2024-03-17 Good snorkeling in Fredricksted, Sail back to St. John

Reports were the pier in  Frederiksted are the best snorkeling/diving around so had to go and check it out.  There are three dive stores in town and it seemed like people were snorkeling/diving the pier all the time.  We went for a really nice snorkel best variety of corals we have seen.  The pilings that support the long cruise ship pier are covered with corals.   We also saw a very large green turtle, some smaller ones, and even one settling in for a nap.   Spotted Eagle ray - no good photo, and an octopus.   Worth the sail down just to snorkel the pier.

                                            octopus in front of the black fish

The Manta Namid was also at the anchorage so talked to Bruce and Sandra.  We hung out in Frederiksted a couple more days, just relaxing, and then decided to sail back up to St. John, as it looked like good weather for the sail.  We are watching the weather now for our next jump to the east - against the prevailing trade winds to St. Martin.   We can either leave from the BVI's and sail east southeast the 80 miles to St. Martin, or leave from St. Croix and sail east northeast the 95 miles.  Looking at the pilot charts, typically there are more winds from the NE than the SE, so going to the BVI and planning on sailing from their made more sense.  Of course - now the forecast looks like nice SE wind, so probably the wrong decision, but we are not in a hurry - so will just wait for the good weather.

We are anchored near Pelican rock on the SE side of St. John.  It is quiet here, with few boats.  Went for a snorkel around the rocks, but not much there.  Two sea turtles were grazing close to our boat on the sea grass, so waited for them to surface to get some photos, as they have remora attached.

Guess turtles must have bad eyesight, or not look around much, because as Kris hung out just floating, one surfaced fairly close to her, and then kept moving closer on the surface, until it was just a couple feet away, then it dove, and still didn't react, until it bumped into her then it was surprised and quickly dove.

Green turtle with remora attached

The turtle was only about a foot away when he started to dive

We also had a remora attached to the keel of the boat, hopefully it does a good job of cleaning the boat.  It swam away a bit when Kris tried to get close for a photo, but then stuck back onto the keel.

We will hang out here, until we decide to leave, or need groceries, and then will move somewhere - don't know yet.  Its all about the weather now.