St Thomas 2020
Day 8: Sunday, July 26
Parasailing, snorkeling Sapphire and a little adventure trip...
Up at the crack of dawn again and didn't sleep well. Once again, we were going to try to go parasailing. We really wasn't having much luck with it. The winds had really been high most of the time we were here and the only time I seen any parasailing out there during the late afternoon was either the first day we were here or sometime during the morning hours. I have to say the guys over there kept in good contact with me and never once tried to charge my card for it during this entire mess. They kept saying "we'll try again tomorrow".
So, yesterday we were looking online to see what they had available. I decided to call them and ask if maybe it would be better if we picked a morning (around noon) slot because they seem to be going out early and it's just as the day goes by the wind gets angry or it rains. They said that would probably be worth a shot.
I looked online and decided to pick an 11am spot instead. Then I noticed that if you book online it's actually cheaper...so that's what I did.
During our entire stay Billy kept saying how nice it was there and he knew that a majority of the condo's were rentals. He said it sure would be nice to buy one of these and come often and then rent it out, like others do, for income when we're not there. He kept saying the whole week "we should both go in on one and buy it". I'm honestly not sure how he thinks that would work since most really do not have actual bedrooms (or they built a wall around the only bedroom but it's still the same size) and even the 2 story ones have a bedroom upstairs but not one downstairs, would we all fit?? I surely don't want to stay cooped up in a small place like that with both of our families for any extended period of time. Unless...we planned on going at different times and we all know that Kendra can't plan anything by herself and they all depend on me for every entire journey we take.
So, the hubby and I spent our morning on the balcony and we both started looking up places for sale here. I messaged Billy like here's your price....only $673,500 you got half right? He couldn't believe it! It was located in the same building they were in and on the bottom floor. Of course I had to show him the most expensive one I had found and then I worked my way down in pricing. $430k then $335k, $330k, and the cheapest one I found was $255k and on the marina (which I wouldn't want). You could get a cheaper place over at Crystal Cove next door or even the places up on the hill, but I would never spend my money on a place that just didn't satisfy me for a vacation much less to have it as my own.
Now everyone in the family (except me) were getting ate up during this stay. No clue if they were the no seeums or mosquito's or what. Bumps would randomly pop up all over them and they said they itched. The hubby said he did see a few of "them" on his legs but he didn't know what type of bug it was. I just know they were ate up all over their body. Here's the hubby's foot. I wonder why I never got not one bite the entire 2 weeks we were there? Maybe they decided I had endured enough and left me alone.
The beautiful sunrise this morning bouncing off the clouds.
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I decided to make a little breakfast for the fam...
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Then it was back out to the balcony to relax, people and iguana watch, enjoy the scenery, and I SPOTTED THE PARASAILING BOAT OUT THERE! I was excited to see it. That meant so far they were running. I would continue to watch it all morning and updating Kendra that things were looking good for us and it was still out there. Then all of a sudden, I didn't see it anymore. I told her about it. We had hoped that this only meant they didn't have a booking at that time. Then Kendra spots it from her balcony, really far away by St John. Oh yea, I completely forgot that they throw in a few St John times during the day. Whew!
It was almost 11 and we headed over to the marina. It looked like this was really going to happen for us today! We were all so excited.
A pelican was waiting for our arrival and it was time to board the "Just Chute Me" boat. We also had another couple with us for this trip.
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It didn't take long and we were off. As we went along, we started gearing up with our life jackets and he came around and put on our harness. It looked like we were going first! Yikes! (Not really, we were all excited and not nervous at all ... but I guess we were the guinea pigs). He said "We haven't lost anyone yet today. Wait, I think this is how you put them together, I watched the youtube video". LOL He was funny.
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They had the hubby go first, then Sakari and then it was my turn. Sit down and slide along into the harness...only my slide consisted of my bathing suit shorts sliiiiiding dooooown! Oops. I wiggled and wiggled trying to get them back up the best I could.
And then it was lift off time...
I had given Kendra my other camera so that she could take pictures from down below. See, it's always good to have an extra camera for things like this. Although I have to say, she really didn't take many pictures while we were up there. She's definitely not my child. Maybe she should have given it to Kam instead. I know I can count on Kam to take plenty.
Ok, so about the parasailing experience...OH EM GEE! It was AMAZING! Gliding in the air so high up and seeing everything down below. I never wanted to come down. It was SO peaceful up there. Sakari said she felt like a bird and loved it! She giggled with excitement and said "hello" and waved to the paraglider down below us. You could tell she was having a great time and it's something that she has always wanted to do.
Meanwhile, Kendra and the crew were getting geared up too.
I slowly felt us turning and going down...here we go, it was time for the big dip in the ocean. The part I had dreaded. I had ask about this and was assured it was a gentle dip and I would be fine with my leg. If I didn't want to dip, they wouldn't do it but I didn't want to take that experience away from Sakari so we were dipping! If this event was going to take me out...it was going to take me out having fun! What can I say? My adventurous side was coming out. I just can't stand the thought of not being able to do things that I would normally do!
Down, down, down we went. My husband started yelling "Hold your leg up Kim!" I kinda tucked it up under me and figured that would be better than holding it up. Holding it up would cause the waves to push against it. Tucking would flow with the leg.
I did it! I was in the clear! No pain at all. It was so much fun and felt so good. I was proud of myself. I had accomplished something I have always wanted to do but something had always came in the way of us doing it (and despite all the failed attempts while we were here, we was able to check something off the bucket list. But shhh, I'm adding it back on the bucket list because it was so much fun and I wanna do it again!)
We came back in and had a decent landing...once again "lift your feet". They told us to scoot over to the steps and I took that opportunity to drag my butt like a dog does to get my swimming shorts back up and hopefully no one noticed.
Billy was up first and then Brayden. When it was Kendra's turn, she came over and ask Kam one last time if she wanted to do it and she said no and hung onto me and said "no, no, no!" Kendra handed me her phone and said "btw, you're on facebook live right now so keep it going" LOL She was testing my skills of being able to hold her phone up during the entire flight AND take pictures and video's from my camera.
UP, UP, AND AWAY!!! They were up in the sky and floating high! The song comes on "Sending out an SOS" LOL Perfect!
See those skills I have in the pic below?? :D
Then it was time for the dip!
I'm pretty sure Billy was relieved after the dip as well. He also broke his leg/ankle a year and a half ago, but only one side and has a plate and screws. You twist it the wrong way and he definitely feels it and hurts. But, he didn't have any issues either.
If anyone is wondering why Kendra has on socks...she had a new pair of sandals and ended up with blisters so wore socks everywhere she went after that.
They all came in with smiles on their faces! They definitely had a great time!
We relaxed during the boat ride for the other couple's parasailing and all sat around and talked about what a great time it was and how we want to do it again next time we go somewhere.
As the boat slowed down, we knew our adventure we had been waiting all week for was coming to an end. We slowly pulled in to the dock. Mr Pelican was waiting for our return and welcomed us back.
Here is a video I compiled between mine and Kendra's video's. I must add that Kendra didn't even get a video of us dipping in the water!! I am extremely upset and voiced it to her. Her reply was that "you couldn't even tell who you were or see you". Um...but I took a video of them with their experience. We know who they are, she knows who she is and now I don't have that memory. I'm disowning her now. Just kidding...or am I?
As if this wasn't enough adrenaline for me, I was ready to go on to the next adventure. I ask Kendra if she wanted to head over to Coki for awhile to snorkel and she said she didn't want to and neither did the kids...and surprisingly enough, neither did Sakari. Say What????? This was so unlike her. Kendra had ended up with her lips blistered the other day and she said there was no way she was putting a snorkel in her mouth at this point. The kids would rather swim at the pool. So, I told her I was headed to Coki and off went me and the hubby.
Now it was around 12:30pm and we grabbed our things and headed out. Short drive to Coki and....there was not only no place to park but you could barely squeeze by on the road because of so many people parked out on the road on both sides. It was crazy!! I decided this was not for us at all. I couldn't walk from down the street up the hill. We would just have to head back.
We got all the way back to the condo and I decided we WERE going to do SOMETHING! I didn't care if it was a different beach but I'm not going back to spend the rest of the day just at Sapphire.
So...I had been looking up beaches before coming and the landlord had mentioned something about the town Tutu close by so I looked up how to get to Tutu Beach and we turned around and headed that way.
Heading off the main road and I'm driving...left side and up a steep hill. I miss a turn and once I finally got turned around I had to make a turn that thank goodness no one was coming down the hill or I wouldn't be here telling you this story. The tires on the van sqealed as it tried to make the really sharp turn. Yikes!
We kept going and going and the hills were getting steeper and harder to drive. I honestly was getting scared. I had no idea when this was going to end. I mentioned turning around several different times. The hubby reassured me that it was ok and keep going. I should have never listened to him. I kept checking the map.
You see this winding road? Yea, we were on it.
Don't get me wrong, the views on the way there were amazing! It was really hard to get any pictures because I was so nervous and actually shaking at this point and didn't want to dare lift the death grip of my now turned blue fingertips from the steering wheel to take a picture. No way, no how!
There were places that had a drop off along side of the road. There were places that it looked like no one ever traveled that road because there were weeds and bushes growing on the pavement. But hey, at least there was pavement right? WRONG! We made it down one of the hills and all of a sudden the road ended and the dirt road started. I told the hubby "I'm done! We are turning around!" We looked at the map and he said "But we're almost there babe...you can do it" "Do what? Kill us?" This obviously isn't a beach and it's obviously the reason why I couldn't find much on it or pictures. Does it look like a beach people drive to? NO, it doesn't"
He was peer pressuring me so my dumb self headed down the dirt road. It was so bumpy and at times the mud holes in the road were so deep that I bottomed out. It was ridiculous. Then I seen someone behind me. Wait what? There is some form of civilization around here? They are coming to kill us. We are not supposed to veer off the main and tourist roads. We are going to die! Then all of a sudden they turned off. There was actually a house back there! Can you imagine driving to work back and forth every day like that? I would have a heart attack! I really wished I had taken a picture of the large holes that we bottomed out on. They were so big.
Then as we were coming up the hill, I spotted some pavement. I was never so happy to see pavement in my life! As I tried to make it up no the pavement, the wheels to the van were spinning. I didn't think we were going to make it and there was no place to really turn around.
We made it up to the top of the pavement and couldn't even see down the other side. I slammed on my breaks and put my hands up in the air and surrendered! I'm done. I don't care if it's 20' from here. I'm done! I pulled to the left and there were 2 roads of pavement going to the left or right. Only both have a huge fence up and we couldn't go that way. This must be where they bring the dead bodies of the people that adventure off into places like this! I turned around and the hubby had me stop. He said he was going to walk down that way and see if he could see anything. Oh just great! Leave me here all alone! Down he went and out of site.
I hate that when you take pictures, the picture doesn't even begin to describe the way things looked in person. This hill (above) doesn't appear to bad but when the hubby finally returned, he was really panting and holding his legs and said he didn't think it was going to be that bad just walking it but driving it would be just as bad and there's no place to turn around. He agreed that we would go back. Well hallelujah! Finally! He said it was a small spot and not what we were looking for. See, we wasted all this time and should have turned around back when I first wanted to.
I told him he was driving back. My heart couldn't take it. I was done and scared. As soon as he got in the drivers seat a huge SUV Escalade that was high up went by and waved. Then a jeep came up from the area of the "beach" and went by. Ok, it was our turn. Get us out of here. They all must have thought we were nuts in a mini van trying this.
We finally made it to the pavement and time to climb the hills again. Some of these turns were so sharp that the wheels were spinning and squealing. I just prayed that another vehicle was not coming because honestly, a lot of the times you couldn't tell.
I tried to focus on my surroundings and taking pictures to calm my nerves. I know how the hubby gets though and it's hard for me to enjoy it when he's driving because he likes to look as well and these are not the type of roads to be taking your eyes off the road. The trees were so pretty...I do give it that.
I tried to get pictures of the beautiful water WAAYYYY down below, but I was on the wrong side of the road and it didn't work out too great.
We finally made it down to the main road and I took a few pictures of the town. It looked like it was going to rain and there were a few sprinkles. I was just glad it didn't start raining when we were on those hills.
We finally made it back and I was never so happy to be back at the condo. Don't let me get any idea like this again in any near future I told the hubby. Of course now that we are ok, his reply was "it wasn't that bad...well, maybe it was". LOL
All I knew is that I NEEDED some water. We didn't make it to the beach so we were going to utilize our own beach before the lock down at 4pm.
We gathered our snorkeling gear and headed out to the water.
I took a few pictures here and there but the water was really rough and it wasn't working out too great. My dry snorkel wasn't so dry at this time and eventually we just gave up and got out.
We called it a day of adventure and I was hangry at this point. We went back to the condo to whip up something quick and sit out on the deck for awhile and reflect on what kind of crap I just got us into today.
I took this video to show what the beach looked like at 4:30pm. Obviously people are packing up but also obvious that they aren't out of here and off the beach by 4pm for sure. I would even watch once everyone was actually completely gone off the beach...other people would walk out and get in the water and even go off snorkeling. Now I imagine it's new arrivals that have no idea what is going on with the weekend 4pm closures. But wouldn't you think it was weird that you are the only one's out there? On a weekend?
We decided to head down to the pool where Kendra said they were and play time was on...
I noticed that Kendra had disappeared on us and so did Kam. I found her. She was trying to one up on me with the seaglass collection. You know I wasn't about to let that happen, so I grabbed a baggie and headed down to collect my own. It's always a successful day every time we go down there.
We stayed at the pool until after the sun went down and it was really dark. We decided to head back for the the night and have dinner, showers, then bed.