We’re back and not exactly enjoying this weather but here are some photos to remind those of us in the Northern hemisphere that all is not leaden skies and shitty, slushy snow and ice.

St John has only one native mammal; the bat. There are six species and we saw two of them (I think) every evening flying around our balcony. Everything else you see is non-native left by early colonists. These donkeys were used to work in the sugar plantations but now they roam the island in small groups:

Here’s a golden orb spider with her puny male visible in the upper right. These ladies build enormous webs, some reputed to be 15 feet across and equally strong:

A pearly-eyed thrasher that people insist on calling a “thrushie”. I have no idea why because it’s not in the thrush family. They are all over the island but hang out around restaurants where they steal food.

This was the best fish we’ve had since Japan.  People sell fish from coolers along the main drag in Cruz Bay but you never can predict when they’ll show up. A rasta guy lopped off these two mahi mahi steaks with a machete and we grilled them. Incredible.

You can always count on spectacular sunsets here:

This is Saltpond Bay, one of the nicer beaches on the island because it’s at the far eastern end and requires a good bit of driving. We got there around 10am and had it to ourselves, but it wasn’t long before people started showing up. Nice snorkeling here.

Hermit crabs by the hundreds:

Anoles are ubiquitous:

Wasp moth, Horama pretus:

Gene enjoying a Red Stripe at Miss Lucy’s.  Unbeatable location for this restaurant:

Pelican at Waterlemon Cay:

I still have another batch of photos to post so check back again.