/C is excellent and cools the small space off quickly. We only used it when we had to lock up the house and couldn't get a breeze. There is a large desk in between the couch and kitchen that can give you extra counter space in the kitchen.
Location: This is the difficult part of the review, because the location makes this villa not perfect for everyone. You are a solid 25 min drive from Cruz Bay, and about 15 min from Coral Bay. So if you plan on spending every evening in Cruz Bay, I wouldn't stay here. The close proximity to Maho Bay Camp Ground (as long as it's around) provides an easy, high value dinner and a few provisions if you need them. You can walk to Francis Bay and are only about five minutes from Maho. We love this place for its location. There is little noise, you can't see another house, and you feel like you're all alone out there.
View: The view is incredible. You look out of the house to the east, which has a few implications. First the sun beams into the house in the morning, so if you are a light sleeper you may want to think about this. Second, in the evenings you won't have a sunset view. Ah, but on the positive side now.... The evenings on the porch are magnificent in terms of temperature. In complete shade, with a cool breeze, you can comfortably enjoy the hot tub and porch without getting too hot. Open the back doors and close the screens and you get plenty of breeze. In May we didn't turn on the A/C until bed time when we locked everything up.
Internet / Cell: There is basically no ATT wireless reception here, in fact it connects to the BVI's most of the time (which is useless). The internet was out for the first several days, and when it came back it was too slow for anything other than emails. This is pretty common on the island from what I have read.
There is a house that is sort of under construction above the cottage. It's basically impossible to see it from the house, but on about three occasions there were two people doing some very minor construction there. They seemed to have framed it, and then real construction stalled out. You could hear the two guys working, but at least right now there isn't enough to be bothered with. That said, until it's done you always run some risk of daytime construction noise. This was a non-issue for us.
This Cottage is for Couples looking for a romantic getaway that:
1. Plan to spend evenings at their home or in Coral Bay.
2. Want to stay near Northshore beaches, particularly Maho, Francis, and Cinnamon Bay.
3. Enjoy a hot tub.
4. Need or want true privacy.
This Cottage is not for:
1. More than two people. It has a pullout couch but I think its too small for more than two.
2. People that will spend a lot of time or every evening in Cruz Bay.
3. Those that are looking for a sunset view.
4. A tight budget.
Monday, May 21, 2012
St John - The Food
So rather than post where we ate day by day I decided to run a separate post just focused on where we ate, with a few general thoughts. All prices are for the two of us.
We ate every breakfast in, which made sense being as far away from either Coral or Cruz Bay. This worked just fine for us.
Deli Grotto - An old favorite with specialty sandwiches. We love their "Trunk Bay Chicken" sandwich and took it to go both visits. We took this to go on a couple of trips, and had a very good blueberry scone on our way out. This place represents an excellent value on the island. One split sandwich for $9 and a couple bags of chips and two drinks, we're out the door for about $18. (Cash Only)
Sun Dog Cafe - I was happy we got a chance to visit this place up the stairs and in the back of Mongoose Junction. My wife greatly enjoyed the veggie quesadilla that filled her up. The sauce that came with it definitely 'closed the deal' and made this special. I had the BBQ sandwich, and was pleasantly surprised at how good this was. My wife has a coke, I go with tap water, and with tip this meal was $31.
Vie's Snack Shack - Ok, so you want to talk about local food, good value, and high quality, this is the place. The drive out the East End takes awhile, without a doubt. But it was worth it. For $12, you get a tea, a huge piece of fried, garlic chicken, a side of beans and rice, fried plantains, and a "johnny cake", which is a quite decadent biscuit/donut like bread drizzled with honey. I just can't imagine a better value on the island. I haven't been everywhere though. With tip we're out of there for $27. (Cash Only)
Vie's Garlic Chicken
Banana Deck - Ok, so wasn't too impressed with this place. The location is decent, as was the service. The offering made this place feel touristy to me. The drink menu was ice blended, overly sweet drinks, which we each tried. On the positive side we both enjoyed the conch fritters and the sauce on the side. Should've stopped there. I had the mahi from the menu, sauteed with butter and topped with crab meat. It was too rich and nothing special. My wife had the Caribbean chicken, covered with cream sauce. Again too rich and a bit decadent but didn't impress. The sides were huge disappointments, basically a steamed stalk of broccoli and rice. No imagination there. The specialty here seemed to be steak, so I'll take it we missed out, but we had that the previous night so we went other directions. With tip, $96. Didn't get real high marks on the value proposition.
Rhumb Lines - A favorite. We're addicted now to these fritters, so we tried the shrimp and corn fritters here and enjoyed every bite. We tried the 'special' drink which was a mojito with champagne rather than sparkling water. Not the highlight of the night, wish we had passed on this. I had the "ultimate" pad thai, mixed with steak, shrimp, and chicken. The chef knows what he/she is doing. My wife enjoyed her asian glazed salmon. The service and atmosphere has a different vibe, and Rhumb Lines has a professional feel to it that you don't always find on St John. With tip, $100. If there is a restaurant on St John worth the splurge, this is it to me.
Joe's Rum Hut - After a day at the beach we were targeting the Beach Bar, but it was jammed. Joe's was busy but had some room, and I had their specialty burger while my wife had another veggie quesadilla. Both meals were very generous in size. The burger is like a gourmet Big Mac, with two patties, cheese, thousand island, and shredded lettuce. Although about 10x better than a Big Mac. Good fries too... Dinner with a couple happy hour drinks was about $36. Again, I'd give this an "A" for value.
Joe's Pain Killer
Maho Bay Camp Ground - This is off the beaten path, but with us staying in Francis Bay, it was the closest place to eat. We didn't really intend to go here but ended up with two meals from this place. The first was a pesto chicken breast with asparagus and potatoes. Felt like home cooking, and we were both happy with our dinner. The second visit was Prime Rib night, and they do a phenomenal job here with a generous portion of prime rib. Wife had fried polenta with black beans instead this night, it was even plated professionally. I love this place. You sit on this huge deck overlooking Maho, getting a chance to see the sunset. They offer beer and wine at fair prices, but with your meal you can have tea or lemonade. In addition you get a small salad to make on your own with each meal. Ok, so no tip, but you have to bus your own table and clean your own plate. But we got hearty, amazing meals on the cheap. Meals cost $46 and $48, respectively. On a side note, it would just be a huge shame if this place is gone one day, as I understand the lease is up next year.
Maho Sunset (too many clouds!)
I think what we found this time was that you don't have to spend $80-100 for two to eat out every night. To the contrary, eat a meal or two in, have Vie's for a big lunch and a light dinner later, you really can get some of the best food on the island and spend not much more than you would at home.
We ate every breakfast in, which made sense being as far away from either Coral or Cruz Bay. This worked just fine for us.
Deli Grotto - An old favorite with specialty sandwiches. We love their "Trunk Bay Chicken" sandwich and took it to go both visits. We took this to go on a couple of trips, and had a very good blueberry scone on our way out. This place represents an excellent value on the island. One split sandwich for $9 and a couple bags of chips and two drinks, we're out the door for about $18. (Cash Only)
Sun Dog Cafe - I was happy we got a chance to visit this place up the stairs and in the back of Mongoose Junction. My wife greatly enjoyed the veggie quesadilla that filled her up. The sauce that came with it definitely 'closed the deal' and made this special. I had the BBQ sandwich, and was pleasantly surprised at how good this was. My wife has a coke, I go with tap water, and with tip this meal was $31.
Vie's Snack Shack - Ok, so you want to talk about local food, good value, and high quality, this is the place. The drive out the East End takes awhile, without a doubt. But it was worth it. For $12, you get a tea, a huge piece of fried, garlic chicken, a side of beans and rice, fried plantains, and a "johnny cake", which is a quite decadent biscuit/donut like bread drizzled with honey. I just can't imagine a better value on the island. I haven't been everywhere though. With tip we're out of there for $27. (Cash Only)
Vie's Garlic Chicken
Banana Deck - Ok, so wasn't too impressed with this place. The location is decent, as was the service. The offering made this place feel touristy to me. The drink menu was ice blended, overly sweet drinks, which we each tried. On the positive side we both enjoyed the conch fritters and the sauce on the side. Should've stopped there. I had the mahi from the menu, sauteed with butter and topped with crab meat. It was too rich and nothing special. My wife had the Caribbean chicken, covered with cream sauce. Again too rich and a bit decadent but didn't impress. The sides were huge disappointments, basically a steamed stalk of broccoli and rice. No imagination there. The specialty here seemed to be steak, so I'll take it we missed out, but we had that the previous night so we went other directions. With tip, $96. Didn't get real high marks on the value proposition.
Rhumb Lines - A favorite. We're addicted now to these fritters, so we tried the shrimp and corn fritters here and enjoyed every bite. We tried the 'special' drink which was a mojito with champagne rather than sparkling water. Not the highlight of the night, wish we had passed on this. I had the "ultimate" pad thai, mixed with steak, shrimp, and chicken. The chef knows what he/she is doing. My wife enjoyed her asian glazed salmon. The service and atmosphere has a different vibe, and Rhumb Lines has a professional feel to it that you don't always find on St John. With tip, $100. If there is a restaurant on St John worth the splurge, this is it to me.
Joe's Rum Hut - After a day at the beach we were targeting the Beach Bar, but it was jammed. Joe's was busy but had some room, and I had their specialty burger while my wife had another veggie quesadilla. Both meals were very generous in size. The burger is like a gourmet Big Mac, with two patties, cheese, thousand island, and shredded lettuce. Although about 10x better than a Big Mac. Good fries too... Dinner with a couple happy hour drinks was about $36. Again, I'd give this an "A" for value.
Joe's Pain Killer
Maho Bay Camp Ground - This is off the beaten path, but with us staying in Francis Bay, it was the closest place to eat. We didn't really intend to go here but ended up with two meals from this place. The first was a pesto chicken breast with asparagus and potatoes. Felt like home cooking, and we were both happy with our dinner. The second visit was Prime Rib night, and they do a phenomenal job here with a generous portion of prime rib. Wife had fried polenta with black beans instead this night, it was even plated professionally. I love this place. You sit on this huge deck overlooking Maho, getting a chance to see the sunset. They offer beer and wine at fair prices, but with your meal you can have tea or lemonade. In addition you get a small salad to make on your own with each meal. Ok, so no tip, but you have to bus your own table and clean your own plate. But we got hearty, amazing meals on the cheap. Meals cost $46 and $48, respectively. On a side note, it would just be a huge shame if this place is gone one day, as I understand the lease is up next year.
Maho Sunset (too many clouds!)
I think what we found this time was that you don't have to spend $80-100 for two to eat out every night. To the contrary, eat a meal or two in, have Vie's for a big lunch and a light dinner later, you really can get some of the best food on the island and spend not much more than you would at home.
So we're in St John, in our house, we have our jeep and are ready to head to the beaches.
Day 1: Went into town to fill out the paperwork with St John Car Rental since we were so late the previous night. A minor nuisance but glad they accommodate us arriving so late. This works out just fine for us, as we haven't been able to go to Starfish Market to get any provisions just yet. We stop at our favorite deli, Deli Grotto in Mongoose Junction and pick up sandwiches, chips, and drinks to take to the beach. Since we'll be coming back into town afterwards, we go to Salomon for the day because of how close it is to town. Our route was from the top of the Lind Point trail behind the National Park sign on the Northshore Road. The hike down would be quite easy except for the bulky cooler and beach chairs. The payoff makes it all worthwhile though.... There were never more than about ten people on the beach and at times it was just us. We love this beach for many reasons. On the way back I miss a turn on the trail and probably add another mile of hiking, but we'll need those extra calories later for dinner.
We are the first to arrive, picking a spot under one of the palm trees to settle in for the daily routine of reading, swimming, and snorkeling. We consider taking the short hike over to Honeymoon Beach, but can't bring our lazy selves to pick everything up and hike. In the past the point between Honeymoon and Salomon has been one of my favorites. For whatever reason, the fish seem to have moved elsewhere today, so it's not the favorite I remember. It was my first attempt at underwater photography with a Canon D10. Hat's off to all those that have done this type of shooting. Two problems are easy to identify in this type of photography. First, you're moving around with the waves. Second, the fish do not really just sit still and pose for you. Getting a perfectly framed and focused shot takes practice and patience. A few samples from my first attempt:
After dinner we get our groceries for the week so we can pack a few lunches and cook a dinner at the house, which we'll need for the second day.
Day 2
Because the first day was fairly busy by St John vacation standards, along with hiking in the heat, we decide to spend the second day on no hike beaches that are close to the house in Francis Bay. After a lazy morning with coffee and breakfast on the deck, we begin the day at Maho. The first few hours were perfect. It's impossible not to love the low-key feel of this beach, with water so calm it feels like a giant swimming pool. The snorkeling here was wonderful with the bay teeming with starfish, sting rays, and sea turtles. A few more pictures below. After our packed lunch was consumed a family of about ten with five girls between about 4 and 14 parked themselves next to us. Since we have kids (that weren't with us) we certainly understand the work that is involved in keeping kids and everyone happy. But this family eventually chased us off, as they were attempting to all snorkel together at once. One girl couldn't do it, another was screaming from the water as she was forced into it, and the parents and grandparents were yelling between the water and shore. We wanted to head to Francis anyhow, and on our other side a couple started smoking where it was blowing right at us. Time to go. Of all of our trips to Maho, I never remembered it being this crowded. Francis was also busy on this Sunday, several apparent locals along with plenty of tourists. This beach is so big though it was easy to find a good shady spot on the beach.
The Francis snorkel is one of my favorites. As you head out along the eastern most side, there is almost always a sandy place to stand if you need it and the fish and coral are excellent. We end the day grilling steaks on the Weber grill at our house, enjoying the hot tub, and going to bed early after a day in the sun. After the last sting ray photo you can see some Francis underwater pictures.
Day 1: Went into town to fill out the paperwork with St John Car Rental since we were so late the previous night. A minor nuisance but glad they accommodate us arriving so late. This works out just fine for us, as we haven't been able to go to Starfish Market to get any provisions just yet. We stop at our favorite deli, Deli Grotto in Mongoose Junction and pick up sandwiches, chips, and drinks to take to the beach. Since we'll be coming back into town afterwards, we go to Salomon for the day because of how close it is to town. Our route was from the top of the Lind Point trail behind the National Park sign on the Northshore Road. The hike down would be quite easy except for the bulky cooler and beach chairs. The payoff makes it all worthwhile though.... There were never more than about ten people on the beach and at times it was just us. We love this beach for many reasons. On the way back I miss a turn on the trail and probably add another mile of hiking, but we'll need those extra calories later for dinner.
We are the first to arrive, picking a spot under one of the palm trees to settle in for the daily routine of reading, swimming, and snorkeling. We consider taking the short hike over to Honeymoon Beach, but can't bring our lazy selves to pick everything up and hike. In the past the point between Honeymoon and Salomon has been one of my favorites. For whatever reason, the fish seem to have moved elsewhere today, so it's not the favorite I remember. It was my first attempt at underwater photography with a Canon D10. Hat's off to all those that have done this type of shooting. Two problems are easy to identify in this type of photography. First, you're moving around with the waves. Second, the fish do not really just sit still and pose for you. Getting a perfectly framed and focused shot takes practice and patience. A few samples from my first attempt:
After dinner we get our groceries for the week so we can pack a few lunches and cook a dinner at the house, which we'll need for the second day.
Day 2
Because the first day was fairly busy by St John vacation standards, along with hiking in the heat, we decide to spend the second day on no hike beaches that are close to the house in Francis Bay. After a lazy morning with coffee and breakfast on the deck, we begin the day at Maho. The first few hours were perfect. It's impossible not to love the low-key feel of this beach, with water so calm it feels like a giant swimming pool. The snorkeling here was wonderful with the bay teeming with starfish, sting rays, and sea turtles. A few more pictures below. After our packed lunch was consumed a family of about ten with five girls between about 4 and 14 parked themselves next to us. Since we have kids (that weren't with us) we certainly understand the work that is involved in keeping kids and everyone happy. But this family eventually chased us off, as they were attempting to all snorkel together at once. One girl couldn't do it, another was screaming from the water as she was forced into it, and the parents and grandparents were yelling between the water and shore. We wanted to head to Francis anyhow, and on our other side a couple started smoking where it was blowing right at us. Time to go. Of all of our trips to Maho, I never remembered it being this crowded. Francis was also busy on this Sunday, several apparent locals along with plenty of tourists. This beach is so big though it was easy to find a good shady spot on the beach.
The Francis snorkel is one of my favorites. As you head out along the eastern most side, there is almost always a sandy place to stand if you need it and the fish and coral are excellent. We end the day grilling steaks on the Weber grill at our house, enjoying the hot tub, and going to bed early after a day in the sun. After the last sting ray photo you can see some Francis underwater pictures.
Sunday, May 20, 2012
Trip Report: Day 1 of St John, May of 2012
We had a wonderful trip to St John, our fourth visit in the last five years. But this trip, more than any of the others, was fraught with problems, mostly generated by myself.
Our minor adventure begins in Houston, our departure point for this trip. We upgraded to first class on United down to San Juan, and were fortunate to get on a 737-900ER, a new plane in service right around a year. It felt bigger and cleaner than most of the jets we fly on United. It's nice to have that kind of leg room and a decent meal on a flight that extends over four hours. Unlike the horror stories of poor service on United as of late, we had excellent service on this trip. First Class still has at least some merit besides bigger seats.
The excitement begins in San Juan, where we connected with Cape Air and their fleet of Cessna 402's. These are dual propeller planes that extend Jet Blue and United's network from San Juan to several smaller Caribbean airports. After a failed attempt to catch an earlier plane (full) we were anxious to get over to St Thomas so we could catch the 7pm ferry to St John. No such luck. First they claim the plane is delayed due to weather in Mayaguez, where our plane was originating. Then the plane lands about 20 minutes after our 6:15pm departure time, and they tell the five passengers we'll load up shortly. Another half hour passes, other flights leave. Not us.
Eventually they line us up, near 7:40pm, and we discover they were waiting on another couple from a connecting flight so that they wouldn't have to take two trips over. Fine, but please, just tell us so we can go get a drink or dinner or something. Poor, poor service. The flight takes a bit more than a half hour, and it was too exciting for our tastes. Thunderstorms have now formed in the area and in this little plane, we're flying under and around them. For a nervous flier like myself, this was nerve wracking. It's pitch black, the guy flying the plane is in his younger 20's, and all you can see is the lightning. I know that the plane is safe, we're probably not that close to the lightning, but it's a rough flight and that's all you can see. Eventually we land, at 8:15, and we had hired Warren Gordon to take us to Red Hook. He has managed us through Carnival on St Thomas in the past, and we'll use him in the future.
We catch the 9pm ferry and arrive at 9:15, now haggard from the travel day. Our villa manager was there with our jeep, but our plans to get the groceries are shot (9pm closure) and we're off to our house, Honeymoon Cottage in Francis Bay. We arrive in the dark but there is some solar lighting leading the path to the house. We get the bags in and take a brief walk around, both landing on the screened in porch. The door closes behind my wife. Uh oh, this is one of those locks that you can open from the inside even when locked. We turn around and there is no way in the house.
No mind, I probably haven't locked the front door. I have no shoes but traverse the grounds and make it to the front door. Locked. Minor panic sets in. We have nothing other than the clothes on our backs, no jeep keys, no phones, nothing. We're in the middle of nowhere. Never having burglarized a house, I'm now searching for potential ways to break in, or where we will sleep around Francis overnight. Finally, I check the sliding glass door in the bathroom, accessible by a small path from the back deck. Open. It has an unusual lock, and I had fiddled with it when we walked in, and had inadvertently unlocked it. We're safe for the night.
Our minor adventure begins in Houston, our departure point for this trip. We upgraded to first class on United down to San Juan, and were fortunate to get on a 737-900ER, a new plane in service right around a year. It felt bigger and cleaner than most of the jets we fly on United. It's nice to have that kind of leg room and a decent meal on a flight that extends over four hours. Unlike the horror stories of poor service on United as of late, we had excellent service on this trip. First Class still has at least some merit besides bigger seats.
The excitement begins in San Juan, where we connected with Cape Air and their fleet of Cessna 402's. These are dual propeller planes that extend Jet Blue and United's network from San Juan to several smaller Caribbean airports. After a failed attempt to catch an earlier plane (full) we were anxious to get over to St Thomas so we could catch the 7pm ferry to St John. No such luck. First they claim the plane is delayed due to weather in Mayaguez, where our plane was originating. Then the plane lands about 20 minutes after our 6:15pm departure time, and they tell the five passengers we'll load up shortly. Another half hour passes, other flights leave. Not us.
Eventually they line us up, near 7:40pm, and we discover they were waiting on another couple from a connecting flight so that they wouldn't have to take two trips over. Fine, but please, just tell us so we can go get a drink or dinner or something. Poor, poor service. The flight takes a bit more than a half hour, and it was too exciting for our tastes. Thunderstorms have now formed in the area and in this little plane, we're flying under and around them. For a nervous flier like myself, this was nerve wracking. It's pitch black, the guy flying the plane is in his younger 20's, and all you can see is the lightning. I know that the plane is safe, we're probably not that close to the lightning, but it's a rough flight and that's all you can see. Eventually we land, at 8:15, and we had hired Warren Gordon to take us to Red Hook. He has managed us through Carnival on St Thomas in the past, and we'll use him in the future.
We catch the 9pm ferry and arrive at 9:15, now haggard from the travel day. Our villa manager was there with our jeep, but our plans to get the groceries are shot (9pm closure) and we're off to our house, Honeymoon Cottage in Francis Bay. We arrive in the dark but there is some solar lighting leading the path to the house. We get the bags in and take a brief walk around, both landing on the screened in porch. The door closes behind my wife. Uh oh, this is one of those locks that you can open from the inside even when locked. We turn around and there is no way in the house.
No mind, I probably haven't locked the front door. I have no shoes but traverse the grounds and make it to the front door. Locked. Minor panic sets in. We have nothing other than the clothes on our backs, no jeep keys, no phones, nothing. We're in the middle of nowhere. Never having burglarized a house, I'm now searching for potential ways to break in, or where we will sleep around Francis overnight. Finally, I check the sliding glass door in the bathroom, accessible by a small path from the back deck. Open. It has an unusual lock, and I had fiddled with it when we walked in, and had inadvertently unlocked it. We're safe for the night.
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