Day 6 - Hawknest, Donkeys and the East End

Thursday we awoke to the typical sounds, a rooster 1/2 hour before daybreak, a dog barking in the distance and goats doing their goat naying thing in the hills, and the tree frogs. However - the realization that the week was all too quickly coming to an end was in the back of our minds.

We drank our coffee and watched as the islanders went about doing their normal daily routine. Workers below us running the catch the bus, the school children in their uniforms running to catch THEIR bus, a pickup with 3 workers standing in the back pulling up to a villa. All was going smoothing atop our perch.

We were told by friends to check out Francis Bay for sea turtles so packed our cooler and headed to Francis. My 1st wrong turn happened but I corrected myself (yes it can happen) and we arrived at a totally empty, long beach. The water was calm and we looked for a place to make camp. Walking to our right the sand gave way to rock (although it looked like sand), DJ was lagging behind as it did not look like a GREAT place to play and people watch (especially the people watching part). I entered the water and was doing what snorkelers do, just wallowing slowly. In the mean time DJ had made friends with another woman who had been to Francis 29 times. The sea turtles, she was told, were in the middle of the bay and her husband did not like Francis so SHE came by herself to see the turtles. ANYWAY, I saw the sites, nothing GREAT but I did not go to the far end where there was more coral.

Final take on Francis, probably a nice place for snorkeling if you want to make it a day, not great for beauty (well LOL, compared to other beach' s on St. John), Sand is hardish between the rocky outcroppings and not like Trunk at all, it is shady in the morning. It's a snorkelers bay.

We drive to Hawksnest. Let me tell you about Hawksnest. It's like Trunks smaller, immature brother, very pretty, sand is nice but not the velvet of Trunk. Beach is long but skinny. Only room for single file beach laying. The water is clear blue like Trunk. There are two groups of coral in the middle that would have been good for snorkeling except for the 3-foot breakers thundering over it. STILL - feeling more confident with every water adventure I go out and dabble around the edge of the breakers. As I'm coming back about 20 yards from shore and spot a stingray on the bottom. I follow him around for awhile and lose him when I look up to see where I am.

We spend the day at Hawknest, eating jerky and P & J sandwich's while drinking 7up and rum. Very relaxing.

About 1:30 we get the real hunger and . . .HEAD TO SKINNYS!! While waiting for food I attempt to take photos of the pelicans diving into the water for food but I was always at the wrong angle. Afterward I buy a Skinnys T-shirt (they make them big - be aware). We look at a little shop (Awl Made Here??) and DJ buys a St. John checkbook cover and a little necklace. As she puts it on the counter the sales person says "The person that made this is standing right beside you!! SNAP!!

It's time to explore the East End. 1/4 mile out of Skinnys we encounter friendly donkeys (we saw no unfriendly donkeys and we saw MANY people petting them). NOTE - BE AWARE - we also saw dogs sleeping in the middle of the road at night!. As we drive buy slowly we get an unexpected guest in our front seat looking for a sandwich. We have nothing so we move along, he does not seem to disappointed.

Typical roads. I think I have mentioned why nobody has photos of how steep the roads are haven't I? It's because there is no place to stop a car and take a photo. The East End seemed calm enough so I could attempt a couple shots. The photo on the left is a typical hill.

If you have a chance you have to drive out to the East End. It's longer than you would think. After driving the rest of the island I had gotten to know the roads pretty well but this was untraveled area and an adventure. IT was beautiful. AND THERE IS VIE'S SNACKSHOP. I had forgotten about her. Wonderful lady. I wish I were not so full!

Again we were shut out of any sunset by clouds.

Looking for something different for supper Sweet Plantains called for us. Very nice East and West Indian food. Very nice place, very very nice looking inside and comfortable. I had some sort of curry chicken and DJ had some sort of chicken Burrito looking thing that was bigger then her head.

Tomorrow is Friday - the last real day. AAAAAAGH!!! Drunk at Trunk :-) the Rams Head fiasco, blue lady at the Annaburg Ruins.