Snorkeling on South side of St John

[Snorkelcat]

Has anyone been to St John in the winter & due to swells & hard currents on the North side, had to go to the south beaches to snorkel? What was it like there? Thanks.

Snorkelcat
Zuiderdam 2/03
Radiance 2/04

[2Feathers]

We've been in January for a few days each of the past two years pre-cruise on Windstar's Wind Spirit out of St. Thomas. We found the swells in the North pretty high a couple of those days. We went over to Salt Pond one of those days and really enjoyed that. There is good snorkeling pretty much anywhere in the bay, even in the middle, and we also hiked up to Rams Head, which was great! Also drove over to Vie's Beach near the East End, and it was calm and quiet there. Only two other couples. We wanted to go on over to Lameshur, but ran out of time. If you have a car and the time, you can find the perfect beach somewhere on the island.

2Feathers

[Snorkelcat]

Thanks 2Feathers,

I will be there in mid Jan 2005. We want to snuba in Trunk Bay + get some individual (non excursion) snorkel time elsewhere. In doing my research, it sounds like the swells can be much more frequent in the winter. I want a back up plan in place so we won't have to waste time figuring out what to do if they cancel the snuba.
I see Rocky Top, TN. I am in K-town, where are you?

Snorkelcat
Zuiderdam 2/03
Radiance 2/04

[2Feathers]

Snorkelcat... We're in K-port (Kingsport) just up the road a ways. I can only remember one day when the swells were just too bad to really be able to enjoy the North shore beaches. It was overcast with rain off and on. We spent some time at Trunk that day, and was a little calmer way over to the right. Hopefully the weather will cooperate for you all and you can do your snuba. Trunk Bay is beautiful!!

You'd about have to have a car to get to the beaches on the other side, but St. John is a great place to explore by car. I'm hesitant to rent a car on some islands we've been to, but St. John is pretty easy to drive, and is very picturesque. Have a great time. Go Vols!!

2Feathers

[JRarey]

Snorkelcat,

We spent 10 great days snorkeling St John a few years ago, and have been back three times cruising. The best place we have found on the south side is Salt Pond Bay. It is literally at the end of the main road that runs from Cruz Bay to Coral Bay then through Calabash Boom. Just after the road turns to dirt there is a little parking area. You can drive it if you have a rental, or you can get a taxi. They will take you there and come back to pick you up at a designated time. About a 1/2 mile hike down the trail will lead you to a very nice secluded beach.

The bay is lined with rocks on either side. I thought the right hand side was a little better, but I'm sure it varies. Lots of grass in the shallow end with lots of turtles and some massive schools of fish. If you look out from the beach you can see the water breaking over some rocks in the middle of the bay right before it opens up to the Caribbean.. Great diversity between the beach and the breakwater. Some of the finest coral we have ever seen and abundant, varied fish. Note that the current flows out of the bay on the surface. The swim out is much easier than the swim back, so take this into account. The bay itself is well protected, and since it is southerly facing it is a super alternative when the swells are too much on the north side. Also keep in mind your car (if you drove) is unattended in a remote place, and the same with anything you leave on the beach. Dont leave anything you can't afford to do without. That said, Salt Pond Bay is one of our favorite places we have ever snorkeled.

Have fun and thanks for letting me relive some great memories. Let us know if we can answer any more questions.

Carnival Inspiration 12/99
Carnival Destiny 12/02
Celebrity Galaxy 01/04
Golden Princess 06/04
Celebrity Century 01/05

[Snorkelcat]

Thanks 2Feathers & JRarey,

I appreciate your feedback. I value your personal experiences & information. I have been comtemplating renting a dinghy & beach hopping. That way I can hit several beachs, north & south. I saw a note from someone who just got back from St Martin & was on a snorkel excursion that also offered snuba! I jumped on that one & asked for the specifics. I would love to snuba in St Martin & then snorkel the day away all around..literally..St John!

Have either of you rented a dinghy? I've driven pontoon boats & smaller motor boats, can't be harder than that! The problem we have with hiking to the beach is that we bring all of our own gear on the cruises. I have it in a backpack/convertable duffel, but the darn thing gets HEAVY after a bit! Plus, I have to leave some things ashore. I have a small dry box that I attach to my body under my snorkel vest where I put all our valuables. Works great.

Thanks again.

Snorkelcat
Zuiderdam 2/03
Radiance 2/04
Caribbean 1/05

[2Feathers]

We did the dinghy this January, and it was awesome! We rented from Noah's Little Arks, which is on the beach in Cruz Bay just to the left of the ferry dock. We did a full day, two person dinghy, which was around $120, or they had a half day for around $90. They also had a larger four (maybe more) person dinghy with a larger motor for slighly more $$. They give you a cooler with ice, a water proof map, and some instructions. Sounds like you have ten times the boating experience that I had, and we had no problems. (My previous experience consisted of "captaining" a paddle boat around a local lake for 30 minutes, but I now brag to my friends about "my many adventures sailing throughout the Virgins.") Note there is also a place to rent them in Coral Bay, and you can see the East and South Shore beaches from there, if you prefer.

If you rent from Cruz Bay, as we did, they tell you not to go past Waterlemon Cay, and not to go to over the BVI, but you can visit almost all of the North Shore beaches. We spent time at Waterlemon, Maho, Francis, Cinnamon, Trunk, Jumbie, Hawkesnest and Honeymoon, all in the same day! Some of these you can actually drive up onto the beach, while others you have to tie onto mooring balls off-shore and swim a short distance to the beach. That part is easy enough, but getting back IN the thing from the water is a different matter... Apparently there is a trick to this, and I never learned it. Suffice it to say we provided a great deal of free entertainment and photo ops for others visting the beaches of St. John that day. (I've been scanning the internet and America's Funniest Home Videos since our return looking for unauthorized accounts of our "adventures trying to get back into the dinghy throughout the Virgins.")

Anyway, we had an absolute blast, and plan to do it again if we ever get a chance. I highly, highly recommend it.

2Feathers

[Snorkelcat]

ROFLOL!!!!! [img]http://messages.cruisecritic.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif[/img] What a hoot! I am pear-shaped & extremely bouyant in salt water....I can see me now. I WILL be on AFV! Maybe you have to flip backwards & upside down or something??? Maybe I can use my training on how to re-enter my sea kayak when getting back into the thing! Why let a little something like this stop the rest of the fun!!

Did they say if you could go back around by Cruz Bay to the South beaches if you couldn't go past Waterlemon?

Sounds like a fun challenge to me! Come go with us in Jan 05 & we can have a blast & look like fun loving fools together!!!

[img]http://messages.cruisecritic.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif[/img]

Snorkelcat
Zuiderdam 2/03
Radiance 2/04
Caribbean 1/05

[2Feathers]

First week of January is a great time to go! As if there is a BAD time?? We hope to be there in '05, if finances allow...

As for going around Cruz Bay in the dinghy and heading South, I don't remember if that was even an option or not. We had our sights set on the North Shore beaches, and didn't even ask about heading West and South. It would seem like a pretty good ways to get to some of the better known beaches on that side, although I'm sure you could find some interesting places over there. Also, they're doing some pretty major dredging and construction out in Turner Bay just around the corner (heading West) from Cruz Bay, and you'd want to avoid that. (They're building a new commercial dock, from what I understand.)

OH! And I saw a thread on another website where someone had discovered the perfect, easy technique to re-enter a dinghy from the water: Step 1- swim over to the nearest occupied sailboat or catamaran; Step 2- ask if the occupants would be so kind as to allow you come aboard using their ladder; Step 3- then wait for the rest of your party in your dinghy to drive along side so you can hop in. (IMPORTANT NOTE -This, of course, assumes that there are, in fact sailboats or catamarans nearby, occupied by friendly and understanding people, and that at least ONE of your party actually manages to climb back into your dinghy.)

Seriously, though... Some of those dinghys had the handles pulled off, so make sure the one you rent has all of them intact. Because the only "technique" that I figured out to getting back in was to grab the handles (which are probably a couple of feet above the water line), try to get a little "momentum" going, and yank your butt over the side. Not an easy task, especially if your, shall we say, "center of gravity" is heavily oriented toward the rear, as mine is.

Anyway, if we manage to get back down there next January, I'll be sure to look for you... through the viewfinder of my video camera. Have fun!

2Feathers

[Snorkelcat]

Okay, I've stopped laughing now! Did they give any instructions on HOW to get back into it? I've been running some ideas thru my head, but only the real thing will be the true test. Of course by then, it's too late to look cool will being a fool!!

Come go with us on the Caribbean Princess Jan 15. We are going with a tour group. It will be our 3rd cruise. It is hostess'ed (not a word, but since it's a she) by Contemporary Christian singer, Kathy Trocolli. This will be the 7th "K.T. & Friends" Cruise. There will be 3 other big name artists there also. It is, & will be, a great experience.

We can videoo tape each other trying to get back in that dang dinghy & put them together & both make some AFV money!!!!!!!!!!!

Snorkelcat
Zuiderdam 2/03
Radiance 2/04
Caribbean 1/05

[2Feathers]

No re-entry instructions were given. I've heard of people having an easier time getting back in from the rear (the boat's rear, that is - around the motor), but its a little cramped back there, and I was a little nervous about slicing my feet on the propellor. Other than that, my advice is to start prepping by doing some chin-ups, only modify the exercise by pulling your entire body over the bar!

The "KT & Friends" cruise sounds interesting. We're big Contemporary Christian music fans. I looked it up on the web, and actually got some pretty decent rates. We've never done Princess before. We've become big Windstar fans because of the small ships, unusual itineraries, and the fact that some leave out of St. Thomas, so we can come down a few days early and get in some extra island time. I love the Virgin Islands, so that's a big selling point to us. But we may consider the Caribbean Princess. Looks like a great cruise!

2Feathers

[Snorkelcat]

I will be great, esp musically. Have you ever seen such a line up & know that somebody does a concert every night, Kathy sings everyday, they are all very accessible to the folks in the group, and we all have a GREAT time. This will be the 3rd different cruise line in 3 yrs. They have find a ship available when all the musicians can be there, find one that can have theater space & times for us, etc etc. That's way we go on different ones. Our 1st was HAL, 2nd RC, & I was not that impressed with RC as compared the overall Ziuderdam experience. I am looking forward to the next one. Why, I haven't even gotten all my pictures cropped from the last one in Feb & I am planning the next one!
I can share more about the cruises if you would like the info. It makes more sense to do it in emails vs here, though.
Another question, since I gave another poster a sex change the other day, are you female or male? We can hardly tell from the monikers we use. I got called a guy most of last year, but I not!!!

Snorkelcat
Zuiderdam 2/03
Radiance 2/04
Caribbean 1/05

[2Feathers]

2Feathers was born to this board as male, but has evolved of late to occasionally take on female tendencies, attitudes, and opinions. That's right... I'm Michael Jackson.

Just kidding... Actually the Mr. (me in this particular instance) signed on about a year ago, but the Mrs. may lurk and post from time to time under the same moniker. If you'd like to provide an e-mail address, I can contact you that way. Since I'm posting from work, and don't have my e-mail set up at home, I'd better not put mine out for all the world to see. (The boss might take kindly.)

2Feathers

[Snorkelcat]

You can email me at [email]snorkelcat@comcast.net[/email] & I'll share the info about the JRI Cruise with you & your wife.
It will be really really great this next year.

Snorkelcat
Zuiderdam 2/03
Radiance 2/04
Caribbean 1/05