So what ever happened to M & C and Dancing Dolphin?
Well life happens as they say. Don’t ask me who they are…… So much has happened in the 9 years since we set out on our adventures. We lived aboard DD for 4 years after arriving in the VI and both took jobs there on the Island. I worked as an MA for a great Dr. Mark Livingston and Mike continued working for Angel Electric. In 2012 we began planning our next adventure aboard DD. Many of our friends along with our employers really wanted us to stay in the VI and made it abundantly clear that we would be sorely missed. We sat on the Deck of DD with a cocktail and as so often happens we began a rousing round of dreaming and scheming. We asked ourselves what would keep us in the USVI? Mike’s answer: # 1 – Well maybe if someone asked us to watch a really nice villa. My response: That would be nice but #2 it would have to be on the water. Mike: and #3 preferably on a bay where we can moor Dancing Dolphin. Me: and #4 it would need to have a separate bungalow or apt so we wouldn’t have to move if owners or guest came in……and finally #5 It would need to be a paid position so we can continue to replenish the cruising kitty with freedom chips. Be careful what you wish for…….within 3 weeks of stating out loud that intention, I was waiting at the Ferry terminal on St. Thomas. I happened to meet and strike up a conversation with a local Attorney. He learned about Mike’s skills as an electrician and my background in the Medical field. We chatted about our life aboard DD and a few days later he contacted Mike and asked for a number to contact me directly. I must admit it was a bit unnerving to get a call out of the blue from someone who I had not given my information to. He asked me if Mike and I had ever had any Caretaking experience. “Well yes as a matter of fact we have.” He explained that he was the Attorney who represented the owners of Great St. James Island and that they were looking for a couple who might be interested in managing the Villa there. The job entailed managing the 167 acre Island, a 5 bedroom Villa, including pool, tennis court, Caretakers bungalow, Solar System, Reverse osmosis water system, 2 power boats, 2 private docks, and a parking area on St. Thomas. It was an amazing offer and it was being handed to us if we were interested. I asked the Attorney to give us a few days to think about it and he stated he would return in 10 days from Denmark where the owners lived. If we were interested we would supply him with a resume and proceed with a phone interview with the owners. I hung up the phone and marveled at the way the universe likes to play with us. If you want to make god laugh tell him your plans. Needless to say it was an offer we couldn’t refuse. It met and exceeded all of our wishes. We became the caretakers of Great St. James Island and spent another 3 years in the USVI to the delight of our friends and my boss Mark Livingston as part of the negotiations for taking the job on the Island would be that I would continue to work on St. Thomas as an MA while Mike took on most of the Caretaking responsibilities on GSJ Island. We sailed DD over to her new home in Bare Ass Bay on the Island of Great St. James and settled into a routine of Caretaking and commuting to work via powerboat now. The owner and his family were wonderful and we really enjoyed working for them. We sold our beloved Catamaran Dancing Dolphin in 2015 as with our responsibilities on GSJ we just did not have enough time to spend on her and hoped she would carry a new owner on more adventures and create more wonderful memories for someone new. We spent 3 years Managing GSJ Island, entertaining guests, owners, and visiting family. While living and working on GSJ we acquired another member of our family, our dog, Dede. Another story for another post. It was a dream job and we loved our life there but as all good things do, it came to an end in 2016 when the Island sold and the new owners had bigger plans for it than a personal private Island getaway. When we found ourselves with the impending change of lifestyle we decided we would head back to Pagosa Springs Colorado to regroup and spend time with family. Mike has continued working as an electrician but is tapering down his workload after training both his stepson Sage and nephew Joe as electricians and separating his shoulder Mountain Biking. I have gone back to work for the Upper San Juan Health District as an MA for Dr. Brown who I worked with back in the early 2000’s. We continue to Dream and Scheme and have a few new adventures in the planning stages. I thought I would bring our many cruising friends and family up to speed with our current doings and will be posting some of our pictures and memories from our years on GSJ and our travels back to Pagosa Springs. It might not be as exciting as some of our previous sailing adventures but I hope you enjoy catching up. Love to you all.
Living the Dream 