LiquidAssets.tv Blog

Kim Randall is one of the crew on “Into The Drink,” and we were lucky enough to have her mom along with us while shooting in St. Croix. I thought it would be cool to share her views of this place with you guys.

She wrote:

Delightful St. Croix
By Gale Randall

We were on St. Croix for a week of scuba diving and relaxation organized by LiquidAssets.tv, a dive/film company. Arriving on the island via the seaplane from St. Thomas, we touched down at Christiansted harbor, then hired a cab to take us along the verdant north shore to the Cane Bay Dive Shop, passing picturesque coves and sugar plantation ruins, and Columbus’ 1493 landing site at Salt River. We were to meet up with the dive crew for a welcome reception and even though I’d be one of only three nondivers in the group, I felt right at home among them, soon realizing there’s plenty to do on St. Croix.

Our first base on the island was to be Carambola Resort just beyond Cane Bay, a sprawling West Indian-style complex with many amenities and suites set into two-storey buildings featuring screened-in sitting rooms overlooking the sea. While my friend was off scuba diving, I entertained myself prowling the Carambola grounds, hanging out at the café/bar and pool, and catching up on reading. Fronting an expansive beach, Carambola features a lush Robert Trent Jones golf course, good-sized pool, three restaurants, dive shop and spa. Originally a Rock Resort, Carambola is truly a romantic spot. On one walk I spotted a pert mongoose observing me from a hill above. For several minutes the critter and I engaged in a staring contest, then took off in different directions—not an uncommon occurrence on St. Croix, an island where the nonnative mongoose has proliferated. Quite a bit less commercial than St. Thomas but not quite as bucolic as rustic St. John, St. Croix seems a happy mix between its sister Virgin islands. One evening we joined the group for a catamaran sail from Christiansted Harbor, passing historic Fort Christianvaern and sailing east as far as tiny Buck Island, then returning for a delicious seafood dinner at Rum Runners on the city wharf.

Later in the week we moved to attractive Divi-Carina Resort and Casino on the drier southeastern side of the island. One night at Divi we were treated to a wild mocko jumbie show, with colorfully dressed fellows dancing on stilts and inviting the audience to join in. Mocko jumbies, which originated in Africa, require years of practice. Our last day on St. Croix featured an island tour aboard Sweeney’s open air bus, visiting the Cruzan Rum Distillery, having lunch in the rain forest and shopping in downtown Christiansted. We didn’t sample the rum until after the distillery tour, however, as it entailed climbing precarious stairs to view huge vats of rum bubbling away. The sugar cane is no longer grown on the island and is now shipped in from Guatemala. After a lunch in the jungle at Mount Pellier Domino Club, we observed two happy and immense pet pigs crushing and downing cans of stout, no doubt the restaurant’s main attraction. Christiansted, with its historic section harking back to Danish times, was lively and fun, with many shops featuring Cruzan jewelry, perfume and rum.

liquidassets.tv; carambolabeach.com; diviresorts.com; canebayscuba.com.

Boiling Lake in Dominica

Mr. Derek Perryman was the owner of Dive Dominica, a stronghold for divers in the great country of Dominica. He will be missed by all Dominica divers, the members of tourism, many people he touched throughout his life, and most of all, his awesome family. I read someone describe his life as “a life of love.”

I considered Mr. Derek Perryman a friend and I know that anyone who had the chance to meet him felt that same kindness that I felt the first time I met him. He passed suddenly on May 1, 2010, just a few days after we filmed in Dominica and with him at Dive Dominica. We will dedicate the Dominica episode of Into The Drink to our lost friend.

His son Daniel, Ginette, Derek’s loving wife, who made sure the entire crew was fed while pulling a 14-hour day of filming, and his entire family are without their rock. I would like to thank them for sharing him and his wisdom about life and diving with all of us who had the pleasure of stealing a moment on this planet with him.

To his son, Daniel, keep up the good family name and know that your father made an impact on my life. He made me feel important when I first started exhibiting at dive shows and would ask me to dinner. I always think of him when I am at tradeshows and want to go eat sushi and I am know I always will. Let’s go ice skating again!

Daniel has grown into a good man with the guidance of his father and great family. I am sure that he will keep Dive Dominica growing and providing great diving and sperm whale encounters to anyone who wants to see The Nature Island that is Dominica.

http://www.castlecomfortdivelodge.com/godiving.html

I will see you in my minds eye my friend.

Turtles are great!

I have never felt about a destination the way I feel about Dominica, even when I look back. The mood on land is very different, but once you figure out the motion of the island it is like returning to Kansas from Oz, there is no place like home. That is what I am sure all Dominicans feel if they ever leave the island and that is the at home feeling I found while there.

The most mountainous island in the Caribbean and the youngest island in the Caribbean, well that last bit is up for debate but I vote “Dominica.” It has diving that should only be found on a two-day plane ride away from any populated area of the world but it is right in our back yard. This island has a freaking ski lift that takes you into the rain forest, a boiling lake that is only rivaled by one in New Zealand, turtles everywhere, frogfish, NO lionfish, sea horses, schools of mackerel, mountain biking, killer rum and a list of things that could run this blog on forever. I will stop there and just let you know that it has something breathtaking for everyone and their pretend friends.

The crew of Into The Drink has experienced something brilliant, something young and something that we will always remember as its namesake, “The Nature Island.” It will be remembered as such because that is exactly what it is. Unlike most of the islands in the Caribbean it is still unspoiled, untouched by chain restaurants, pure, nature.

I suggest you go there if you want to see what the Caribbean of old felt and looked like and take a dive trip back in time.

Randy Harris
EP

Bali is a city that has been portrayed in the news over the last decade in a way that made all of my family cut their eyes at me when I told them we were filming there. What did know that I knew non-divers did not was that you had to go through this city that has been in the news in a negative fashion to get to the diving that divers know as the place where underwater life began. So, I made the plans, packed my bags and joined up with the rest of the LA crew with the thoughts of just getting through this gateway in search of the dives I have dreamt of.

What I found out when I arrived was a sense of peace that NO one I know would have expected to find. I found a beautiful city with beautiful people and amazing cultures. I only wish I had more time there but we would get more where that came from and a taste of something that Nick described as “not on the tourist map.”

In search of the increasingly elusive rice liquor source we ended up 4 hours to the north in a room covered in white tile with gold fixtures. I do not want to elude to much more so you can experience this visually in the show but when Nick leaned over and said the words “I would bet money this is not on the tourist map” I knew we had something great going on. Wait until you feast your eyes on this episode!!!

Departing from Bali to catch Wakatobi’s charter flight to the land of mandarin fish and wonder puss I found myself getting exited to the point where I felt like I was back in my open water class learning to dive for the first time. What a great feeling to experience twice in a lifetime and what a way to arrive to work.

Wakatobi, a place named after three islands that are surrounded by a reef that rivals any in the world. I spent an evening at the jetty bar surrounded by bio-luminescent worms that filled the ocean’s surface as far as you could see for 20 minutes. That was a site I will take into the afterlife and cherish during my time here. Everything about this trip made me feel that way and I think it is going to blow your minds when you see it. From the dance in the local village to the dozens and dozens of mandarin fish on one dive; to the temple of the Oceans to the godfather of rice liquor, this place gave me a feeling that is as close to another planet as I have found since I visited Russia.

I love it and I will go back to the country I pleasantly found to be as non violent as the local chess club and the dive resort that I found to be better than the best trip revue I have ever written or read. This is not Asia Minor my friends, I can only describe the place we took this journey as Asia Major.

WAK WAK WAKA INDONESIA!!!!
www.wakatobi.com

Randy Harris
EP

Look Mom, German Engineering!

People of my generation might think of Cayman as a place where corporations stash their money, especially if you ever watched the movie “The Firm.” Fortunately, some of us are divers and diving is what we think of when we think of this great island in the blue waters of the Caribbean.

This was my second visit to Grand Cayman, not as an older man but a somewhat older young man. Having been there as a young diver, it was one of my fondest memories of my diving youth, but going back I thought my memory might be bigger than Grand Cayman. You know that feeling when you revisit a place, structure or thing that as a child seemed so grand, and upon your return it was not what you remember. Well guess what, after a little research, I found that this memory tick does in fact affect us and has a name, it is the “false memory syndrome.” I am here to tell you that you have no worries about this taking a hold on your mind upon a second, or I imagine a third trip to Grand Cayman, but I will go back to find out.

Grand Cayman is just that, Grand. It is to divers what Disneyland is to every kind in America, and a few in Europe. I hear Euro Disney is not as good. Cayman is a must see destination, that is a fact.

My favorite new found gold mine of this trip was Seven Fathoms Rum. Uh huh, if you know me, you know I am a rum connoisseur, and this rum is special. You probably will call BS on this, but we saw it first hand and so will you if you watch the Cayman episode. They age this stuff in barrels seven fathoms beneath the ocean’s surface, in caves no less. Why, you ask? Well, I will tell you that it makes a damn good rum, and to watch the episode for the details, it all makes sense after you hear the story.

From its tarpon-riddled underwater caves to its world-renowned local artist Guy Harvey, from its Seven Mile Beach to its famous rum cakes, from Hell to the legendary My Bar at Sunset House, Grand Cayman is a good spot to be 365 days a year.

Sunset House was indeed host for both of my trips, and while I am guessing there are more expensive places to stay, I can tell you that none of them will service you as a diver the way Sunset House does. It is a resort for divers by divers and they have been doing it longer and better than anyone. They and the island they call home will not disappoint.

We all fell in love with this place all over again, so much that we are already looking into returning for an episode about the Sister Islands.

If you have never been, go and get your ticket. If you have been to Grand Cayman before, do not worry about the “false memory syndrome” because I know first hand that Cayman is even sweeter the second time.

Randy C. Harris
EP

St. Croix was the first stop during a 26 out of 30 day adventure for me and the LiquidAssets.tv Crew. I thought it might be an uneventful one, but man was I wrong. Before my departure, my friend Dave commenced to tell me how great St. Croix was and I immediately changed the subject. I did not want to allow that excitement and overwhelming expectation make it seem less. I should have let him continue because his words nor mine can describe the great diving and atmosphere that our United States Virgin Island of St. Croix can provide. Let me tell you how I recall my journey with Cane Bay anyway, maybe I can get close.

Diving in St. Croix with Cane Bay Dive Shop was the very first destination that we scheduled for Season 1 of the show and it proved itself very worthy. We worked diligently and created a custom itinerary with the owners of Cane Bay Dive Shop, Hal and Suzanne Rosbach. This new itineary was one that toured the island on a bus that allows you to take it all in, taste some of the best rum in the world, experience the Moko Jumbie stilt walkers and if you are feeling adventurous, do as we did, stay in two different resorts during one stay, on one island. Oh yeah, don’t miss for me most important part of the ride, the bus takes you to see the beer drinking pig, yes I said that.

I had never done two resorts in one trip, on one island before but if it sounds attractive to you then just call Cane Bay and they can make it happen. Carambola and Divi Carina Bay resorts were both world-class accommodations with something unique to offer. Suzanne and Hal at Cane Bay have this island locked up and we could not have been more proud of our choice to stay and dive with them.

The best part was the stink we stirred by even approaching the subject to expand the options for divers on the Divi side of St. Croix. The idea that we thought could increase tourism to an area of the island that needs more of it died quickly. We wanted to do this with the idea of trying to institute the foundation to create a shark dive there and some of the closed minded folks put an end to that idea with fits and pouts.

I am glad the fishermen created Stingray City in Cayman and the operators have kept that going. I am glad the shark lovers of the Bahamas set up the most popular and educational shark dive in the region years ago. If these pioneers had not, these businesses that allow divers to see the same marine life over and over again, the operators that profit from that instead of catching and selling the creatures of the ocean would have been stopped because of mostly unproven theories. The people who could have help with our attempt to increase tourism and knowledge for the people of St. Croix chose instead to keep that progress in Davey Jones locker. Que sera sera!

I found myself diving with great white sharks on the Nautilus Explorer at the end of my 26-day journey and I smiled a huge smile knowing that St. Croix was better than I ever thought it would be. I knew this because this smile and thought of St. Croix came when I was in a cage surrounded by great white sharks. Not to say that the trip on the Nautilus was not life changing, it was. I think you know that my point was that a destination has to be strong to take your mind off of something like that for even one second. It takes a place like the great addition to season one of Into The Drink, Cane Bay Dive Shop and St. Croix, our first choice.

Randy C. Harris
EP

"WHAT?"

More than a “Rich Coast,” it’s the land of coffee, cownose rays, huge parrots, monkeys, crocs and plethora of amazing life that could complete an ecosystem on a faraway planet. Costa Rica has revealed something to me that will remain part of what and who I am until my lights go out.

Costa Rica is now my new favorite, but in defense of my previous favorites, represented by the fading stamps in my passports, every destination is my favorite the week after as I reminisce.

It is a seemingly common human practice to lower expectations in order to enjoy the reality of something more. Maybe that is why I tell myself that all of these places did not look as good going in as they turned out to be after my time there?

I departed for “Pura Vida” thinking and talking with the rest of the crew about our previous destination and if it could be topped. I told the crew that I thought that the show would get better every time but after watching the response to the latest episode from the LA divers, I had my doubts about Costa Rica.

Our week with Bill and Nadine Beard started with a rush and we started to realize how special this destination was. Before we knew it we hit our stride and the stories began to materialize in front of our eyes. From guards armed with B.B. guns to discovering projectors that were made before I thought movies existed, this episode should win an Emmy.

I actually hate that I have realized what my train of thought was in regards to going into a destination with low expectations and how it made my experience even better. I will do my best to look at our travel schedule with the same disregard as I have the others and simply let it unfold.

Is that really what is going on here? Maybe my expectations were high? I know I normally go in thinking it is not going to be as good as you hear or read about, but wait, after contemplation, what really sets this country apart is that I actually went in with higher expectations because it has been on my bucket list for years. These guys did not have the luxury of any of us thinking it did not look as good going in. Costa Rica had to bring something larger than an army, it had to overcome high expectations and it erupted mine like the active volcanoes around this great spot on our planet.

I am now left asking myself once again, how can I continue to be surprised? I am sure that I am in store for my next favorite very soon.

What do you think fellow traveler?

Randy C. Harris

Thanks to Laura Krause for the quote of the week that has now become the title for this, my Costa Rica realization.

IntoTheDrink.tv, the official fan web site of LiquidAssets.tv’s new dive travel adventure television show, “Into the Drink,” was launched on May 28. The site features a blog, message board, videos, photo galleries, online store, and much, much more. Check it out now, visit IntoTheDrink.tv.

Join LiquidAssets.tv as they film an episode of “Into the Drink” in Utila, Bay Islands, Honduras, one of the best-kept secrets in the Caribbean. This unique “Utila Utopia” experience takes place May 2-9, 2009 and includes 2-tank boat diving daily, free shore night diving, complimentary shore diving (weather permitting), tanks, weights and belts, gear staging, refreshments on boat, private equipment room with oversized lockers, gear rental available (not included), whale shark and dolphin lecture from local scientist. Diver and non-diver packages both include accommodations, land/boat transfers to and from airport in Utila, welcome cocktail, daily breakfast, lunch and three-course dinner designed by our four-star chef. For more information about this unique trip, visit the trip page at www.liquidassets.tv/travel/2009_05_utila.htm.

Gang -

We’ve just posted a 3-part series on diving in Puerto Rico at the LiquidAssets podcast. If you haven’t already subscribed to it, 1) you’re an idiot, and b) I feel sorry for you. There’s tons of cool stuff on there with more to be added in the coming weeks and months. Click here to subscribe to it. It’s painless. Truthfully, iTunes does most of the work.

It should be noted that I have once again successfully bamboozled the other guys into getting my way. Although every time I think I’m getting my way and I’ve pulled off the great heist of the month, it turns out they were planning on it anyway. Diving in Puerto Rico is no different, so that’s why we’re making it one of our production trips next year.

As far as I’m concerned, the satellite islands of Desecheo and Mona are the best-kept secret in the Caribbean, and some of the best diving on the planet. No joke - you have not seen cobalt-blue water like this almost anywhere in the world. Check out the videos and see for yourself. We’d love to have you join us in June.  The first round of “pirates” will be on me, as well.

Happy New Year, everyone.

-Aaron