Massaging on the Beach
Friday morning we traveled to Frederiksted to work on the beach at Sandcastles. It’s a great beach. The water is always calm and beautiful.
We set up our tables and met our clients who decided that while we were preparing for them, they’d go for a walk into the water. Before that, they were clean and sand free. Now they had to walk back to the table getting sand all over their salty, wet feet. Oh kay.
Well, we carry paintbrushes with us for brushing sand off people. But this was fresh, wet sand, now, and there was a lot of it on the feet. I brushed a lot of it off, and then it was on the table. I brushed most of it off the table, but there was still some on the ankles and between the toes, and on the table, too.
So when I got down to massaging the legs, there was no avoiding the sand. I brushed and wiped and brushed some more, but there was still more sand. So this couple each got a free exfoliation with their massage. What the heck. Why not go for the whole nine yards with your massage on the beach experience?!
Early on in the session, I looked at the sky to the northeast. It was getting dark. It looked like it would rain in a few minutes. I thought, “Well, now these guys will get the complete island experience when it pours for 120 seconds and they bolt off the tables and undercover, and then have to get back to wetter sand and damp sheets.” It actually did rain, but we could see it in F’sted town and it didn’t reach to where we were! We were a little bummed that we forgot our swimsuits. It was warm and sunny for the massages (except for when it rained in town) and the water looked VERY inviting
We successfully finished our massages and the people ooohed and ahhhed and gave us money. And we packed up to get some doggy drugs at Dr. Deller’s ( he gives us a good deal on ‘Revolution’, which is a necessity for our canine critters, but we rarely get out to F’sted, so when we do, we have to make the all important stop).
After that, we decided to have lunch at the Beachside Cafe. It was yummy! And when we got into the restaurant it did start to rain. What timing!
Tags: St. Croix
January 27th, 2008 at 4:13 pm
Besides all the sand, I had another issue to deal with - shorts… “long” shorts.
I don’t get the current trend in men’s swim trunks. They’re getting longer and longer. I used to have a pair of “surf” shorts, the ones that tie up the front. They were comfortable, came down to about mid-thigh, long enough to keep me in, but short enough to allow good freedom of movement. When we were in Tortola a couple years ago, I was looking for another pair, the ones I had were starting to wear. All the mens’ trunks and surf shorts were really long, down past the knee. When I’m swimming, or walking in wet shorts, I don’t want them down past my knees, all that wet fabric clinging to me, sand rubbing me raw half-way down my legs. I ended up buying a womens pair, they were shorter, though still longer than the ones I was replacing.
Now I notice the mens trunks are getting even longer! Guys, when your shorts go half-way down your calf, they’re no longer shorts, they’re really high high-waters.
I really notice this when we’re doing massages on the beach. We ask our guests to wear swim-suits for massages on public beaches. Its easier for them and us. We can give them a full complete massage without them exposing themselves on the beach (though some of our less inhibited guests don’t really care). The suits people choose to wear sometimes amaze us - women in one-piece suits that cover the entire back (or even two-pieces that cover the whole back) - guys with shorts down to their ankles. How do they expect to get a full massage, if their suit covers more than their usual clothing.
January 28th, 2008 at 4:06 am
Oh I hate long shorts, but it is a sign of the times and our age I guess. I don’t want to look like a 70’s throw back to Kareem Abdul Jabar but what the heck is it with men’s pants in general? Big, baggy, too many friggin pockets, and they hang to your mid calf.
Back in September I bought a pair of short in Christiansted that was the perfect length. My new swim trucks are a decent length too.
I bought a new pair of convertible zip off pants for transitioning from the cold NC to the island and the “shorts” aren’t short at all. They are calf pants.
I can’t imagine either getting all salty and sticky before a massage. By the way, my right scapula is killing me again.
January 28th, 2008 at 6:55 am
Did Sassy kick you in the shoulder?
Or is it from Captain Stubble carrying Boscoe around on his right shoulder?
January 28th, 2008 at 7:30 am
It’s my drinking arm and I am suffering repetitive motion problems.
No, it just acts up every so often in cold weather.