Home is where the heart is

We spent the day baking and decorating Christmas cookies and a gingerbread house while at anchor in Christmas Cove (in St. Thomas)!  Funny little coincidence.  These are family traditions we do every year at home during the holiday season.  Usually, I bake A LOT of cookies and treats to share with friends and neighbors.  These traditions are important to the girls.  And while we can't fulfill every tradition as we do at home, we managed to carry out a few.  Living on a boat, in warm weather, with a very small oven makes things somewhat challenging.  But we loved every minute of it.  We cranked up the Christmas music, turned on the Christmas tree lights as flour dusted the galley counter tops and the sounds of fingers being licked....aaaahhhhhh.....I love this time of year.  The smell of the cookies baking filled the boat and brought a sense of home to our boat.  Albiet, we did all this wearing swimsuits and tank tops instead of long pants and sweaters.  A nice change, I might add.  Honestly, Christmas has snuck up on us so quietly here in the islands, that we all looked at each and said tomorrow is Christmas!  Even without all the hustle and bustle of parties and shopping, Christmas will come and go way to quickly, as it always does.

Maggie piping the windows and door on the  gingerbread house

Putting the sides together

Olivia deep in concentration as she pipes the front walkway

The finished product!

Olivia cuts out star-shaped cookies

Adding the baked sugar cookies to the pile

Time for the decorating!

Frosting and sprinkles

The finished decorated cookies

Maggie's Gingerbread House making video.  Enjoy!

We're still here

As we were walking back to the dinghy in downtown Charlotte Amalie in St. Thomas this evening, we saw this sign on the corner.  We thought it was a refreshing and optimistic view of the end of the world.

The end as we know it?  The end of what?  Perhaps the beginning of something great?  Do you count down the days or do you make the days count.....Many Blessings.

Saba Rock by Kate

Looking through the maze of masts, I see a little island.  Red rooftops with palm trees in the background, is a bar.  I know, I know, I'm not old enough to drink yet.  Only 10 more years to go! (note from mom: should I be scared that this is on her radar? LOL)  Looking at the front, you don't see it, but if you go around back, there is a hotel, with Toucans!  They are named Paz, Pepe and Pacu.  I don't know anything about the hotel except that there are birds.  So don't ask me for tourist advice.  There are palm trees galore in their backyard of the hotel and tables with chairs.  Benches are everywhere and a small little grass covered hill.  Go down the hill and you've reached the bar's backyard complete with tree hammocks, sand, beach chairs and black, red & white tables and chairs.  Now onto the bar.  No, I am not going to talk about the drinks.  Like I said before, I'm not old enough to drink.  My dad will be glad to talk about the painkillers, he's had like 50 already.  Honestly, I don't know.  One of the best things about Saba Rock, besides the chocolate milk...mmmmmm, is dinner time.  Not for humans, but for the Tarpons.  Those of you who don't know what Tarpons are, you can look it up!  I'm just kidding.  Tarpon is a type of fish that has no teeth (no need to worry) and are beautiful.  They say that people actually use their scales for jewelry.  You can volunteer to feed them yourself or just watch.  There is even a tide pool!  Well, there is not much else.  Wait!  You can also have dinner there.  I don't know about lunch though.

Red and white beach chairs with kite surfers racing in the wind

Bucket full of fish for the Tarpon

They are hungry and waiting

BVI Circuit - The Baths, Spanish Town and Leverick Bay

The much anticipated trip to The Baths was finally underway.  We motored our boat from the Bitter End with the Conway kids and Erica, while Chris stayed back to wait for a FedEx box to arrive (he eventually joined us with their boat).  The Baths National Park is the centerpiece of this dramatic area of the north shore.  The granite boulders that form sheltered sea pools at the beach's edge is a geological wonder.

Hanging out and playing games on the bow as we make our way to The Bath's

Maggie, Reese and Bryson in a deep conversation

Approaching The Baths

Craig secures the dinghy to the 'dinghy mooring'.  There is no anchoring or overnight stays allowed.  

The cavernous surroundings are a result of the molten rock seeping up into the existing volcanic rock layers; because the molten rock did not reach the surface it cooled slowly and formed the hard crystalline granite layer.

Daddy's little girl

white sand beach

Secret rock pools

More boulders and hidden pools

Weathering has rounded the corners of the boulders to what they are today

The Baths is a collection of massive granite boulders as large as 40 feet in diameter

A series of steps and rope handrails guide you along the trail through the boulders

Boyer Beauties

The whole gang on a rock that formed a bridge

Beautiful foilage at the top of The Baths

A very tall tree

The amazing pool at the restaurant/shopping area at the top of the baths.  It's a short hike at the end of the Bath trail.  Take note of the stunning view beyond the railing!

There's our boat waiting for our return

We hiked down the backside as the sun was setting

Beautiful sunset as we headed to Spanish Town for the night.  We parted ways with s/v Patronus as they were heading to Road Town to get some boat work done.

Kate befriended Isaiah with his pet rooster (which I'm sure he gambles with...if you know what I mean)

View of Spanish Town from our boat at anchor

Now that's a huge carrot!!  Shopping in Spanish Town

Every Friday night in Leverick Bay, they put on a show featuring the Jumbies.  

It was so fun to watch in amazement as they danced on those stilts to Caribbean music!

Photo op with the Jumbies

Deck The Halls

Tis the season to be jolly, Fa La La La!  Our boat is decked out with the few items we brought from home or collected at the dollar store in Hampton.  It definitely feels different than being at home where decorations are oozing out of every crevice!  We do have our Christmas music on board but somehow it just doesn't feel the same.  So, we bought some Island (reggae) Christmas music and all is better now.  It is going to be a very different Christmas experience for us, but one we are happy to oblige.

Maggie's little tree we brought from home.

Our Christmas garland

My token Santa on board.

Battery operated xmas lights around our cockpit make it feel festive

Christmas window art

We may not have a fire in the fireplace, warm eggnog to drink, multiple parties to attend or the wonderful smell of a noble fir....BUT.... we do have each other, a little reggae Christmas music, the unbelievable turquoise water and an ice cold painkiller in our glass!!!  Ho Ho Ho.  

p.s.  We won't be sending Christmas cards this year, but don't worry, the annual Boyer poem will be posted on the blog in the near future.

Have a Very Happy and Safe Holiday Season.