1/9/15

Happy New Year!

Time just flies by!  We’ve been anchored here at Water Island for more than a month and we all have slid into a routine.  I’m often up on deck reading each morning as the sun comes up and the cruise ships come in to port.  Jerry and I take our dinghy to the beach and walk on Water Island for an hour or so.  Kari also dinghies to the beach to start her hard day’s work at Dinghy’s Bar and Grill.  Where else can you show up to work wearing a bathing suit and no shoes?!  Ryan spends his day at the computer plunking away operating a successful business aboard Valkyrie in paradise.  And, Haley, Kari’s daughter on break from college, has been aboard for the last 4 weeks enjoying the sun and time with her Mom at work and on the boat.  We always have boat projects to work on, meals to cook, and Scrabble to play.  Most every day you can find us in the water with our snorkels on.  We can jump off the boat, swim 50 feet to the rocks and see all kinds of fish and other sea creatures.  It’s a challenge to see how many lobsters can be spotted (all small ones) and where the octopus are hiding.

The organized activities on the beach keep us all coming and going – Monday night is movie night.  Bed sheets are strung up between the palm trees, golf carts and chairs line up, and the movie plays with the boats at anchor in the background.  Sometimes it showers briefly and we either wait it out or run for cover.  Umbrellas are suspended over the projection equipment.  If the speakers go out it’s up to the audience to fill in words and sound effects to go with the picture on the screen.  Heidi’s Honeymoon Grill sells a big bag of popcorn for $2.  It doesn’t really matter what the movie is; it’s more about the experience.  Thursdays the girls have been going to Dinghy’s Beach Bar and Grill for karaoke night.  It’s fun to watch, cheer the others on, and try a song ourselves.  We also enjoy just sitting on the beach after walking each morning before the sun starts beating directly overhead.  There are people here to chat with from all over the world – living on the island, living on boats anchored here, or tourists stopping by for a visit.  We comment each day how thankful we are to have the opportunity to be here aboard Valkyrie with good friends in such beautiful surroundings and climate.       

Karen

Valkyrie anchored next to Malu off Water Island.  St. Thomas in the background.

A view from up above the anchorage as we walk in the morning.

Another hilltop anchorage view.

Honeymoon Beach on Water Island.

Another view of Valkyrie with the swim area in the foreground.

Christmas morning

Jerry and Karen have new fancy duds from Ryan and Kari.

Kari, Karen, Haley Christmas morning.

Kari made chicken pie for dinner.  Haley is the artist.

Taking fresh flowers to Susan and John on Sea Witch.

Snorkeling find - a hermit crab.  He went back in the water after the photo op.

Jerry made whole wheat bread.

Ryan flies his sailboard training kite on St. Thomas.

A floating, motorized picnic table complete with shade, bbq grill and cooler.

Sunset looking through the anchorage towards Puerto Rico.