New Year's Eve Party

Birthday bliss

For my birthday, I treated myself to a massage from One Love.

I may need to have birthdays more often.

A birthday present from the Universe

Life is so good.

Click here to watch the video of the dolphins who visited us on our way home from the BVIs.

A Ring Around the Sun To See Us Off

Home

for the next three days.

Crucian Instant Coffee

Illegible Xmas

Think cold

I made an ice lantern to add to the Christmas magic.

It melted fast.

Leaving a trail so Santa can find us

Someone Needs Parental Guidance

New Favorite Thing

Black Cake!

Christmas In Bloom

Seaplane!

Slow Down Machine

Well this explains a few things.

Winter Wonderland

Baby Boat

So we can get to the big boat.

Bingo Sunset

Not Much

beats a moonlight kayak trip.

Bad Influence

Boat Parade

We missed the Christmas Boat Parade due to our own little 1-boat parade yesterday

but a trip downtown after the droves cleared out offered a peek at next year's competition.

Moving Day

Matt

My nephew got in on the lionfishing action today.

More Beer!

Oreo

Kitchen Help

Good Omen

Changing a boat's name is a hugely big deal wrapped in tradition and is not to be taken lightly. However, we've decided to buy a boat and have been discussing changing its unfortunate name. I was convinced that upon doing so the boat might actually throw itself at the bottom, but it has to be done. We met the owners today and sealed the deal. Within minutes of handing over the money a deer ( a deer on St Croix! ) leapt from the shore and swam out across the bow of our new boat. I've only seen such a thing one other time- at the place of our boat's new namesake.

This is Watauga.

Now for a few days of light reading...

This Island Stinks

Baby Devil

I had hoped to participate in a Lionfish tournament Saturday, but was called in to work to run a snorkel trip.

Divers don't like snorkel trips.

But during the trip I saw a lionfish in about 10ft of water that surely had to be a prize winner in the "Smallest" category. I grabbed a mask box off the boat, swam down and caught it.

I got down to the weigh-in with 3 minutes to spare and found out that my contribution was a meager 1.3 grams.

There was 1 smaller.

If there was any good news, its that there was only 1 fish killed that was of breeding maturity. But that won't be the case for long with all these small ones eating our reef fish and growing. Thanks to the day's hunters there are about 60 less of them though.

Its just too much excitement for some folk.

Atmospheric Insanity

The air has been so clear lately that we've been able to see Puerto Rico from the boats at work. And the Saints on the horizon look like they're a mile away (instead of 40).

We had the makings of an amazing sunset,

then got one that had jaded locals pulling out cameras all over the boardwalk.

Dreaming Big

Killin' 'Em Dead

Roadside Paleontology

Poolside Crock Pot

Our power's been out so we've had to resort to using an outlet up the hill at the landlord's pool.

Richmond Update

Our avocado tree has sprouted its first limbs!

Fancy

The Corwith Cramer and Roseway have stopped by to visit.

These, we can't afford.

Still Daydreaming

This is Gizmo.

We might be able to afford it.

We might not.

Jump Up

Jump Up is our quarterly celebration during which Christiansted is blocked off

for dancing in the streets

and steel pan orchestras.

This time it was also the first appearance of Christmas lights on palm trees

and light posts.

I think maybe the snowflake is taking things a little too far.