Exploring St. Croix (and a fair bit of staying home)

 These few months away from Positive Waves and from our new normal life are strange. They are good-- we're having fun, we're exploring, we're meeting new people--but we all seem to have a background current of unease, of feeling unsettled. It's resulting in poor sleep for myself and Hans and to more moody behavior for the kids. Matilda is missing her stuffed animals and Legos; Freja is missing predictability and routine. We're all happy and healthy, but we're not where we are meant to be, which leaves everyone feeling a little untethered.

Regardless, we're embracing our good fortune at being in a beautiful place where the pandemic is not as front and center as it is in crowded, busy, winter-weather cities and towns. Hans has started working at the hospital here, bringing in some funds to keep the bank account in the positive after needing to buy extra plane tickets, housing, and a rental car. We gave the kids this week off from school because we've just completed seven straight weeks of school without a day off--rather impressive considering that school happened in five different places (Airstream, friends #1, condo, friends #2, condo). Freja turned 10 yesterday (!!) and Matilda turns 8 on Monday. We're balancing our weeks with time at home and time exploring the island.

While Hans was in Wisconsin a couple weeks ago, the kids and I hiked to Annally Tide Pools on the north shore of the island. The trailhead was near the gate to a resort hotel so we stopped and asked the guard for directions. She pointed us to the trailhead parking lot and warned that it was 2.5 miles, each way. At the trail head I asked the kids multiple times, "are you SURE you want to do this. I can't carry you if you get tired and there is no cell signal to ask for help." They were adamant that they wanted to go, so, onward! Bonus: now I know they are capable of a five mile hike on rugged terrain.

The trail was in great condition, just a few places where we had to climb over or around a fallen tree. Or stop to pose for a picture.

Level, shady walking trail.

And rewarded with an amazing natural swimming pool. We were alone for a few minutes here and there, but other tourists kept showing up, either by jeep or foot.

A peek through the foliage to the north shore looking east.

I love the island life, and I feel very at home here. We did spend over two years here on our sailboat, so I'm familiar with the food, the language, and the easy paced way of life. Two years isn't a long time, but visiting new places on a sailboat slows your pace and you interact with residents and nature in a different way than as a tourist in a hotel or rental apartment. We have different needs as cruisers. Where is the hardware store? Is there a welder that can fabricate this specific metal bracket? Where can we get our propane tank refilled? Water? Is there a fish market? Veggie market? And most of those questions involve asking multiple people, getting rides, and really interacting at a more intimate level than what we are doing now--driving our car to the grocery store or restaurant or beach. 

These kids really, really, like to stay home. I try to balance their homebody sides with my desire to get out and explore. We usually have tears, frustration, and anger, but I try to keep a good balance between home and adventure.

Tearing around the golf course at sunset.

Matilda found this amazing blue sequin jacket and begged and begged for me to buy it for her. I gave in because she rarely asks for clothes and when she finds something she likes, she LOVES it. She says this blue jacket reminds her of The Weeknd, her favorite artist. If you need any song or playlist recommendations, just ask. She generally leans toward pop and has extensive playlists on spotify.

 

While I feel very comfortable here, it's also hard to ignore the island's history of slavery and colonialism. In the most glaringly obvious way, there are lots of white ex-pats from the mainland US that live in big houses on the hillsides while the local black residents live lower down on the island where it is hotter and the houses are shabby to the point of severe disrepair. White tourists and ex-pats hang out at beach bars while the local residents do all the heavy work of landscaping, serving, maintenance, etc. The divide is unavoidable and directly rooted in a brutal history of slavery and exploitation. This is the same story all over the Americas and the Caribbean. It's not an easy history, and it's also one that shouldn't be avoided nor glossed over. We learn, observe, and try to do better.

An overt example of colonialism in the islands: forts. This fort in Christiansted, managed by the National Park Service, was built after most of the inter-European fighting for colonial control was over, so it was mainly used as a prison and deterrent to slave revolts. There are quite a few cannons pointing to land, in the event of a slave revolt.

Stunning architecture and colors.

In the dungeon. I tried to explain to Matilda that it wasn't exactly a happy place, but she loved it down there. It was exactly her size. I could barely stand completely upright.

Downtown Christiansted.