Pat & Laura, Turtle Island etc.

Laura and I relaxing as we head out for a brief weekend around St. Thomas.  We enjoyed many good meals and some great snorkeling.

Brown Booby Bird makes himself at home on our pulpit.  Bill just likes saying Booby bird because it makes him feel like he's four again and saying something naughty.  At least it didn't poop on the boat.

Green turtle at Turtle Cove.  There were thousands of these nifty creatures in this bay as they are protected and grow to a size where they can survive in the open ocean. It is prohibited to catch them in the USVIs but not the BVIs.  This bay fills quickly everyday with passengers on 'cattlemarans', rented big boats that excursion people from the many cruise boats that fill the Charlotte Amalie and Crown Bay every weekday.  You have to pick a mooring ball on the outside as you can get penned in by the many, many snorkelers, some of whom shouldn't be there.  We asked this one fellow who was clearly floundering if he needed help several times before he finally gave up and went back to his ride.  He paid a lot of money to scare the pants off himself!

Laura was originally reluctant to be the first passenger on the tube, but quickly realized that the 15 hp engine on the dinghy was not going to pitch her out at high speed.  We could hear her yelling at Pat, "Faster, faster!"  He had the throttle full out but it was not going to be a thrill ride.  

Pat and Laura took turns jumping off the top of the bimini into the water.  The only pictures we got of her was from the waist down as she entered the water.  DELETE!  For a guy who was never raised near the ocean, Pat has taken to the water like a fish, and certainly to sailing, which he can't seem to get enough of.