f04part4 - Page: 2 of 4

About this time my head and chest cold developed into something ugly and with wheezes, sneezes and blows, I did not suffered silently. Saint Joan's love, tolerance and chicken soup hastened my slow recovery. Joan also worked with Johann in the water helping him to gain experience with fins, mask and snorkel while I could only observe from the fly bridge. Every so often as they swam around the rocks Johann would let out a scream through his snorkel. It sounded as though the most heinous of sea monsters was about to gobble him up. He was, however, just making comment in his own way on the joys of visiting a new world.

In just a few days the weather was settled and I felt well enough to continue on to St. Croix roughly 60 miles to the southeast across the Anagada Passage. The sea was calm and the trip uneventful and need I say again, "no fish". After arriving at St. Croix, my cold was only a little better and Johann began having a fever. We, therefore, quarantined ourselves for several days before venturing out and exposing friends to the scourge.

Eventually with improved health all 'round we got together with Bill and Melinda, s/v Sovereign. They spent several days showing us much of their beautiful island and home and helping us to reprovision. The town of Christensted was a delight with its historical roots dating back to Columbus. During the early years the island was fought over by the French, Spanish, Dutch, English and the Knights of Malta. It's a wonder anything was left. The Danes bought St. Croix from the French in 1733 and during Danish rule the island was heavily cultivated in sugar cane for which they built many large windmills of stone and mortar and used them in cane processing. These conically structured masonry ruins along with forts and many other stone ruins dot the countryside and are a proudly guarded island heritage. The United States bought St. Croix from the Danish government in 1917. Much of the town of Christensted appears to be made up of restored buildings from the Danish era.

St. Croix has a fairly complete infrastructure. There are good roads, widely varied services and merchandise, not too many tourists, no bugs, relatively inexpensive property, a rainforest and many miles of virgin reef. Over all we can see that permanent living there could be very satisfying. It was also a nice experience to be there during Mardi-Croix day; St. Croix's version of Mardi gras. There was a parade and the people on each float or display threw out goodies such as candy, necklaces, do-dads and nick-nacks. Johann stood out as a primary target and had a great time catching the goodies.

Bill and Melinda took us to one of the highlights of the island; a stop in the mountains at "Domino's" bar and restaurant. Housed in a sort of shrine they have three really large hogs that