Posted by Rick Civelli | 10.13.2008 | WB Surf Camp News

Take me back to the Caribbean…………………

Wow!!!! was the first thing I said when I looked under the surface of the water with my snorkel gear on our second day in St. John. Neither my husband, Jason, nor I had ever snorkeled before, and it was without a doubt the highlight of our vacation. There is nothing as clear and blue as the waters of the Caribbean, and to be shown the epitome of the top notch snorkeling spots by our friends…….we felt so blessed! Okay, let me back up. Upon arrival in St. Thomas, we were greeted by our friends of 13 years. We hopped in their rugged 4-Runner and took off to the ferry. I am thankful I wasn’t given the responsibility of driving during this adventure because the switchbacks, hills, and the fact that you drive on the opposite side of the road made for an interesting journey for these two stateside residents! Once on St. John, we arrived at our friends’ house in Maho. What a view they have of the blue waters of the Caribbean and a natural salt pond……truly paradise. I know I looked like a kid on Christmas Day because that is exactly how I felt. We unloaded our luggage and then headed down to Maho Beach for a swim. How amazing that warm, clear water felt after traveling. I could feel the relaxation overtaking my body and the salty sea water doing its job. I now know what our clients feel like who attend our Adult Caribbean Surf Camp who have never been to this part of the world before. You never want to leave!!! We cooked up a yummy dinner of fresh tuna tacos, rice, and beans, and settled in for the evening. The next day was to be our snorkeling adventure!

We woke up early and had our morning cups of joe, and then headed down to board the Sadie Sea for a day of snorkeling and hiking. As I said, the snorkeling was absolutely amazing. We snorkeled a place called Tektite, which has an interesting history having to do with NASA and experiments……………………..I won’t go into the details.. But very cool place to snorkel! Lots of caves to explore, but this amateur wasn’t quite ready to do any free diving yet. Jason said it best….. “I feel like I’m in an aquarium!” During this awe-inspiring excursion, we hiked up the Petroglyph Trail. How incredible to see petroglyphs that are hundreds of years old, tucked away deep in the tropics of the Caribbean. After our boating adventure, we took a rinse in Hawksnest Bay, which was the perfect ending to the day!     

The rest of the week was filled with swimming, snorkeling, and hiking………………….I felt like a true island girl! One day we decided to really immerse ourselves in island living, and we visited a salt pond where we covered ourselves in the mineral-filled mud found deep within the pond. After getting nice and muddy, we went over to Drunks Bay on the Atlantic side to let the mud seep in. Surrounded by coral, we baked on the rocks and thought about how good it feels to be alive. What an experience to remember! I cannot express enough how much I enjoyed this vacation. I truly felt one with nature, and as my lungs inhaled that clean, Caribbean air, I thought to myself, “This is what life is all about!”

-Chelsea