Cruzan Awakening

I feel that I should begin this epic tale at the very beginning of time, our time that is, in St. Croix, the United States' territory which, incidentally, lies in the Caribbean Sea, some 1,800 miles from the "continent", as they know it here, AKA the United States mainland. St. Croix is the largest of the US Virgin Islands, with her "sister" isles of St. Thomas and St. John, some forty miles distant to the North.
The first major historical event (for history buffs) occurred here on the North shore of the Island, at the mouth of the Salt River, on November the 14th, 1493. The first documented site, that is, where that famous Italian, Christopher Columbus on Spain's nickel, set foot in the Western Hemisphere, of what was then the habitation of the Caribe Indians. This occurred on Chris' second voyage across the Atlantic Ocean. Columbus named the place "Cape of the Arrows" in honor of the first victims of the violent encounter with the local, highly skilled archers of the Caribe Indians, defending themselves and their village from these unknown marauders.
One first hand account by an actual participant, noted that these Indian warriors were achieved bow handlers and that they were undeniably accurate with their weapon of choice, the bow and arrow, and somehow able to administer precise targeting, even while treading water! Fierce rivals indeed!
I say documented because, that other, un-documented locale was San Salvador, the year before, in 1492, (I think it was a Tuesday) in the Bahamian Island chain to the north. The archipelago which comprise the Windward and Leeward Islands of the West Indies, or the Lesser (smaller) and Greater (larger) Antilles, begins in Cuba, the largest of the Greater Antillian Islands, and ends in Trinidad, off the coast of Venezula.
St. Croix has flown the flag of six nations from the ramparts of Fort Christianvaern, in the St. Croix capital city of Chrisitiansted. Spain, England, Holland, Spain again, France, Denmark and, in 1917, the United States. The Islands were purchased by the U.S. at the outset of the 1st whorld War, when it was thought the Germans might try to blockade the Caribbean and access to the Panama Canal. But I go on some times....
From that period in time Fast-Forward to 1991, February 28th to be exact, when Debbie and I were married, by Judge Eileen Peterson of the Territorial Court of the Virgin Islands, located on the Queen Mary Highway, Estate Kingshill, St. Croix.
We came alone, just the two of us, and stayed at the King Christian Hotel, in downtown Christiansted (we had reservations but we stayed there anyway) Just kidding..... We took a sunset cruise to nowhere during that visit, and the picturesque Christiansted waterfront which also played a major role in the reason (mine) for the curiosity and wishes to visit the St. Croix in the first place, captivated both of us.
Flashback further, to 1984 and downtown Nantucket, Massachusetts, where the popular eatery "The Atlantic Cafe" proudly sits on South Water Street. At the time, hung above the u-shaped bar, greeting all those who entered, an aerial photograph of a harbor, some high verdant hills, two, three or more two masted sailing schooners and a waterfront scene right out of Hollywood. A 1950's era tapestry of antique sailing vessels, automobiles, stake-body delivery trucks and hints of Old World Danish architecture. A true-to-life grayscale depiction of waterfront life in those days of stevedores and simplicity. All this in the capital city of Christiansted, St. Croix; then the Seat of Government of the United States Virgin Islands.
It was during that first visit that, walking along one of the shaded sidewalks of Christiansted town, that Debbie and I saw that same photograph, in a shadow box, presumably at the studio of the photographer Fritz Henle, a world-renowned artisan in the world of black & white. We later met Fritz' daughter Maria Henle and purchased a copy of that same photograph, posthumously from her dad's collection, since Fritz Henle died in 1995.
We had it enlarged to the same size as the one which has long been in the archives of The Atlantic Cafe; see John O'Connor about it, he owns and runs the place now, along with his wife and children.
It was through this snapshot that I instantly had a connection to this place, through the acts of another person. He or she who had seen the same photograph, bought it, had it enlarged and handsomely framed to fit over the bar at what would later become my favorite Nantucket watering hole.
But that was the first visit to this sub-tropical paradise, our second visit came just seven months later, when Debbie and I discussed moving to this place and starting a new life. In September we packed up and moved down here. That didn't turn out to be the best move we had ever made, but we had to find out if we could do this sub-tropical island bit. Upon our arrival and into the three months that followed I was unable to pick up any work and we were forced to move back to THAT Island, Nantucket, again!