Well the last few days have been a whirlwind for us here at News of St. John. It all started late last year when I decided to buy Mama News of St. John tickets to Kenny Chesney because quite frankly, she’s obsessed with his music. According to Papa News of St. John, Kenny’s CD has been playing on loop in her car for over a year now. (Side note: Papa News of St. John is more of a Led Zeppelin, Doors kinda guy so just imagine how this makes him feel – lol.) So being the good daughter I try to be, I bought her tickets to Kenny’s last show, which happened to be last night in Boston. I gave them to her for Christmas and she has been patiently waiting to see him ever since.
Enter Tropical Storm Erika.
I was initially supposed to leave our beloved island on Thursday, but Erika had other plans. Our seaports were closed, so even though my original flight went off as scheduled, I had no way of getting there. So I changed my flight to Friday and I crossed my fingers that I’d make it.
Erika blew through overnight Thursday and into Friday morning and was pretty much a dud fortunately; however I woke up early Friday morning only to learn that we were under a mandatory curfew and that the seaports remained closed. My flight was at 2:19 p.m. I stressed. I swore I wasn’t going to make it.
Enter my fantastic neighbor Lindsay. Lindsay also had a flight Friday afternoon. She was supposed to be at a wedding in Maine on Saturday and come hell or high water, she was determined to make it. So she sprung into action and found a private boat to take us over to St. Thomas … despite the fact that the seaports were closed. (It pays to have good friends.)
So around 10:30 a.m. with suitcases in tow, Lindsay and I walked down to the National Park dock and hopped onto a boat with about 10 others – all of whom were in the same boat as us … literally. We just started pulling out of the creek when we were stopped by a ranger at the National Park dock. The Coast Guard had just called and said that no boats could leave the creek, so once again we were trapped on the island.
(You may be thinking – it’s not that bad being trapped on St. John, and normally I would agree. But when you have to be at an airport on an island that you can visibly see but are simply not allowed to get to, it’s gets a tad frustrating.)
For the next 90 minutes or so, we all worked together to see how we could get off the island. I attempted to sweet talk the Coast Guard in Puerto Rico while the others feverishly made calls to see how we could get permission to leave the island. It was nuts, but it was also fantastic in the way that we all banded together. That’s why they call it Love City.
Around noon, we got the call. The seaports had opened and we were allowed to leave. We literally ran toward the boat and hopped on. I think we were the first boat that left the island (legally) that day. 🙂
So we made it. We all made it to the airport in time, and we all made our flights. Lindsay made it to the wedding and I made it to Connecticut in time to pick up Mama News of St. John and drive her to Gillette Stadium near Boston. And you know what, the show was fantastic. Of course we took some video to share with all of you…
Here is a clip from Till its Gone:
Here is a clip from Pirate Flag:
And saving the best for last… Here is Happy on the Hey Now in its entirety:
Now let’s see if history repeats itself 😉 … http://newsofstjohn.com/2013/08/26/look-whos-back-on-island/
Thanks so much Jenn for posting the videos, they were awesome, the last one made me cry.
614 Evangeline st Dieppe New Brunswick
I feel like I know Kristi from the song all the awesome tributes and love so many ppl have expressed of her. I can’t help but ask .what and how did she pass away at such a young age.
I lost a step daughter a few years ago at the young age of 18. She had just graduated from grade 12 and was killed in a car accident when he boyfriend was racing. He walked away with a mark in him. Kenny’s song really hits cause her name was Kristy and was alot like your Kristi. I have just always wondered what happened to her at the time of her life as was my Kristy. Sending thoughts and prayers to all in both of our Kristi and Kristy
Let’s hope that after all you went through to get to the concert, when Kenny comes home to St. John this year, he looks you up!!
St. John isn’t home to Kenny. He has a house here. But also has houses in other places.
Sorry Jay….I should have put home in quotes. I don’t have a house on St. John but when I get off the ferry if just feels like I’ve come “home”.
Kristi Hansen apparently was someone I would have liked to know. She was beginning the third trimester of her first pregnancy, and had left STJ to be in the states for the birth. As I understand it, she was home alone and had a stroke. By the time she was found, she was gone.
Everyone I’ve spoken to says that she was everything you’ve heard in the tributes and more.