The Caribbean is a place of contrasts. There's the stunning blue of the sea and towering peaks surrounded by clouds. There's the glitz of places like St. Barths and the quiet peace of the Out Islands in the Bahamas. Contrasts can be found everywhere, but one place sparks a different type of contrast...the Annaberg Sugar Plantation ruins on St. John in the USVI. It's a place of deep-seated pain … [Read more...]
A Place of Pain and Beauty: The Contrasts of Annaberg Sugar Plantation Ruins
September 30, 2016 by Leave a Comment
Caribbean Weekly Wrap Up
September 9, 2016 by Leave a Comment
Do you have the itch? Not the itch you get if you forgot to shower for a day or 4, it's the island itch. It's a feeling you get when it's been too long since your last trip. I have the itch. As I'm getting older I've realized that the itch comes quicker and quicker. May was our last jump to the islands and now it's September. My body is beginning to tell me that it's over due. October can't get … [Read more...]
Caribbean Weekly Wrap Up
August 26, 2016 by 2 Comments
Where do you want to go? If you're a regular on this website, then chances are your day dreams take you to the land of dancing palm trees, white sand beaches and Caribbean culture. If that's true, then you and I have something in common. Cheers! I see comments all the time of people (Castaways) saying they "wish" they could visit this island or that beach. Wishes and dreams are great, but … [Read more...]
A Day At Maho Bay, St. John – Paradise Found
August 22, 2016 by 1 Comment
This is a place where the palm trees lean towards the calm blue waters as if they wanted a refreshing dip. This is a place where pelicans dive into bait balls, tarpon swim next to you, and stingrays glide through the water. This is a places surrounded by rolling green hills covered in forest, not homes and hotels. This is Maho Bay, St. John. I'm not sure what day it was, they seem to … [Read more...]
The Journey, The Climb, The Reward – Ram Head, St. John
August 3, 2016 by 3 Comments
This is a guest post by the beautiful Castaway Crystal. Enjoy the story! “The ones who climb the mountain don’t wait for permission…They just start walking.” I stumbled across this quote the other day and instantly it reminded me of our hike up Ram Head Trail on St. John. Unlike RumShopRyan, I don’t do much research when traveling. I like to go in blindly with no expectations and just let … [Read more...]
Want A St. John Beach All To Yourself?
August 1, 2016 by 1 Comment
Shhhhhh, don't tell everyone. They say the best things in life take a little effort. That same idea holds true for beaches. If a beach takes a little work to get to, chance are you'll have it nearly all to yourself. A secluded beach paradise fantasy come true. That's what Castaway Crystal and I were in search of during our first full day on St. John in the USVI. A beach that was untouched by … [Read more...]
Caribbean Weekly Wrap Up
July 29, 2016 by Leave a Comment
Sometimes the need for island therapy flashes through your body with the force of a ocean squall. You have no choice but to listen and obey. This is the feeling I have right now as I write this week's Caribbean Wrap Up. Why? Because finding the best stories each week is meant to not only inspire you, it inspires this salty pirate as well. There's no getting out of the way, I just have to … [Read more...]
Hiking St. John’s Reef Bay Trail
July 25, 2016 by 2 Comments
Does this beast ever end? St. John in the US Virgin islands is covered in hiking trails. One of the most famous and the longest is the Reef Bay Trail. At 2.2 miles long with another .44 miles if you want to see the famed St. John Petroglyphs, this trail will test your endurance. Starting high in the mountains off of Centerline Road, the trail takes you through the forest, down the mountain, and … [Read more...]
How To Be Your Own Pirate Captain On St. John
July 11, 2016 by Leave a Comment
It’s funny how amazing ideas happen over a couple large margaritas. Castaway Crystal and I were looking for a dinner spot in Cruz Bay on St. John. It was a hard day of relaxing on Maho Bay beach watching the pelicans dive into bait balls. That sort of relaxation really works up an appetite and the perfect remedy was a big ass burrito. We stroll into Margarita Phil’s and instantly run into … [Read more...]
Caribbean Weekly Wrap Up
June 24, 2016 by Leave a Comment
Secret statues, delicious Peas n' Rice, a special island of St. Martin, the best hotels in Puerto Rico and a look at what it's like to walk the streets of beautiful San Pedro, Belize. It's an island hopping adventure without packing. While reading about these places stirs the imagination and is the stuff of day dreams, there's no substitute for experiencing this Caribbean bliss yourself. … [Read more...]
Caribbean Weekly Wrap Up
June 17, 2016 by Leave a Comment
The best beach bar in (off) Nassau, floating pizzia, exploring George Town in the Exumas, get to know Anguilla, and sip on one of Bahama Bob's summer cocktails. All that in more in this week's Caribbean Wrap Up! Enjoy the escape! Caribbean Weekly Wrap Up The Caribbean’s First Pizza Boat: A floating pizzeria? In a spot off the southeastern coast of St Thomas, US Virgin Islands, it’s a … [Read more...]
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