Sleeping White-Colored Octopus Under a Rock

We checked out of our apartment and our host Bob gave us a ride to the ferry dock. Our luck with the ferries continued though, because we just missed another one. No worries man, we’re still on island time, but the ferry definitely is not. It is punctual to a fault. Anne walked over to the National Park HQ, to get her park visitors passport stamped. I just hung out near the dock, because here, life like beer is best served chilled and I was sad to be leaving so soon.

We took the ferry back to St. Thomas and then a shuttle back to the airport. Our going in plan was to check our bags, then leave the airport and go in search of lunch. We soon learned that we and our bags had to through customs first, even though we had never left the country. I was convinced that this was some Trump thing, but apparently it predates him. The customs line was huge and was supposed to only get longer later. Then there was of course TSA. We ended up spending the afternoon at the airport. Fortunately, we had packed a lunch, which now seemed like 20/20 hindsight. The airport food there was astronomical. 

Finally, our plane arrived. We of course boarded last, because the first shall be last, unless they pay for an upgrade. In Delta parlance, we were not just Economy class, but Basic Economy class. On the flight to Atlanta, Anne and I watched the relatively new movie Harriet together. It was a pretty good biopic that told the story of Harriet Tubman’s escape from slavery and her missions to free other slaves, as a conductor on the Underground Railway. It seemed to be appropriate viewing for Black History month. Before we left Cruz Bay, Anne caught the parade there, which was also honoring Black History month. It turns out that in 1733 St. John was the site of one of the earliest major slave revolts in the new world. Unsuccessful, it lasted until the Danes brought in more troops.

We had Chinese takeout in Atlanta, then took the Plane Train to our next gate. We were falling asleep while waiting to board, but managed to stay awake. We slept on the flight to Saint Louis. After landing, we hoofed it over to baggage claim, where our bags had beat us there. After recovering them, we both started layering up. We weren’t in the tropics anymore. Hailed a cab and got home after midnight. Joanie as per usual had kept everything shipshape there. Thank you, girl! It was a long day, but a great vacation, can’t wait for the next one.

Arthur, our kayak guide gets photo credits with this post. He found the octopus and photographed it. He explained that you can find octopuses by first finding their “garden.” They feed on mollusks and then leave the empty shells strewn about their home, but I don’t think that was what Ringo was singing about.