Dave-a-roni's trip report, part 2

Dave-a-roni · Post by **Dave-a-roni** » Wed Jul 30, 2008 1:31 am

Day 3
More morning Bananaquits
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Today's beach decision was Cinnamon. I loved it last time and only saw it for a brief period of time. I was itching to take it in even more this time. We packed in both vans reasonably early, not what I have expected with so many people, but so far were pulling it off, especially with 3 teenagers. We headed out on the North Shore road once again, my Niece Abby spotted two donkeys about 10 minutes out of Cruz bay off in some overgrown driveway with litter all over the ground. We stopped and talked to them for a little while.
<a href="http://s173.photobucket.com/albums/w41/ ... =donky.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w41/ ... /donky.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

Before the beach, we walked around the Cinnamon Ruins with my father in law and his elderly brother who loved nature and history.

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After that, every one went to the beach as my niece Abby joined me for the Cinnamon loop hike. We liked it, and found the above ground graves creepy.
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Cinnamon was what I remembered it to be, awesome... I really like this beach for some reason.
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But quite frankly the snorkeling around Cinnamon Cay was a bit disappointing. My 15-year-old nephew Pete joined me for part of it. The fact that it was windy and mostly cloudy outside didn't help a bit. I remember there being more to see here, and it seemed like the coral was dying in a lot of spots around the cay.
So, after taking a snack break and a picture taking session on the beach, I snatched up my gear once again and headed out solo in search of the plane wreck in Little Cinnamon. I walked the furthest I could along the camp beach and then swam in. I swam for a long time, looking, looking, and more looking. I was coming up with no results. I did however find something, but I'm not sure what it was.
<a href="http://s173.photobucket.com/albums/w41/ ... ondoor.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w41/ ... ondoor.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
It looks like a boat door???, or the side of a plane? Anyone know if this has any relation to the plane wreck? I kept on swimming, I think I even went over into Peter bay. Exhausted and disappointed, I decided to head back, I swam much closer to the shore this time, then... out of the blue... I ran right into it!

I was happy I found it... I was going to be pissed if I couldn't find it, I took several video's and pictures of it. I floated there and stared at it for a while. Very neat

Kinda creepy....
<a href="http://s173.photobucket.com/albums/w41/ ... wreck2.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w41/ ... wreck2.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

When I got back to the beach and declaired my finding to the group, my neice Abby and my wife wanted to see it as well. So I went back out to show them... exhausting, whew! I burned some calories today!

Back at the villa, everyone was sitting around and relaxing. I went out for a walk with my camera down into Chocolate Hole, along the road that wrapped around behind the construction. I found a priceless sign

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Day 4
Sorry, no Bananaquit pics today, I gave them a break and let them eat their junk food in peace!

The group split in two today, one group of 6 (me included) going to Coral bay, and the other group of 6 going to St. Thomas. It was actually cheaper for them to drive to the ferry barge and ferry their van over to Red Hook, so that's what they did.

We took the north shore road to Coral bay so all the newbies could scope the awesome views of the north shore beaches along the way and talk about what beach we might want to go to next.
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Rolling into Cocolobo, we were inundated by goats, it seemed like there was a million of them

A plethora of goats! It was like a huge pack of living vacuum cleaners...
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I walked out into the road for some sweet photo ops as a local's jeep was impatient as he decided to do a rolling stop through the herd and knocked a goat right in the ass off the road. That really pissed me off and I threw my hands up in the air like a "what the **** was that!" gesture

.

We ordered up some drinks and grub from the Aqua bistro's round bar as I recognized the guy who "hit" the goat a few minutes ago, walking by (I guess he parked here) He stopped to talk to me and was as jolly as could be, he said to me that he was sorry and hoped that I was able to get a picture of the goats. Slightly confused, I assured him that I didn't care about pictures, I was concerned about him running over goats, and told him that he should toot the horn at them instead of running into them to get them out of the way. I don't think he understood me... he went on his merry way

.

Being the nature lover and hiker that I am, I was dropped off at Saltpond to do the Drunk bay trail and then Ram's head as I was to be picked up later at a assumed time. The rest of of the group didn't want to go, so they went perusing in Coral bay.
I have been dying to make a Coral person, and take Coral People pictures, so I couldn't wait. The hike across the Salt Pond on the Drunk bay trail as utterly fascinating, I stopped a lot to take pictures, the smell and overall look the place reminded me of Yellowstone National Park.
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Me and my Coral person. He's laying out on the rocks

<a href="http://s173.photobucket.com/albums/w41/ ... ralguy.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w41/ ... ralguy.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

This was one of my fav's, a skull and cross bones.
<a href="http://s173.photobucket.com/albums/w41/ ... drunk1.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w41/ ... drunk1.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

I spent so much time along the Drunk bay trail and at Drunk bay, that I ran out of time to do the Ram's Head trail. Seeing Ram's head in the distance and not being able to explore it was killing me

... but I had to head back the the van were everyone was waiting for me.

This here is my neice Abby, we were teasing her in Starfish market because she accidentally knocked some little boy in the head with a gallon of milk because she was swinging it around

.
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Tonight we decided we were going to do some Survivor challenges. We split everyone down the middle, 2 tribes, 6 people each. No voting off, just reward challenges

The very 1st challenge was carrying a soaking wet towel across the villa pool and ring it out to fill a bucket to a certain point, then go back across the pool to soak the towel again. The first tribe to fill the bucket win's, and gets breakfast cooked for them the next morning by the losing tribe.
My tribe got there buts kicked! Of course when all the fun is over I look down at my watch and it's 10:30 pm.... Oh crap! I forgot about the beach bar gathering!!!

Sorry! What did I miss?
Here's some Frangipani Caterpillars at the villa, partaking in a eating orgy of this flower that get's shorter by the day

.
<a href="http://s173.photobucket.com/albums/w41/ ... illars.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w41/ ... illars.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

cptnkirk · Post by **cptnkirk** » Wed Jul 30, 2008 6:04 am

Bravo Davaroni love your pics

The bananaquits are really cool Frangipani Caterpillars pic Love it!
We waited for that herd to cross at Coral bay near the signs coming out of the bushes they just kept coming and coming. My buddy and I looked at each other and were like WOW thats a $hitload of goats. Kinda made me hungry for some Curry Goat

I wonder if they are someones herd or are just wild and on there own. Those little baby ones sure were cute.
Keep up the good work and post lots moe pics!

cocosmom · Post by **cocosmom** » Wed Jul 30, 2008 7:59 am

Love your report and pics. All those people together must have been great. Can't wait to hear the rest.

Tracy in WI · Post by **Tracy in WI** » Wed Jul 30, 2008 8:41 am

Thanks Dave -

I'm really enjoying your report and pictures. That really is a large group of goats, isn't it??

Thanks for sharing - I like all your hiking and snorkeling adventures too. We never did find that airplane propeller when we tried - glad you were able to!

Tracy

sea-nile · Post by **sea-nile** » Wed Jul 30, 2008 8:44 am

great report and pictures!
I love that snowmobile sign...

onthelake · Post by **onthelake** » Wed Jul 30, 2008 8:47 am

Thanks for the great reports and pics!
We have seen those caterpillers at Cruz Views the last few times. They are so colorfull!

PA Girl · Post by **PA Girl** » Wed Jul 30, 2008 9:17 am

Great coral guy.

I suspect STJ locals feel the same way about their goats as people in my area do about groundhogs, a pain in the a_s disposable animal. (roads in our area are littered with them)

We saw some of the same behavior on our last trip. As a fellow animal lover, it makes me sad too.

jmq · Post by **jmq** » Wed Jul 30, 2008 10:03 am

Love the shot of goat rush hour, but way too much leg in the sandy feet shot

(the ladies might have a different opinion - you hope anyway)

hugo · Post by **hugo** » Wed Jul 30, 2008 10:04 am

First, Dave-a-roni, your trip report is great-
Couple of points: these animals in your photo are actually sheep, not goats (sheep tail hangs down, goat tail sticks up) and they do belong to someone in Coral Bay. At least some of local driver frustration is actually anger at the owner for not keeping them on his land--the ever expanding size of the herd and their oblivious attitude to traffic can make me snarl when I'm in a hurry.This is not an island tradition, since the same herd of sheep was rarely seen when its old owner was alive. Not that I condone running over sheep, but... there are a large group of animals, including goats, donkeys, deer, mongoose and iguanas, that were brought to the island for one reason or another and are now problems for the people who live here and/or the survival or recovery of native vegetation. I won't get too far on the ecological soapbox...thanks for the super photos.

chicagoans · Post by **chicagoans** » Wed Jul 30, 2008 10:57 am

Great report! I love the idea of the Survivor games - I plan to copy that for an upcoming multi-family trip.

Also love the pics - especially the "no snow mobiles"! Funny. Maybe the same sign maker that put this one up on the way to Hurricane Hole:

cass · Post by **cass** » Wed Jul 30, 2008 11:11 am

Great pictures and report. Great job on the anatomically correct Coral Person!

iowaguy · Post by **iowaguy** » Wed Jul 30, 2008 11:29 am

Thanks Dave-a roni. Those goats just really amuse me. Looks like they're all heading to Island Blues for a party.

RickG · Post by **RickG** » Wed Jul 30, 2008 11:57 am

Chillintastic

Cheers, RickG

Nancy_B · Post by **Nancy_B** » Wed Jul 30, 2008 12:54 pm

I'm loving your reports. It looks like you needed a non-beach day as the one woman was pretty red in her picture. Also, I think the same person who posted the snow signs brought the Garden State Parkway sign to Skinny's. I often wonder how they got them there

California Girl · Post by **California Girl** » Wed Jul 30, 2008 1:05 pm

Ah, Dave... another fine report!

I love your coral person too! He's definitely limin! And regardless of what jmq says, I think you have nice legs! LOL! Keep the great pictures coming!

usvi-on-line

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Dave-a-roni's trip report, part 2

Dave-a-roni's trip report, part 2