Caribbean – Camera & Carry On

This Little Piggy Went for a Swim in the Caribbean

Courtney — Sun, 31 Jul 2016 18:43:52 +0000

When a friend asks you if you'd like to go on a day trip to the Bahamas in her family's plane, you say yes. You then proceed to have an incredible adventure!! When I saw the six-seater plane her uncle would be flying us in my heart dropped. I knew it was small, but I've ridden in cars bigger than this! I buckled my seatbelt, laughing. If something went wrong I just couldn't see this piece of fabric making much of a difference. Where's the aisle? Where's the woman who's supposed to tell me where the emergency exit is? I guess, in a plane this small they aren't hard to find. I realized I'd committed at this point, so with a quick prayer and an "I love you" text to my family, we were off. In such a small plane, we could easily see the town below us--the people, the cars, the houses, the streets and waterways. Then there was nothing but a vast ocean. I couldn't wait to be exploring it in the Bahamas. A paradise of swimming pigs, "pet" nurse sharks, and snorkeling adventures awaited us only an hour and a half plane ride away. When we arrived at the airport a pickup truck was waiting to take us to the place where we would rent a Boston whaler (a small, fast boat). We used it to travel all over Exuma's different cays. Our first stop was Staniel Cay (aka best place ever!!!). As we approached, giant pigs started to swim — yes, swim — toward us from the beach. Apparently they know to expect food, water, and lots of love when boats arrive. We spent about an hour playing with them, feeding them, and taking pictures. We even got to see three little baby piglets! Isn't that a nursery rhyme or something? From there we moved on to Compass Cay where I did the craziest thing I'd do all day —swim with sharks. I willingly got into shark infested water and swam around, diving below them to try to get a good GoPro shot, as people threw chum into the water. Everyone says nurse sharks won't bite unless you mess with them. It was a little scary, but totally worth it!!! Definitely a once in a lifetime experience. After the sharks, we boated around to a few more cays, checking out beautiful and secluded beaches. We had entire beaches to ourselves to explore and relax on. Nothing I have ever seen can compare to the powdery white sand and shocking blue of the water in Exuma. Next up was a surprise destination! When we got there it didn't look like much — just another big mound of rock. As we dove into the water, though, I could see small openings just big enough for someone to swim through. After diving down deep, we found ourselves in a magical cave. I was informed that "magical cave" isn't actually the technical term, though, so if you go you should probably refer to it as "Thunderball Grotto", which is also located in Staniel Cay. Light poured in from the holes at the top, and there were several underwater entrances. Hundreds of fish swam around us and the top of the cave was breathtaking with the light and rocks and plants that grew there. We then found out something even more breathtaking. You can climb on top of the grotto and jump in! (Warning: the rocks you have to climb are very sharp. I highly recommend water shoes, we didn't have any and got a little banged up.) Once at the top, I realized I had learned my lesson from jumping off the cliffs in Amalfi. Don't linger too long, just do it! 1-2-3... JUMP! What a rush! After that we boated around, stopping here and there to see different small beaches and lots of animals. With the crystal blue water, you can see an incredible array of sea life below the surface. While boating we saw some more nurse sharks, sea turtles, tons of fish, sting rays, coral, and of course the piggies. Exuma, Bahamas is an incredible destination that offers everything from adventure to nature and relaxation. Just over an hour plane ride from the continental U.S., you can easily stay for a day or much longer, but don't say I didn't warn you: when you get there you won't want to leave! If you have the time, stay for at least a long weekend. Heck, if you have the time, plan to stay forever! This day reminded me how grateful I am for beautiful places and good friends!

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Caribbean Destination Inspiration

Shannon — Tue, 07 Jul 2015 18:55:49 +0000

I'm still living in la la land. I may be back in Beantown (it's true... no one that's from here calls it that, but whatevs -- beans are the bomb) but I'm still swaying to the memory of island music and balmy breezes. Gotta keep that vacation spirit alive! Even though I get sideways glances wearing my Roxy board shorts and anchor tank to walk my dog on my tree-lined brownstone street. Hey - It's hot, and my choice of ensemble is totally is temperature appropriate (I'm talking to you, over-dressers). So I'm brainstorming a few ways to incorporate the Caribbean into my everyday - until my next destination obsession, that is. Did you miss the part about us going to St. Croix recently? Catch up with these posts on shopping for a swimsuit, packing, rolling in the sand, and kickass water sports videos. Got it? Ok, let's move on to the post-travel stuff, and how I'm bringing the tropics home.

Sunrise Papaya Smoothie Guava, Pineapple, Banana Smoothie Coconut Pancakes Blackened Mahi Tacos Jamaican Jerk Chicken with Coconut Rice and Beans Hot and Fruity Caribbean Coleslaw BBC aka Bailey's Banana Colada Drink The Painkiller Drink Coconut Sugar Caramelized Plantains

Warming Sun - Dirty Heads Three Little Birds - Bob Marley Santeria - Sublime Rhythm of Love - Plain White T's Island - My Bubba Riptide - Vance Joy Jump in the Line - Harry Belafonte 54-46 Was My Number - Toots & The Maytals Compliment Your Soul - Dan Croll Breakdown - Jack Johnson Every Morning - Sugar Ray Last Request - Paolo Nutini No Way No - Magic! For the full she-bang, check out my Island playlist here.

Wide Sargasso Sea - Jean Rhys Robinson Crusoe - Daniel Defoe Cinnamon and Gunpowder: A Novel - Eli Brown Islands in the Stream - Ernest Hemingway Forgetting Sarah Marshall Pirates of the Caribbean Cocktail Jurassic Park The Swiss Family Robinson

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What's on your Caribbean inspiration board? Or maybe you don't have one for the tropics but are dreaming of another destination. Don't stay up late at night, drooling on your keyboard while you get tendonitis scrolling through Pinterest. Incorporate those ideas into today, tomorrow, the weekend. Make the most of your time at home when you can't get away, and take note of what to do/see/eat when you do!

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Video: Not Just Piña Coladas, More Action in the Caribbean

Michael — Thu, 25 Jun 2015 11:37:19 +0000

If you've been following along, you may have noticed Shannon and I having a blast in St. Croix! Despite our reputation for hearty appetites and an ability to fall into relaxation, we're not just eating and laying out all day! No, lucky for us, right on Rainbow beach is West End Water Sports, and they have a ton of awesome activities to get your heart pumpin'. And lucky for you, this was the perfect time to test out our new underwater camera! For starters, do you know what Flyboarding is? No? Neither did we (nor does my spellchecker), but we found out. I can only imagine what the inventor's first pitch sounded like: "I'm going to take a jet ski, and run a firehose from the engine to a pair of boots. The boots will redirect the water from the jet ski down into the ocean. I'll wear the boots, and fly around like Ironman... So, who's with me?!" Well, we were sold, check it out... For those who prefer to go under the water, rather than above it, the abundance of reefs and crystal clear water makes for some great snorkeling, too! Even if it may take some convincing to get a certain someone to jump off the dock... with the magic of video editing, you'd never know... And just for some middle ground, we did spend time right at water level too. You can't go wrong with a little jet skiing or kayaking across the clear blue sea!

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The Caribbean is always a great place to get in the water and take a look around. Many thanks to West End Water Sports for providing us with these activities. If you're in St. Croix, now you know where to go! As always, all opinions, text, and videos are my own. See our ethics page for more information.

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Drunk on Love (and maybe a little Rum)

Shannon — Thu, 18 Jun 2015 19:03:56 +0000

When you live through a winter dubbed Snowmageddon (honestly, who comes up with these things?), the allure of sunshine, warmth, and the tropics is intoxicating. Pure temptation. One night, lusting after the thought of splashing in the Caribbean blue, I succumbed to my wanderlust. I booked a ticket to St. Croix! Well, we booked tickets - because that's not somewhere you just jaunt off to for a few days without your better half. It's the kind of place people to go get drunk ~~on rum~~ on love. Even with regular doses of "travel for my everyday," the raging travaholic wanted, nay, needed a hit of real, actual travel. Like magic, the opportunity to bundle two destinations in one presented itself. *Poof* I was already planning to attend the wedding of a dear, longtime friend in my hometown of Naples, FL. Naturally, I took that as a sign to visit the Virgin Islands. I mean... it's so close. Right? The wedding was amazing, by the way. The kind where people actually have a good time, talk to strangers, dance, drink, take pictures, laugh, recount stories of the bride and groom... the makings for a long and happy marriage. Pretty sure I embarrassed myself in the video when the "polka" came on for the Polish side of the family, but hey - it happens. And I'm cool with that. Right, so back to the trip part. The Virgin Islands are preeeety close to Florida. But you still gotta take a few flights to get there. From Ft. Lauderdale we hopped over to Puerto Rico, then reluctantly boarded a teeny, tiny-ass plane (< just working on boosting SEO query results for sexy search terms) for the remaining leg. It only fit 9 people (there were 6 of us, including the pilot), and we were seated based on our weight for even distribution. Fun times! The toy plane landed safely, my shadow kissed the ground, then we slipped into our standard attire for the remainder of the getaway: the tropical trifecta -- swimsuits, sandals, and sunglasses! Think I should trademark that? We did what every couple desperate for a vacation does: eat, drink, burn, apply sunscreen, swim, drink, repeat. We had our share of lazy time on the beach, but really got to explore the island, do some hiking, snorkeling, and try out a newfangled water sport. Have I talked about the drinks yet? Cocktails. My favorite part (almost), only second in line to a view of the water. Fruity, cold, big, small, strong, and maker of many friends. We became fast regulars at the beach bar. "Oooh, get the BBC or the Lime in de Coconut!" ~ Ms. Tipsy here. Our skin started to tan, I embraced my frizzies, and waking sans alarm to the early sunrise felt good. Before I knew it, one, two, five days... it was time to go home and leave the island. I'd grown accustomed to not checking the time. I had a tan line from my wedding ring, and I really wanted another fish taco. It's hard to say goodbye to good things. Badbye. Is that a thing? Then I thought about our pudgy dog Sumo. Traveling when you have a pet can be a little tough, but it sure does make the return home a lot sweeter. I'm currently going through a little bit of island withdrawal, you guys [sigh]. My pineapple-coconut smoothie this morning didn't quite do the trick, but I'm working my recovery one step at a time. Any words of inspiration and encouragement will surely help me through this tough time.

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A big thanks to We Travel Far and Forty Winks for sponsoring this post. Check out their online shops for travel gear and lingerie & swimwear. As always, all opinions, text, and images are my own. See our ethics page for more information. Thank you for supporting the sponsors that make life a little better here at Camera & Carry On.

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Photo On the Map: St. Croix, USVI

Shannon — Fri, 12 Jun 2015 17:43:04 +0000

I didn't anticipate cacti in the Virgin Islands, or a 5:45 am sunrise for that matter. I found both in Point Udall on St. Croix, holder of the title for easternmost point of US territories. Things aren't often what we expect. Sometimes they're much more. Eyes wide, I soaked in every sparkling, minute detail of the Caribbean blue at Isaac Bay. What is it about turquoise water that makes my heart go pitter-patter? Cliché as it is, views like this never get old. I've seen so many picturesque beaches, seascapes, and scenic hikes... but somehow it's always like the first time. Big breaths, smiles, sunshine, a light breeze, laughter: such things make for a day filled with "happy."

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Packing for a Week in the US Virgin Islands

Shannon — Fri, 05 Jun 2015 14:10:28 +0000

Warm weather, beaches, hiking, rum cocktails, driving in a jeep, afternoon showers: these are the things I considered when packing for a week in St. Croix. Part of the US Virgin Islands and sleepiest of the 3, St. Croix provided a much needed respite from the mighty Northeastern winter we'd "survived," and more importantly a reset for our minds & spirit. I admit I put off packing til the last minute (nearly 11pm the night before our 9:30am trip, to be exact), but packing in a carry on comes pretty easy when the only item on the itinerary is soaking up vitamin D.

Packing for a Week in St. Croix, USVI

I kept it pretty simple with black and white as my base, but used a good amount of color, too! This is the Caribbean, after all, and bright pinks, blues, and yellows go so well with the sun, sea, and sand. If you want to shop these and similar items for your next trip, check out the links below! Carry On • Sailor Stripe Weekender Bag | Suit Bag & Case • Wet Suit Bag & Multi Color Carrying Case | Swimsuit • Havana Soul Bikini | Tops • 4 Tees, 5 Tanks, 1 Striped Sweater, 1 Jersey Dress | Bottoms • 1 Chino Pant, 2 Shorts (Jean & Cotton), 1 Skirt | Hat Not pictured • Shoes (1 Pair Sandals, 1 Pair Sneakers), Undergarments (2 Bras, 10 Underwear, Nightie, Socks), Accessories (Purse, Daypack, Earrings), Electronics (Nikon camera, Kindle, Laptop, Headphones, Cell Phone, Chargers), Toiletries (Sunscreen, Hair Product, Toothpaste/brushes, Comb, Mascara, Lip Gloss, Chapstick, Hair ties, Headband, Deodorant), Light Jacket

A Few Looks

In beachy destinations like the Virgin Islands, you don't have to worry about getting too fussy even to go out for dinner at night. In St. Croix, casual clothes are good for most every occasion. Here are a few ideas for mixing and matching pieces for the beach, a night out, and travel days. Needless to say, I had everything I needed for my warm weather getaway. I left room in my bag for souvenirs but as expected, didn't spend much time shopping anyhow. Let's just say I was preoccupied with coconut drinks and lounging in the sand. More on that here. And thanks to the wet suit bag, I was able to take a final splash in the ocean before heading off to the airport.

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