Christmas Visit

Just before Christmas we were anchored just off the cruise ship dock in St. Thomas. We were awaiting the arrivial of our Christmas visitors, my son Rick and my two granddaughters Lilly and Sophia. Passing within a few hundred feet of us was the largest cruise ship in the world, Oasis of the Seas. The ship slowly maneuvered sideways tying up to the dock. We then took a slip at Crown Bay Marina to make it easy for our quests to board and get plenty of air conditioning to transition them from "zero degree" New England weather to our "eighty-five degree" heat.

Lilly and Sophia loved the boat, playing card games, coloring and most of all the snorkeling. We visited St John and many of the BVI islands. The kids favorite was the Bight at Norman Island because of the many fish seen while snorkeling and playing on the beach. Rick and I went on many dives including the Rhone, Inganess Bay, Wreck Alley, Fearless and the Dogs. All great dive sites.

After what seems like a very short visit, the kids had to fly north and go from swimming in the Caribbean to skiing on the Northern slopes the next day. We are back on St John reprovisioned and getting used to life aboard Phantom.