A Memorable VALENTINE’S DAY

Trunk Bay, St. John-USVI (Google Image)

In late January, we read about an annual event held on Valentine’s Day on St. John- USVI. The article explained that a Wedding Vow Renewal Ceremony would be officiated by a local female minister on the beach at Trunk Bay.  We called for more details and were told that reservations were not necessary and that if we caught the 4PM ferry out of Redhook, St. Thomas we would surely get there in time for the 5PM start.

On February 14th our morning began like any other with Captain Dan reaching into the fridge to pour a glass of juice.  Only on this morning, he noticed that the temperature was no where near cool enough.  He checked the control panel and fuses, fiddled with some wires, read and reread the refrigeration section of our OFFSHORE CRUISING ENCYCLOPEDIA (a birthday gift from s/v Tiger Lilly). Finally he declared in exasperation, “I don’t know what the ****’* wrong with it.”  We called a refrigeration service and were put on the call schedule for Monday afternoon- 4 days later.

Meanwhile, there was little left Dan could do but buy bagged ice to augment the fridge and de-stress in the sun on deck.  By 3PM we both got dolled up (wearing our bathing suits underneath our clothing) and dinghied ashore to catch the safari bus to Redhook. What we didn’t know was this particular safari wasn’t going all the way to Redhook much to the chagrin of at least half of the riders.  We had no choice but to get off and wait to catch another bus. When it finally came, we squeezed on and silently prayed that we’d get to the ferry dock in time. 


(Google Image)

Although islanders are known for their laid back sense of time, the 4PM ferry to Cruz Bay, St. John was pulling away from the dock precisely at 4PM when we arrived at the ticket counter. No other ferry would get us there in time for the Wedding Vow Renewal and we sadly accepted the fact that we weren’t going to attend the event this year.

So we’re in Redhook and it was a little early for cocktails- well, not really. Cocktails at Duffy’s Love Shack was just what we needed to cheer us up. We called our children & grandchildren and wished them a “Happy Valentine’s Day.”  Then we strolled across the street to have a superb dinner at The Cellar. Night had fallen by the time we finished and we discovered that the safari buses don’t run way out to Redhook after dark.

We shared a taxi back into Charlotte Amalie and waited for a bus to take us the rest of the way. At last one came by, but it appeared to be packed full of well-tanned riders.  We began to board, but hesitated because it was obvious that no seats were available. Then one row of passengers all squished over and a kind middle aged man with a thick Spanish accent, pointed to the fraction of a seat, smiled and said, “Sit here.”  Dan did and I plopped myself onto the only room left- his lap.  As they bantered among themselves,  we sensed that some of the funny comments were about us, so we smiled and laughed with them. The same man touched my knee and said, “OK?  Don’t worry you will reach your place.”  And we did.

When we finally arrived back onboard Exit Strategy, Dan said, “And oh, by the way- I do!”