I'm Always Mentally on Vacation

Tradition

Clown noses on St Croix. I take them every year.

If you ask why, or refuse to play along, then you don't get asked back.

They are best rendered with a serious expression like, "What clown nose?"

I like to make my pictures black and white so the nose stands out. In fact, I am black and white while I wear the nose.

Final Days

Friday was awesome. It started with an AM dive with SCUBA. This is the largest dive boat on the island and the one that leaves out of Christiansted harbor.

It was a non eventful ride out as we watched for whales. We were headed east as far as this boat goes to a place I had never dived before.

Once down, I was tweeted out...had my gear dialed in and was very comfortable on a 100 foot drive on a site called North Star. I floated effortlessly in the weightlessness.

My camera unknown to me was set on time lapse. This shot is from my right tank pointing backwards drifting over the deep wall. I was jut dangling the camera to the rear and later discovered all these pictures.

Later on the second dive I encountered two very large Lion Fish. I shot the biggest first and unfortunately got a body shot in the organs. I was hoping for a head shot.

This fish was strong and surprised me with his kicking strength. He was too big for me to disarm by clipping off the sharp and venomous spines so I opted to drive him in the sandy bottom and twist the trident spear tip to inflict as much damage as possible so the shot would be fatal.

As soon as I started this maneuver he bucked and managed to pull my spear up about three feet and swam off. No worries, he will be a goner.

The second shot was a head shot and soon his head was off. A definite kill.

Saturday rolled around and it was time for checkout and time in town.

Lunch was in order and I opted for the lobster quesadilla.

Then a few beers and sightseeing on the harbor.

By 2PM it was off to the airport for a nonstop back to charlotte.

To be continued..........

Flight 2003 Canceled

Detail you know will follow.

The Mother of All Pies

Southerners don't call pizza, a pie. But this was a pie. Son of a bitch it was a good pie at one of my favorite beach bars, Off The Wall.

Behold!

Cold beer, feet in the sand, music playing, ocean waves, warm breezes and laughs with friends.

Dive 130 and 131 yesterday with video. It will take time to process and edit.

New and Cool

I get it.

What I Noticed

My back doesn't hurt as bad here. My sinuses are clear. I have textbook regularity. I have no worries.

I haven't been sleeping well.

Go figure. Now a picture.

A Great Day

Respectful to my wife, I haven't been diving every waking hour. But, I'm having fun.

Looked at flowers.

Went to the beach.

Went to another beach.

Had lunch and a beer at a beach bar.

Saw lots of cool chickens.

Went to the beach.

It Is Defiled

Go to the webcam www.gotostcroix.com/live and see if you can find my mark. An "all the way"* hot dog to the winner.

I got in dive 128 and 129 yesterday.

*all the way Carolina Style includes mustard, chili, onions, and slaw on steamed bun. The hot dog is steamed. Winner is responsible for any taxes.

The Land Where Time Stands Still

I got here late Saturday and have been nonstop with outdoor activities since. I thrive in this.

No time for emails, Facebook, blog.....I am too involved.

Pictures are forthcoming.

Outa Here

Story developing.

Location:Pinewood Ln,Midland,United States

Rasta Clause Eve

It is time. Final packing, hoarding of animal feed and preparation for the house sitter.

Checking dive gear and printing of boarding passes.

Tomorrow I will see the sun set there. It will be warm.

It will be cool to see the home place from afar via security cams ....I'll be able to hear the dogs. I hope to FaceTime the dogs while there.

Last Time for a While

That I'll be looking at this directory on my floor elevator for at least 11 days.

Tomorrow....St Croix Eve and the visit from Rasta Clause.

ICBM

Intracontenential ballistic missile on my desk.

Beware Phfrankie...you could be in range.

I Like This

This is Chicken Charlie of Rainbow Beach, VI. I like his rotisserie system . I want to be able to mass rotisserie like this.

When I am down next week I'll check out his rig in detail and photograph it all. What especially interests me is the big metal rod, attachments, and turning apparatus. I could technically cook over a line of charcoal and could sans the barrels and framing.

Where Does It All Go?

I have a secret underground bunker where all tailgate goodies go. Dive stuff too. Camping stuff too.

Until next August........

Prep

Final preparations are underway for St Croix.

One issue I've had is I wanted the ability to call the iPad on my refrigerator so that I can see my dogs when I am 1500 miles away.

This iPad is my old iPad 2 with a magnetic strip on the back. This iPad allows me to watch TV from Direct TV while in the kitchen. It also makes a dandy FaceTime portal.

What I did is create a unique Apple ID for this which is homebase105@icloud.com.

So, if you want to video call me in the kitchen then just plug in that email to you FaceTime app and we'll talk.

I fully expect to hear from Bondo as soon as he sees this.....I hope so. Hell, Phfrankie and I could cook together.

February

December and January are gone. Two months of cold and dark are history. We are half done with the dreariest of seasons. Rejoice!

Today is one week from when I annually cheat winter just for a week. In one week I will feel warmth, sweat, sunshine, warm sand, warm water, flowers, grass, green foliage, and the bluest waters.

Today I pack. Most of the dive gear is done and now for the carry ons.

These are happy times for my people.......haters of winter.

In a perfect world I would dwell there from mid November until April 1.

But today I hoard animal food and prepare for the house sitter.

Super Bowl

I'm sticking for the Broncos this year. I never pull for the AFC. But I'm pulling for the Broncos because:

Peyton Manning has a swell, reasonable, haircut.
Peyton Manning says, "Omaha" a lot and that is cool.
I hate the Seahawks.
Peyton is funny on commercials.
Peyton is nice to his sissy little brother Eli.
Peyton is old and he needs his second Super Bowl title.
I like it when I hear, "Omaha, Omaha" and it it makes me want a steak.
Prior to the snap, no quarterback is better shouting audibles than Peyton.
Peyton is a better quarterback than Andrew Luck.
Peyton did his quarterback rehab at Duke University in Durham. Durham is my home town.
Peyton endorses pizza and I have never met a pizza that I didn't like.
I don't know anyone else on the team except the coach, and we threw him away.
Seattle is famous for rain, coffee, and screaming. That is shitty.
The Panthers should have beaten Seattle but Williams fumbled a break away run at our house.
Seattle's star corner back is a loud mouth punk.

They Still Live

Yellow boys. Eleven years they have headed to the 17th parallel. They are most likely fifteen years old.

They are comfortable under a wet suit.

This Day in History

The Thriller in Midland, Tanner Boom Boom Hunnicutt prepares for the 15th and final decision round against Tantore the Great Dane. - 1971

Snow Tonight

My dad was a cool guy and great father. I love you man. You left us too soon.

This is my dog Dody and we are all in the snow. About 1970.

I remember the moment.

You will know I was here

Everything has been rebuilt, painted, and cleaned. My mark is long gone. Soon, you will know I was here.

This day in history

On this day in 1858, Alfred B. Mullett invented the mullett haircut for poor, under educated white people.

Mullett also laid the foundational theories that later led to the invention of olive loaf.

Payback is Hell

We are having a nasty winter here as are most of you except Phfrankie. To add to the pain, a steady wind is blowing.

I took the day to collect dive gear, change batteries, calibrate, and generally get it all together for the upcoming trip.

I had a meeting with a fellow tailgater on Friday and we talked shop about college and pro tailgating. I am getting stoked for next season and it is six months away. I had some old tailgate stuff shown below and it now has a new home.