Frederiksted is a nice small town, and a good anchorage, leaving us with not much reason to mosey on further at the moment.
The pier is an awesome place to hang out underwater. Spotted eagle rays, turtles galore, and just a cool all around place to explore.
The pier guard chased the kids off the high dock, but they managed a couple quick dives before getting the finger wag.
It’s kind of funny, I mentioned when we were in St. John that it was 95% catamarans. When you get to St. Croix just five hours away, you find all the monohulls. St. John, charters, St. Croix, cruisers.
The kids took the PADI bubblemakers course last year, and were immediately ready to get certified and go diving. Unfortunately, Lowe was eight at the time. Sitting here in St. Croix a year later seems like the perfect time to go for it. Step one…
We put out a back anchor one day when a north swell invaded our quiet bay. The next night right at dark the swell was gone and the kids and I grabbed the line and went out in the dinghy to pull it back up again. As I dropped the anchor into the bottom of the dinghy we saw something scrambling around the bottom. It was too dark to really make it out, but I figured it was a crab and so cupped it in my hands to throw overboard. That’s when we realized it wasn’t a crab, it was an octopus. Suddenly I had an octopus with eight arms standing upright and walking around in my hand, seemingly looking around for the water. We watched him for a few seconds and then plopped him back into the water. I seriously wonder if this is the same one we pulled up last week when the kids brought up a can from the ocean floor. They must be getting tired of us.
11 Comments on “Frederiksted”
Congrats on getting OW certified! Can’t wait till my little girl is old enough to go diving with me (since mom won’t). That pier looks like a great place to explore underwater.
Stellar time guys, keep it up. Your children (and you and yours) have an incredibly enriching life. I’m positive it will be a foundation for the kids that will make a difference as they grow into adults.
Hi Pat and Allie, I have been following your blog since you first began your adventures. I have always wanted to meet you guys. My husband and I live on St. Croix and I’m so upset that we are in the states for the holidays and we are missing your visit. We also missed you in the Turks and Caicos a couple of years ago by a week. Have a great time visiting STX.
Tammy
Merry Christmas Bumfuzzle, thanks for letting me tag along on your journeys!
It’s interesting to see your photos of a somewhat familiar place. We visited there one day in 1996 on a cruise.
However, just a couple of weeks ago, I visited Frederiksted via Google street view and Google Earth as part of my research on Dora Richards Miller and the July 1848 slave insurrection. I do a blog on the American Civil War using diaries, journals, letters, news, and more from that period. I’m currently doing day-by-day 160 years ago.
Dora is one of the diary authors appearing in the blog. She was born on St. Thomas but had lived with her grandmother in Frederiksted since she was an infant. At the time of the insurrection, she was 12 years old. Her recollection of her childhood and the insurrection was later published in Scribner’s, though another individual got the byline.
If you are interested in her story, it’s “A West Indian Slave Insurrection” which I published at http://www.cw-chronicles.com/blog/a-west-indian-slave-insurrection/
The author page I created on Dora is “Dora Richards Miller–War Diary of a Union Woman in the South” published at http://www.cw-chronicles.com/blog/dora-richards-miller-war-diary-of-a-union-woman-in-the-south/
I’ve been following your blog since sometime back when you had your bus. We enjoy annual RV trips most years but have not ventured anywhere in 2020.
Best wishes for the holidays and a safe and COVID-free 2021
Mike Goad in Arkansas
Amazing the life on those pier pilings! Absolutely fascinating, both this post and the last. Love the turtle pics – wish you’d gotten one of the octopus. How cool is THAT? Merry Christmas to you all. I love being on this journey with you.
Merry memories for a Merry Christmas! Goodonyas!
I once came upon a beautiful octopus and followed him around a reef off the Kona coast. After crawling into a crevice i took my dive knife, held it by the blade so as not to hurt the octopus and gently tried to play with him. He reached one out, wrapped it around the handle of my knife and pulled it out of my hand into his little den, never to be seen again. Goodbye knife!
Happy Holidays! Since you keep encountering the octopus I really recommend this awesome movie on Netflix: My Octopus Teacher. It’s just amazing! I think you & the kids would love it as we sure did & we’ve never held an octopus-lucky you!
All the best for a safe & fun filled 2021! Great pix of the pier-WOWIE! So colorful. Makes me miss diving….
Merry Christmas Bum’s. Stumbled across a FB memory of Oest’s first visit to our place. Seems like only yesterday!
Hello Pat, Ouest and Lowe! I really enjoyed participating in your PADI OW certification. I was very impressed at how easily Lowe and West learned the practical skills for their age. They are so intelligent, respectful and they swim like Dolphins!
Your story inspires me…you have been living a dream that we are just starting. I hope to learn a lot from people like you. Enjoy your life!!