(The above shot is of the shore at Maho Bay and the beach facilities.)
We were tired of being jostled about so we went looking for a more secure anchorage and we found it. A huge cove with at least 25 mooring balls. It had deep water and shallow areas great for snorkling especially since we were needing to move to more of a leeward area to get away from the north swells. Otherwise the waves will not let you stay in one area and they can smash you into the rocks if you are too close to them.
Over at Caneel Bay the prior day, I got out my floatie and layed down on it and smartly tied myself to the boat which was a good thing as in less than a minute, my line was taunt. I had to work to pull myself back to the boat and then I was worried I was going to be hit by the 29,000 pound boat as it rose and splashed back down roughly as I was getting close. Then in no time I was being jerked aound the other side of the boat.... ok... I give up. I can't snorkle or lay on the floatie and relax. Jettie and Trinette tried snorkling but I don't think they had much sucess either.
But Maho Bay looked to be a great spot.....except Ms. Trinette has watched way too many news reports! While out in Maho Bay, Jettie and Trinette were on their way to go snorkeling across the bay from where were moored, when Big T spies a Big silver barracuda about eighteen feet long (in her mind). Given there was nowhere else to go, Trinette chose to climb on Jettie's back to avoid being eaten by "the shark". If it were not for the fact that Jettie can swim and outweighs Trinette, the two of them would have drowned while Trinette was screaming hysterically. Terrified and only away from the boat ten yards, Jettie calmed her down and they went back to the safety of Dutchess. However, the very next day she swam all the way to the shore and back by herself, thus conquering her fear of being eaten alive. There was a sea turtle in her path back to the boat. It did not appear that either the turtle or Trinette could see the other so Jettie stood with the camera waiting for money shot, but the turtle chose to dive before an encounter could occur. Rats!
We were lucky to have Trinette aboard and as such an eager learner, but it was a plus that boats were in her younger days with her family. She wanted to catch the mooring ball when we came into Mayo Bay as can be seen by the following picture. She did a great job!

When Trinette got back home she did a web search for "Sharks and St John" and she did not find much on the subject as typically it requires a healthy reef to have sharks around. But what she did find was an older post about her friend, the huge barracuda. Apparently other folks have encountered the 5 foot long inquisitive and beautiful fish. :O)
Here is the info from a different, more terrified perspective: Trinette's.
"I can laugh about it now but the day of and a few days after I was still shaking.
Jettie and I had been snorkeling the bays but not really seeing many fish. Stingrays, turtles, star fish, but not much else. Until one day we moored at Maho bay in Saint John.
We snorkeled almost all the way to shore and saw nothing... We then hopped aboard, had a drink, then jumped back in to what looked to be a darker area which sometimes means coral. We were 20 meters away from the boat when this huge barracuda swam underneath me. I of course do the one thing you are NOT suppose to do and FREAK OUT!! I scream through my mouth piece and scramble onto Jettie's back. Somehow she stays afloat and I keep floundering (again logic is not being used). She says I jumped on her back a couple of times.
After I am a little calmer she says swim back to the boat, we are done!"

Jettie said that the look on Trinette's face was of pure terror. Poor thing!
This is the stuff nightmares are made of. Here is a pic of a 'cuda' I found online.