Am I referring to the self improvement training program popular in the 70’s? No, not that.
OK, then, is it about changing the clocks to Eastern Standard Time? Unh-uh. Not that either.
Little known to most anyone – assuming most people even know about St. Croix (” Is St. Croix, you know, off of the Canary Islands?” Even my best and smartest friend refers to me as a Croatian. ), is that we’re on Atlantic Time and never change our clocks. Ever.
For those of us digitally dis-inclined or disinterested in changing every device and electronic wing-ding in our house, this is a lifetime exemption.
The -est refers to the deepest and the largest. What, already, you’re asking- of course, if you’re still reading.
-This is a sign posted about 2 miles from my house that indicates a place on this island where the water drops off to a depth of about 3,000 feet, but quite close to land. So although there are deeper waters in the world, none is deeper THIS CLOSE TO LAND!. Hmmm, little ol’ St. Croix.
OTEC was an idea presented to the government in the 90’s- you remember the 90’s when your car was bigger than the house your parents grew up in? The technology was dismissed then. It’s a low cost, carbon neutral energy producing technology that would be ideal in this location.
Now that gas per gallon is more than ice cream, it’s time to reconsider this. It’s going to be another option presented to our power utility ( we have the highest electricity rates in the NATION! ) and our government. Talk has been about using coal! COAL!!!
Cheap, shortsighted, total lack of vision or concern for the future and akin to seeking an 8 track cassette player for your car to replace your iPod.
The other -est is our refinery- Hovensa. The largest refinery in the Western Hemisphere- on an island in the Caribbean- so unlikely. It’s otherworldly- as in Mad Max Superdrome humongous. A belching, smoking monstrosity. Driving from North to South, you’d think you were not in the Caribbean but in Pittsburgh in the 60’s. Yes, they employ thousands of workers and donate significantly to the community.
I’d show a photo but I’d probably be breaching security. And as well, diminishing the aesthetic content of these pages. If you’re hankering to see it- check their web site above.
We are also the eastern most land mass of the United States. So we get to celebrate New Years Eve after Guam, but, eat your heart out Times Square, before New York City.
Which is where I’ll be for the next few weeks, so there may be postings, who can say?
I’ll leave you with the Cute-est Sand Crab, thanks to my good pal and hotelier in NY, JudyLobo.
And tell me you don’t just love the music!
Tags: Energy, facts about St. Croix, Hovensa, OTEC, sand crabs, Water to provide power
June 11, 2008 at 8:46 pm |
I thought LIFE drops to 3,000 feet….
June 11, 2008 at 8:49 pm |
….or does it rise 3,000 feet???
June 11, 2008 at 9:03 pm |
It does BOTH- since it’s alternating ” current “.
Thanks for the keen observation.
June 11, 2008 at 11:39 pm |
That was the best -est blog of the day – or the week – or…..
Looking forward to your presence in the Big Apple (which also has a lot of ‘ests’)
June 12, 2008 at 12:04 am |
Dittoest. You made my day.
June 12, 2008 at 12:09 am |
This was so much fun, I shared it on facebook.
June 12, 2008 at 1:02 am |
Since gas now is effectively more expensive than ice cream, may I suggest the ingestion of massive amounts of Dulce de Leche, then opting for a bike instead of a car – this would be an ideal solution for St. Croix on many many levels: 1) Ice cream is sheer goodness 2) Hagen daz being an American Company, it would stimulate our economy 3) after all that economic stimuli, you’d feel absolutely compelled to use your bike 4) it would be really good for the environment 5) everybody on the island would have killer bodies and that would encourage tourism.
And this is how I solve the planet’s problems. Voila.
June 12, 2008 at 1:04 am |
Ps: Please go see Fuerza Bruta in NY so I can live vicariously through you!
June 12, 2008 at 4:38 am |
I love your blog… So many things to make you smile and think, so full of life and so much information!!
Toooooo fun!!
June 12, 2008 at 5:00 am |
I’d love to see the refinery but not the pictures they’ll show on the website.
Have a great time in NYC.
June 12, 2008 at 12:10 pm |
Nathalie- I like your closed loop approach: ice cream in, bicycle out = all of life’s problems solved.
Would you consider being Baracks’ running mate? Or soccer mate?
You crack me up.
June 12, 2008 at 1:29 pm |
Thank you Marian- I take the compliment with a nod to its’ source. Your paintings are beautiful- left a comment on your self portrait!
Glad you find this one interesting.
June 12, 2008 at 1:30 pm |
Thanks Bill- they’ll be lots of museums and galleries on the to do list.
And maybe a new post- can’t stay out of the loop too long!
June 12, 2008 at 2:27 pm |
Bonnie, I’d re-invent myself as a famous basket-ball player to become Obama’s running mate. I might even be able to give him a few bowling pointers along the way…
June 13, 2008 at 12:56 am |
Sadly I have nothing to add, other then YOU are one of the -ests on St. Croix. One of the B-EST!
June 14, 2008 at 2:11 pm |
Now now….you are fudging a bit. WAPA makes you reset every power wing ding at least once a week. 🙂
You only have four off the shelf conventional sources of power available and you are using the least effective and most costly. All US island territories use fossil fuel oil as a source of electric power.
All conventional sources of power have drawbacks and or harmful byproducts. Even hydro has its drawbacks environmentally.
The Dutch proved several hundred years ago that you could produce sustainable wind power on the island.
Hovensa is not going away but the island must not continue to rely on fossil fuel oil solely for electricity.
Unfortunately/fortunately coal is cheap and the US and Canada have more coal that any continent in the world. The transportation systems are in place with railroads leading to ports and onto barges. Coal plants are relatively cheap and very efficient. Modern smoke stack scrubbers greatly reduce pollution. Then there is the leftover cinder.
I can argue that coal is clean as can be, but the process of coal generated electricity is nowhere nearly as dirty as it was in the 1960’s.
Most of the arguments I have heard on island refer to costs associated with oil and reliability of power, not where it comes from or how you make it. I am afraid this will continue as long as there is economic incentive.
Idealistically you have the resources on the island with wind, and temperature differences in deep ocean nearby, along with conservation and some kind of conventional and reliable back up power generator.
Just my opinion.
June 15, 2008 at 2:24 am |
Love it! Especially love the first photo. *sigh*
Paz
June 17, 2008 at 12:52 pm |
I read this post just before I went to bed last night. When I woke up early early, I was swimming in waters that were 3000 feet deep. In my dream, I could swim in them. On St. Croix, I would be afraid.
I loved this post for many reasons.
June 17, 2008 at 1:40 pm |
Lovey picture, how much is the airfare to this island from LA?
June 19, 2008 at 5:41 pm |
So Pat, Keep dreaming and keep swimming and come for a visit! I’m in NY now but will check your blog for stimulating updates.
Bill- who knows what the air fare is now? The only airline that flies to St. Croix is American to San Juan PR and then American Eagle to St. Croix. Check it out before the winter rates.
Maybe I’ll get a gaggle of artists to visit….
June 19, 2008 at 6:42 pm |
Hey Bonnie, are you having any fun back to civilization?
June 24, 2008 at 2:26 am |
Bonnie my dear, I have memed you. You may accomplish the mission when you get back. I had to. They made me do it.
http://nathaliewithanh.wordpress.com/2008/06/23/mon-six-word-memoir-or-epitaph/
So sorry…
June 24, 2008 at 1:55 pm |
Hey, where are you? Did you get a blister on that foot?
June 30, 2008 at 12:51 pm |
You have such great options for alternative energy on an island that I hope their is no way they would use coal there.
I thought it was great that they had clean ways to burn coal, but the more I look into it the less wonderful it is. It truly is a backwards step. I’ll have to look into OTEC.
The crab video is great!
July 8, 2008 at 2:11 pm |
Thanks Mom, I will miss you as always. You can be certain that I will not let so much time go by between visits.