After we became frustrated by just how slow it was (and my 4G Internet was no faster than G's 3G), we discussed plans for the day. G didn't mention (and you can bet I didn't either) climbing the hill to the top of Paradise Point. We were both in the mood for a more relaxed pace today. Martha and Betsy had taken a ship's island tour, so they were doing their own thing, and we decided to explore another beach that we'd never been to on St. Thomas: Morningstar Beach.
We gathered up our gear and, after a $6 per person taxi fare ($8pp from Crown Bay), were dropped at Morningstar, which is where the Marriott Frenchmen's Reef complex is located. The end of the beach not in front of the resort is pretty narrow, and I have a feeling that, on a windy day, the surf could be pretty rough. However, the beach widens out as you get in front of the Marriott time share condos. As you move towards the hotel up on a cliff, there is no beach at all, just 270 degrees of incredible vistas (which is what you get when you build on the edge of a cliff on a peninsula). I couldn't help marvel at the engineering required to build that complex.
First, though, before I marveled, we spent some time on the beach. Rentals are pricey- $10 each for chairs- so we went the "tarp under a tree" route, as we weren't planning to stay there very long. The beach entry is not as gradual as other beaches we've been to, but, to its credit, it is largely rock-free, and it's definitely large rock-free.
After some sand time, we decided to explore the Marriott property, and walked the length of the beach and up to the hotel on the hill (lots of stair climbing). After we'd reached the top, we discovered a panoramic elevator from the hotel down to the beach, built into an area carved out of the cliff (that's when I started marveling, standing there like I was examining the engineering with a curious mind, when, in actuality, I was trying to hide the fact that I was panting a bit after climbing a zillion steps. It's a neat trick: instead of appearing to be out of shape, I appeared to be an intellectual. I think I'll remember that for the future). ;-)
As impressive as the elevator was, the swimming pools are where the Marriott shines (I lost count after 4 of them...some intellectual I am!). Gorgeous, infinity edge pools seamlessly blending with the blue Caribbean Sea below, with tiered waterfalls on the back side, cascading down to teak decking on the rocks below, with canopied day beds. Yes, this place was nice. It should be, for the price. I saw a lot of people sitting poolside eating plastic containers of tortilla chips and guacamole, no doubt their lunches, and no doubt expensive. Tortilla chips and guacamole! In cruise ship-land, that's merely an hors doerve on a bad day, not lunch!
Our taxi driver in the morning has warned us about the traffic going from Morningstar Beach back to Havensight late in the afternoon, telling us that, with three cruise ships docked there, traffic would be bumper to bumper along the way. With a 4:30pm on board time, we left the Marriott just after 3:30pm. Our driver had been right. It was a mess of taxis all along the way. Still, shortly after 4:00pm, we boarded the ship -sandy, salty and sweaty, and immediately got cleaned up. Sailaway from St. Thomas is one of the prettiest ones we have, and we wanted to be up in Skywalkers when it happened about 5:00pm. Martha and Betsy joined us, and we enjoyed hearing about their day and showing them the Frenchmen's Reef area and Morningstar Beach from the deck behind Skywalkers.
Dinner with Sutti is always a celebration, and without a show that appealed tonight (there was just one, impressionist Michael Wilson in the Princess Theater, and we've seen him at least three times this winter), we decided to camp out in Club Fusion starting at 8:00pm to first listen to band Sol Provider and then participate in the activities related to tonight's County Western party.
Glory hallelujah! Just for embarrassing myself on the dance floor, I won a bottle of champagne at the party. G will be so pleased. When he wakes up. 'Cause he retired to the cabin early and missed the whole thing.
Photo 1: Morningstar Beach
Photo 2: Buck island in the distance
Photo 3: infinity edge pool at the Marriott Frenchmen's Reef
Photo 4: view from the lobby
Photo 5: Marriott Frenchmen's Reef and Morningstar Beach as seen from the Emerald Princess at sailaway