water photos

Me

i'm going to do something a little different today.  Over the holidays i was the happy recipient of a camera that can take pictures underwater.  Its not as great as my friends who has an underwater video camera that he wears on his head, but it will take some great pics when the photographer(me)gets more proficient.

If you want to see a fun video of a lot of us swimmers frolicking with dolphins for over 5 minutes check out this link.http://www.vimeo.com/17978070  It all happened at Cane Bay about a month ago and we are still talking about it because there were 13 of us and only 2 of them.  Anyone who has been in the ocean with dolphins can attest to it being a spiritual experience, especially when they interact with you.

Cane Bay

Swimming with dolphins is right up there with those special moments you share with your favorite cat or dog or even other human beings; when they love you unconditionally and just pour out their need to interact too.  We aren't alone in this world when it comes to the desire to investigate other species.

Recently i've been lucky enough to have birds(the Great Egret that came to visit came everyday for two months, he only stopped when i took on the care of my friends dogs, maybe he will come back now that i'm done with that for awhile).  This cool turtle this morning that found us just as curious as we found him, the fish that will surround you if you hold still long enough, and of course the dolphins, there are others but for this piece the ones i've mentioned have been most important up to now.

Over the past few weeks i have been practicing  taking underwater pictures.  i'm not very good as it is entirely different from taking pictures on land.  A lot of bobbing on all sides of the equation take place in the water.  i'm bobbing, the fish are moving and a lot of deleting is going on, but it is fun.  You lucky readers get to view a few of the ones i didn't delete.

Hawksbill Turtle

The dolphins were back this morning but none of us were fast enough to catch them as they cruised through our swimming area. We swam out after them but were side-tracked by a turtle.  Two of us(the video guy and myself) were trying to maneuver into position to take pictures and more than once we each wrecked the others shots.  We were even crashing into each other, bobbing up, laughing and quickly getting back to business.  Neither of us were bothered by the other because we were so focused on trying to get that special shot of a Hawksbill Turtle who was the most cooperative we have had in a while.  i can certainly do much better than this pic, but at least you can see him.

If we held still he would start to float up to check us out, but if we made any sudden movements he became spooked and would swim back down.  That fear factor that everything alive has was activated but not too severely because he kept coming back to spend more time with us.

Most of us keep our fears to ourselves, we don't broadcast them unless we feel safe with whomever we are revealing them too. The turtle felt semi-safe, the egret felt semi-safe and so did the fish.  This allowed them to approach, as do humans, when they decide to lay their fears aside.

Atlantic Ray

Animals use camouflage to blend in, to protect themselves from predation by other animals that might want to eat them.  In nature there is a great need to blend in to conceal themselves.  In the human world there is also a great need to blend in for protection and support.

Some of us let our fears get in the way of real progress. The turtle this morning was willing to take us on as long as we didn't try to get too close.  He was willing to let us examine him.  He was willing to interact as a first step.

Last night some of those legislators in the audience, during the Presidents address, got closer to their opponents.  They actually interacted on a different level from the norm. They sat next to each other in the chamber. 

Blue Tang

i'm hoping it wasn't the last time they will mingle in this way.  i'm hoping they put some of their fears aside and understand no one on either side wants to wreck this nation.  i'm hoping they will learn that working together will bring forth good things for all of us.  i'm hoping this is the start of moving us forward in a way that is good for everyone not just a few.

them

The interesting thing about humanity is that when friends or family are in need, the community they have established around them kicks in to help.  Most often we recognize these behaviors as actions done on a voluntary basis.  No one coerced us to act, no one is paying us to respond, we help to benefit other people in our lives.

 Giving and receiving help has its rewards for all involved.  It reinforces the ties that bind and puts more of an emphasis on community.  This past week a friend has been in need and all around have kicked in to make this particular passage through life a little less traumatic.  It has been a joy to watch all the love, help and support materialize in such a short time.

Things that normally would have taken weeks to accomplish all fell into place and got done 

But this is not the topic of this piece,  today I want to talk about "them."

The dictionary describes them as the objective case of they.  They is described as the plural of he,she or it.  People, men, or women. Them is all of us, all of us human beings that make reference to "them" as if them is from out of space.

i read a piece the other day that was talking about the invasion in Afghanistan and how difficult it is for us here in the US to comprehend what it is we are doing to "them."  The writer asked the readers to try to put the shoe on the other foot.  To understand that we are all "them" to understand that if we were living in a war torn country we would be reacting to our situation exactly as they are.

 When i read the piece it became apparent that we use that word daily in our newspapers, radio's, in our homes, in our politics, in our speech etc. to always describe some "them" that are doing things we don't approve of and don't support.  Upon further research i found that the word them is one of the top twenty words used in every day discourse.

We all refer to "them" or "they" when describing humans that follow different political, religious, or social customs that we don't follow.  Since i don't have much time today, i thought an exercise we could all try may be appropriate.

The next time you use the word "them" negatively, stop yourself.  Imagine yourself as "them".  If it is a boss or co-worker that you are referring to negatively, imagine yourself as them.  Maybe it is the atheist or the Christian or Muslim, maybe it is the Democrat, the Independent or the Republican.  Maybe its the guy down the street whose dog is driving you nuts. Try to get inside their head, take on their job,take on their views, now how would you be acting if you were them?

Can you find any place where you may understand why they act or believe the way they do? Can you find some understanding?  i'm not asking you to accept them, or agree with them, i'm just asking for a little bit of understanding.

We can do this simple exercise every time we think negatively about anyone that doesn't view life the way we do.  We can simplify our reactions and even choose to not be right just for the sake of being right.  We can make a difference in our daily lives and the lives of others with a little understanding.

St. Croix Christmas Parade 2011

Guess who this is.

The best thing about the Crucian Christmas Parade is seeing people you know.  Especially when they walk right up to you, in their costumes and you have no idea who they are until they say your name.

This parade has always been about participating. Until this year, the crowd would usually flow out into the street, much to the chagrin of the authorities trying to keep us off the route. It wasn't just the paraders wanting to loosen up with friends, the watchers felt a part of the action too, trading drinks, kisses and hugs, and having a pic or two taken while the parade grinds to a halt, which by the way is standard practice every year.  All the troupes have to perform in front of the governor so the parade moves along in stops and starts. Getting up close and smoozing with the entertainers who passed is a given, dancing along and taking pictures with people in great get-ups was much easier before the powers that be put up the darn barricades.

All day we were trapped behind these metal fences that were bolted together and hard to hop.  Police were stationed at crossing points where they would let you cross as long as you weren't interfering with the flow.

Picture taking was difficult because only the press could get up close and personal.  One friend, on the wrong side of the barricade, told me all you had to do was sling two professional looking cameras around your neck and access was easy.  Unfortunately for me i only had my point and shoot.

Not to be outdone, i managed to find a spot where i could creep out into the street, take a quick pic, and rush back behind the fence. It was like playing hide and seek.

This year there were so many different performers it was hard to pick and choose the ones to publish. 






This guy with the Lion Head is one of my faves.  Every year i have a picture taken with him that i put on the refer in the kitchen.  He's our local pesticide man.  While this other guy had the eeriest eyes.

A local doctor

The get ups were great and the final tramp of the day was a bit harder to get involved in because of the barricades.  But those who won't let a few fences stop them were able to dance along behind Express Band after the last troupe passed by.

The hardest part of the whole day was trying to move around.  You couldn't walk up and down the street as easily to visit friends that were viewing from different locations, so i missed talking to a lot of buddies this year. Once you were in your spot you were pretty much stuck.

Even so it was a great day and a definite must do for those who haven't yet experienced carnival on St. Croix!


The holiday season is officially over.  Its a weird thing but until the parade is over i never feel like the year is done. Hello 2011 here we come.

Another friend and her child

looking back while tramping at the end of the parade

looking forward while tramping at the end of the parade

Cruician Christmas Festival

For many, the holiday season is over.  The ornaments have been taken off and the trees discarded.  Children have started school and parents have gone back to work.  Here in the islands the season is moving into its culmination with Three Kings Day.  Since this particular holiday falls on a Thursday this year, festivities will last until Sunday.

All over the world Three Kings Day is celebrated by different cultures in various manners, some do their gift giving now, some take down their trees, others engage in fasts or cold water dunking's, some sing songs and visit homes around their towns, while others pass out sweets and goodies.  On St. Croix, we celebrate our Crucian Christmas Festival.

Leading up to this week many competitions have been held to narrow the fields.  The Calypso singers, adults and children have spent many hours working up their repertoire's and last night gave it their all.  The young children have vied for prince and princess, while the young men and women have battled to represent St. Croix during the festival celebrations.  The road march has been chosen and troupes are putting the final touches on their floats and dance routines.

2006 Parade

The Christmas Village opened up in Fredericksted and most residents of the island will make at least one visit during this time.  Food booths are arranged in a semi circle with a band stand at one end and an area for dancing, smoozing, and general congregating.  Off to one side are the carnival rides for the kids and adults that still love the thrill.

J'ouvert started this morning at 5:00am with a tramp from Hannah's Rest.  Traditionally people meet in the dark to gather behind a truck with huge speakers and band members that lead the way into town.  Everyone dances behind the truck and feels the love.  This afternoon women and men gather in front of the clock tower to display and sell their traditional foods at the food fair.

Every night bands line up to entertain the crowds.  Reggae night is tonight, tomorrow is Latin night, Friday is the Children's Parade and Saturday is the big adults parade.  Sunday is the finale with boat races, fireworks and the festival wrap-up.

People come from all over the world to enjoy this time of year in the islands; it is by far the best time to be here. 

2005 Parade

We have house guests from Europe and no time to blog.  Most try not to work during this week, it is a time for being with family and friends, so today's piece is a shorty.    Hopefully i'll have pictures from the festivities for next week.