USVI Day 8 (Videos added!)

Today we took on another challenging hike. This one wasn't super long but did have major elevation gain and we also had all our snorkeling gear with us. It's been hotter the last couple days so it was getting toasty inside the tree cover, partially shielded from the breeze.

This is brown bay. There is a large grass-bed here which was a fun contrast to the rock and coral we've been floating over for a while now.

I like the tree/shrub cover which is always along the beaches. There is always shade and there's always a clothes-line.

Gorgeous as always - I'll never tire of that color.

There are ruins hidden in the trees here which are quite extensive. I thought this would be a good filming area for some sort of horror movie. It wouldn't take much to make it feel really dark inside these vines.

On the trail again, back up over the (mini) mountain.

Goats again, they must have finished the mowing project.

In the background here, you can see Love City Mini Mart where we bought most of our groceries. It was superior to the other marts in both price and selection. It was however the most sketchy. For example, you can see a shipping container on the far right side of the picture. These were both warehouse space as well as apartment space. Good stuff.

We ate at Shipwreck Landing again which continues to impress every time. Solid.

Note: The cell-phone camera's flash is bright.

USVI Day 7 (Videos Added!)

Today we did a little more driving and a little more cultural absorption.

The goat heard was out and about.

This is a fairly typical road and actually not quite as steep as some of them. The pavement is in really good condition so driving is never really bad, just makes you wonder when the vehicle's transmission will explode.

Some construction going on. This lot has a pretty nice location and overlooks a pretty large bay without too many neighbors. I like the solar array on the roof. It's too small (at least what was visible from the road) but the right idea anyway. 

This is where the goat herd ended up later in the day. They had traveled to this sports field to mow for a while.

Another typical road - there are lots of ultra steep switchbacks like this. 

We stopped to check out a windmill ruin. It was perched on top of a hill that was sort of a little peninsula and there was a bay to look at on both sides. 

We spent a little time at Mongoose Junction in Cruz Bay. It is a shopping center which did not simply grow slowly over time, it was clearly purpose-built for tourists to be able to shop for hours in one stop. Many of the stores were just full of crap, but it was still a good place to wonder around. Lunch was cooked in a small shed located at the end of the strip of tables you see below. The food was fantastic!

Here you can see some of the Mongoose Junction buildings. The small white/green one is the kitchen for the restaurant we ate at. 

Bush-pigs!

Down a little level-B road, there is this windmill ruin. I think it had some of the most interesting architecture design that we saw. This was definitely an example of doing things because you could, not due to necessity. 

The center tunnel passage goes to the basement and the others are various rooms.

This is the basement under the mill, directly below the center of the mill's turret tower. Surrounding it is a large circular room with alternating windows and storage cavities. 

The time spent fitting these rocks together is baffling to me. 

Here is a local taxi. This is almost the only use for full-size trucks on the island - they are almost all taxis. We saw several of them full today, perhaps there was a cruise-ship at the port. 

A short stop for some ice-cream on the way back to the house. 

Time to lounge for a while before doing some pre-sunset snorkeling! (will add videos shortly)

USVI Day 5

Bright and early! (was almost 9:00am, sleeping is great:) Glassy 70° mornings, one after another, are continually therapeutic.

Today we hiked the Reef Bay Trail in its entirety, which is an out-and-back route. I think it was about five miles or so with some decent elevation gain on the return trip.

These large trees are some of the only old growth on the island and mostly contained within this trail property. 

Lots of cane factory ruins out here. Also visible occasionally (though vaguely by now) are some of the terraces which made up the land around the factories. Most of the island was clear cut and terraced for farming cane. 

Of all the places to find a white-tailed deer...

Out of the forest and into the sunshine, we arrive at the Reef Bay Sugar Factory. This place is in great shape and huge. There's no big estate house here but the factory itself is the best we saw.

Mechanicals for the crushing press are all here.

Apparently the daughter of a previous land manager was killed when she got wound up in this gear......and you'll note the nice guard they put over it afterward is still in place.....

These are hermit crabs which have fallen into a small pit. They all still appear to be alive. They are pretty much everywhere, you just get used to hearing rustling along the trail when you're walking. The crabs seem to be sensitive to vibration or sound and like to head back into their shells as people approach.

Here's the steam-engine which powered the crushing press outside. I'm not sure the steam for this was generated by fires under the boiling kettles or not, but that seems pretty efficient since the kettles have to run anyway.

The small wooden structure is the center of the horse mill which would have been used if the steam-engine failed.

A couple hundred feet or so from the factory is this nice chunk of beach. 

We saw some (I think) eagle rays messing around just a little way from shore.

Good beach combing here too!

On the return trip, we checked out a small side loop which has a waterfall at the end of it. Not too much going on here but I'm sure it really rages when there is rain. 

After some big climbing, we arrive back at these stairs which pop you out on the road.

Later we snorkeled Salt Pond Bay again and found this little guy:

Fabulous views as always, 

Time to head back to shore I think?