A Turquoise Blue Dream

Little silver Ocean Surgeonfish swim with me in the Caribbean just off of Coki Point at St. Thomas. I feel light and peaceful with only the sound of my breath through the snorkel. This is better than yoga. The warm turquoise blue water and sunny skies make it hard for me to get out of the sea. My husband Jeff takes pictures of me and little fish in the water with his waterproof camera. It’s like we have the whole sea to ourselves.

When we first arrived, I frowned at Coki Point’s narrow beach buzzing with many tourists and local vendors. I never liked crowded beaches. Besides, this is our vacation, and we’ve come to relax and enjoy a getaway exploring St. Thomas for four days. Jeff looks past the crowds, reminds me that we’re here to snorkel. So we gear up and rush to the water. No more frowning. We don’t have to go so far to see the beautiful creatures swimming blissfully nearby our feet. Little kids feed the fish with dog biscuits make one area very crowded. Just a short swim away it’s all peace and quiet. Once in a while I just float and watch the view inside of the water. The fins Jeff bought help a lot.

We continue the day travelling on the local public transportation that looks like a safari bus to Charlotte Amalie. The downtown area is always packed with tourists, especially during ship days—when cruises dock at St. Thomas, mixed with cars on small streets, honking and spitting stinky motor exhaust. The hustle and bustle reminds me of traditional markets’ situation in Surabaya. The difference though, instead of selling meat, fish, chicken, and fresh produce, the shops at Charlotte Amalie sell…diamonds and other expensive jewelries. So we decide to escape from the overly-crowded district and go up 700 ft above the ground to Paradise Point with a skyride. We sit at a café overlooking St. Thomas Harbor, watching huge ships rest at the port. The Caribbean music played in the background as we dine and enjoy the evening.

Each day begins with the same ritual: we pack light breakfast and coffee and head out to enjoy the water. I love it. So one morning, we decide to find this hidden gem called the Lindquist Beach. Locals tell us not to go since there is no paved road going there, no markings, just dirt road. Mmm..yeah, typing: Google map and satellite! We follow the half dry-half muddy pathway to this pristine beach and find not more than six souls crowding the sand. The colors of the sea, sky, and sand cool the senses after a little hike from our rented condo. For a while I think time decides to be lazy and dance in the water with me while Jeff experiments with his camera under water.

I catch myself dozing off and try to shake off the sleepiness but my body begs to rest. When I open my eyes, I breathe a sigh of relief to find us on Sapphire Beach overlooking yet another scene of turquoise water.

Photos property of The Traveling Chili Pepper