First things first: To the sea!

Although I live on St. Croix and I look at the sea every day, it is one thing to gaze at it from a distance, and another to be on it, and in it. 

So we chartered a catamaran and spent a week cruising around the neighboring British Virgin Islands.  This is a fun place to visit by boat because there are many islands close enough to each other that you can zip around and stop at random reefs, beaches and sandy spits without long passages and in a very calm sea.

For me, it was a time to recharge my creative batteries while snorkeling at the many reefs, getting reacquainted with sea life, and letting myself be enfolded in the magic of simply being on the water.

The reefs are mostly bleached of their vibrant color, but they still enchant with the magnificent coral structures, and the colorful fish.  It takes a special skill for good underwater photography, which I lack, but fortunately, the internet is full of wonderful images that capture the experience.  After a little research, I managed to find photos that show what I saw.  

Photo:Pixabay/Skeeze

At George Dog we saw great fields of elkhorn coral and staghorn coral.

Photo: Pixabay

Brain Corals at Loblolly Beach in Anegada.

Photo: Sharon North Pohl

 It was my first time seeing a group of four Caribbean Squid.  Here’s a closeup of one:

Photo:Wikimedia/Nick Hobgood

 Trunkfish have such a cool shape that they are sure to make a cameo appearance in Oceana.

Photo:Pixabay/Axistravel

With some of the fish, it was like visiting old friends because they have inspired me in the past.  Here’s a school of Blue Tang, and a piece that I created this past spring called “Blue Tang Run.”

Sargeant Majors and fan corals were also old friends from another art piece called “Coral Garden.”

Coneys are groupers with transluscent polka dots.  They remind me of “Big Fish.”

Parrotfish are so colorful that they are a joy to see.  There were plenty of them chomping away at the corals.  And here is one of various pieces that I have created, celebrating this fish. 

It was good to take time out and simply enjoy the sea.  Now I’m back on St. Croix and ready to get back in the studio and let the creativity begin flowing again.