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Be Aware of Your Environment

February 4, 2026

Be Aware of Your Environment

We just got back from the Caribbean, sailing on a 45’ catamaran.
It’s been about 2 years since we had an actual vacation and a break from reality at home.

It was important for me to leave the demands of my PC and go have some FUN!

We landed in St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands (USVI) to pick up our rental boat.

The weather was perfect, 26c/84f, sunny with a consistent breeze. We visited beautiful beaches and experienced a few showers (never lasted very long), and witnessed rainbows almost every day- even two double-rainbows!

Being close to the earth’s elements always seems to help people be grounded and aware of the impacts in our environment.

I was disappointed with the lack of fish in the area. Several yrs ago, in the same area, we found an abundance of marine life and marvel at their lovely colours.

This year, I saw only two blue tangs and one yellow tang while were snorkeling in Christmas Cove; and no sign of fish anywhere else. There was clearly something going on to reduce the marine life. We also saw the odd turtle, a lot of black mollies of sorts and a group of nurse sharks hanging out under the wharf. That was the marine life count.

It was odd that the ‘guide books’ mentioned ‘the best snorkel area’ on each of the islands!

I had to ponder about the change in the area:

1. Migration: Did the area have a regular marine migration at this time of year, when the water was perhaps too rough?
2. Man’s intrusion: Was the area being over-fished or perhaps the spawning areas had been damaged? Note: the enormous cruise ships.
3. Environmental: Was this absence caused by the result of two hurricanes that battered the area a few years ago? (Now, waiting for a revival.)

Whatever you need to do for a vacation, taking a break is important for each of us.  Be aware of what’s going on in a new environment and be present with whatever is around us.

Notice what has changed or shifted; slowly but surely. Ask questions.
We cannot go back in time, yet we can ask about these shifts.

Q: Is there any way we can help? Is there anything we can do?

Q: Can we still enjoy our vacation, celebrate our wins, and respect the environment?

Our planet earth is the ONLY planet that has oxygen, water and life forms. Isn’t it time to ‘pay attention’ about things like abusing our resources, flattening the trees and polluting the waters?

Back at home, we’ll all go back to our regular routine. Yet, be consciously aware that  our actions have an impact wherever we go. Be respectful to our own country as well as a visitor to another.

Be aware of progress and decline in your own city as well as visiting other environments.

Collectively, we can teach by our actions and preach awareness for restoration.

Looking forward to making change. Warmth, Kathryn

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