Buck Island/Waterlemon Cay, St.
John, USVI (June 9-11, 2013)
We sailed out of St. Thomas and hit Buck Island early for a morning snorkel with the sea turtles before heading to Waterlemon Cay. Buck Island being a sea turtle sanctuary was well worth the stop, Hawksbill turtles were everywhere. After a great time snorkeling, we had a quick lunch, treated the turtles to a shredded carrot and were off to Waterlemon Cay.
Although there were lots of boats on the water this day and we had to motor sail most of the way, we couldn't help but take more than just a moment to enjoy the view coming through Cruz Bay. It was a beautiful day to be on the water and we were in heaven on earth.
Making our way into Leinster Bay, we lost our breath at the sight of all the islands visible from this vantage point. We caught a mooring ball (anchoring is not allowed here as it is a National Park) and sat back to quietly take in the beauty of this place.
Next morning, our ritual coffee in the cockpit was ever special as we were sitting in this gorgeous bay knowing we were soon heading over to Waterlemon Cay (a stones throw away) for what promised to be some great snorkeling. It was better than we had imagined. The reef was healthy and overflowing with an abundance of bright colored fish, coral and other marine life. Some of the best snorkeling we have experienced.
 |
| Off the port stern of Dulcinea Waterlemon Cay is to the left in the background |
Coming out of the water, the sharp sting under my left arm was not to be mistaken with anything else, I had been stung by a box jellyfish. Wow, that hurt! A quick ride back to the boat and some meat tenderizer did the trick. What a relief!
 |
| Box Jellyfish Sting |
Our next afternoon was spent cleaning the bottom of the boat. We are always happy to be in the water, whether for pleasure or work. Jim put together this cool little setup to keep our cleaning tools together, we each took a side of the boat and Dulcinea was algae and muck free in time for happy hour.
 |
| Keeping the scrubber and scraper together |
 |
| A beautiful day! |
While Jim knew what these guys were, I had no clue and was shocked when I came up under the side of the boat to see these alien fish with their heads stuck to the hull.
They are remoras, also known as "suckerfish." They have slats atop their heads to create suction, allowing them to attach to other marine animals to catch a ride, seek protection and/or feed off remnants from the host. Ewww!!!
 |
| Remoras |
This was the end of our travels through the US Virgin Islands. The British Virgin Islands are next in line.
No comments:
Post a Comment