caribbean

A National Parks Journey - Virgin Islands National Park

Covid had impacted all our lives, and living in close confines with my partner for an entire year without the relief of social life and travel was proving to be tough. The cold and gloomy winter of Seattle didn't help either: it had multiplied the stresses of being together. This park, and the islands where the Park was nestled in, was meant to be an escape from reality from the bleak weather. Thankfully, it lived up to its expectations.

Virgin islands are not a hard place to get to as there are plenty of flights that ply to these Caribbean US territories. A short cab and ferry ride from the island of St Thomas lands you in St John, where the Park is actually located. But getting around the Park, especially to the remote reaches on the eastern side of the island, necessitated renting one of the colorful Jeeps available by the ferry terminal. And that gave me the freedom to explore various trails and relax by the white sand beaches normally not visited by day trippers from St Thomas, the commercial hub of Virgin Islands.

And while sailing remains the best way to explore these territories, staying in and exploring the island of St John by road works was a welcome substitute for the solo traveler.

Virgin Islands National Park
USVI

A National Parks Journey - Dry Tortugas National Park

Tranlsated literally, dry tortugas means dry turtles, though I could never fathom how that name stuck to the series of Caribbean reef islands situated on the far end of the Florida Keys. They weren't the easiest to get to. Starting with a 3hour drive along the heavily trafficked US Route 1 to the end of the Florida keys, it continued on a 3hr ferry ride on choppy waters that took us to a series of atolls, including one topped by a 19th century fort. But it was worth every minute of it.

Far from any population centers, the only folks that provided company on this island paradise were the tourmates from the ferry and the Park personnel. I took the time to explore the nooks and crannies of the historic Fort Jefferson, and tried to juxtapose the red-brick architecture with the azure blue skies above and turquoise waters below. My only regret was not being able to camp at Dry Tortugas, and enjoy a Caribbean sunset. Perhaps that calls for a return visit.

Dry Tortugas National Park
FL USA

Caribbean Paradise

After going through multiple days of cold winter weather, including what has been the snowiest day in over 30 years, I cannot wait for the days to get longer and warmer. And even though the winter isn't yet over, the signs of spring are just beginning to blossom everywhere. Pretty soon, we will witness colorful blooms, meadows of fresh grass, carpets of wildflowers and more.

But until that occurs, I keep myself hopeful with my travel memories accumulated over the years, including this one from the beautiful tropical beaches of Virgin Islands National Park. Here, the azure blue waters dotted with catamarans and sailboats meet the white sands of a palm-fringed beach that anchors this part of the mountainous island. I delighted in driving around the island, seeing these blissful vistas, and creating soul-enriching imprints that I would treasure for a lifetime.

Virgin Islands National Park
USVI