A Short Trip to the U.S. Virgin Islands

We got away for a few days in early August 2017, heading to the U.S. Virgin Islands. Upon arrival, we immediately found the coast, taking a quick selfie on a sandy beach with the ocean behind us. The air was warm and the landscape was incredibly lush and green, with dense foliage everywhere we looked. It felt like a completely different world.

A lot of our time was spent on or near the water. The islands are dotted with harbors and marinas, and getting around often means taking a boat. I remember one cloudy afternoon waiting by the dock, watching the other boats bob in the choppy water against the backdrop of steep green hills. The sky was heavy and gray, but it didn't feel threatening, just calm and quiet.

The evenings were a different story. As the sun went down, the light would break through the clouds and set the sky on fire. We spent one evening walking around a marina as the day ended. The water reflected the golden light, and all the sailboats and catamarans were settled in for the night. It was a peaceful way to close out the day.