St. John, USVI & BVI Report

[VABuckeye 2472]

I returned last night from St. John and thought I'd give a report on the current state of the island and the recovery efforts. 

You don't have to look hard to see the devastation from Irma. It's still pretty much everywhere. From the sea there are still many boats washed up on shore and the islands look more like the California hillsides (brown) than that lush green tropical vegetation we're used to down there. Palm trees are few and far between. 

The recovery efforts are understandably still focused on rebuilding the infrastructure. There are some problems with that. For instance, Wharfside which is the main bar and shopping area when you enter Cruz Bay is only partly operational. Because of a legal dispute which not only are they not party to but that they also have no influence over Beach Bar and Joe's Rum Hut currently have no expected time to reopen. There is no work going on in either location. The Westin is rebuilding but it's a slow process and they won't reopen for at least another year. 

Caneel Bay is currently a topic in Congress. They're nearing the end of their lease and the cost to rebuild currently outweighs any gain to be made by rebuilding and reopening for the remaining term of the lease. 

On a brighter note, the people of St. John are very positive and welcome any of you that want to return. Many iconic spots are open and Trunk Bay is as beautiful as it ever was. At least the beach and water are and right now it's free to all visitors. 

The Willie T opened for business on Saturday in its' new location at Great Harbor on Peter Island. It's still one of the rowdiest and raunchiest bars you can visit. 

I'll be sailing the BVI for 10 days at the end of June then staying on Jost van Dyke for a couple of days so I'll add more BVI detail when I return from that trip. 

Now some pictures. 

Trunk Bay 

 

Trunk Bay from above.  The damage to the foliage is apparent.

 

It's always a good day when Captain Steve from Rockhoppin' is your captain for the day. 

 

More damage

 

The B Line Bar on Little Jost van Dyke is open for business

 

As is Corsairs in Great Harbor on Jost van Dyke

 

Last, but not least the new and larger Willie T which reopened on my birthday.

Oh, I ran into this guy on the Willie T and couldn't pass up the photo opportunity.

Again, if you love St. John and the BVI come back soon. The people welcome you and can once again use your tourism to help recover

 

[JimmyHoffa 1188]

[VABuckeye 2472]

Really?  They're all showing up for me.

Imgur links.

[Zepol87 9185]

only you will be able to see it VA. I use imgbb instead

[VABuckeye 2472]

And looks like I need a different photo hosting site.  Apologies.

 

[PenelopeWitherspoon 19100]

I can see them on Tapa. Awesome pic with Richard Branson. Is he as cool as I've always imagined he is?

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk

[wood 11225]

nm

Edited June 6, 2018 by wood

[Poolflood 845]

Heading back tomorrow for a week.   Promise to report back and drink copious quantities of rum. 

[Poolflood 845]

[RMac5 1551]

Talked about going after the first of the year, anxious to get the details.

[troph 24781]

Good times. Vaccine talk has us dreaming again. Cat charter for a week down there on our radar now. Def following.

[Poolflood 845]

Did the rapid test last last Monday. Submitted online and brought hardcopy.

Skipped ferry and did private water taxi.  Yesterday was first full day.  Everybody seems relaxed but maintaining masks and distancing. 

[Poolflood 845]

Rams Head

[Poolflood 845]

A chicken walks into a bar...

 

Skinny legs

[Poolflood 845]

The windmill.  New bar.

[VABuckeye 2472]

Extra Virgin on St. John still has not reopened.  The BVI is scheduled to reopen on December 1.

[Cajun 11705]

God that is beautiful.

[Zepol87 9185]

Damn forgot about this thread. Just got back on Monday. It was fucking amazing. I will post pics later

[Zepol87 9185]

Just a few from our trip

 

[CooterBrown 18004]

Just booked the USVIs. The first week will be spent on a bareboat charter catamaran out of St Thomas with friends who are very experienced sailors and have done the charter cat a half dozen times. He’s a certified sailing instructor so I’m gonna get some free instruction to get certified. The second week I rented an awesome villa on St John. Too bad my wife and kids are coming.

[VABuckeye 2472]

ZoZo's and Extra Virgin have both reopened.  Two must eat at restaurants on St. John.  Morgan's Mango is very good but two levels below the first two I mentioned.  Ocean 362 is also good but the sunset sitting at the bar and eating is incredible.

Are you sailing in the BVI?

[CooterBrown 18004]

1 hour ago, VABuckeye said:

ZoZo's and Extra Virgin have both reopened.  Two must eat at restaurants on St. John.  Morgan's Mango is very good but two levels below the first two I mentioned.  Ocean 362 is also good but the sunset sitting at the bar and eating is incredible.

Are you sailing in the BVI?

Our friends alternate charters between BVI and USVI. It's the USVI this time around.  I don't think the plan is to also do the BVI but then again they asked us to go last night and I didn't get much details other than the charter cost and dates.  After 25 minutes of research this morning, I booked flights and a villa for the 2nd week. Going pretty much blind with no expectations and I kind of like it.  Just still have to find a Jeep rental. Struck out at the first two I tried and waiting on word from a third.

   

[VABuckeye 2472]

If you're sailing USVI I'd be sure to try to hit Lime Out for lunch.  Swim up taco place that's a blast.  There's also Pizza Pi Vi which is a floating pizza joint.  Both are St. John.

I just checked with a friend who goes to St. John a lot.  She said car rental places there are months out on reservations.  Sorry I couldn't be of more assistance in that regard.

Edited March 1, 2021 by VABuckeye

[CooterBrown 18004]

Just found one. Jeep for 3 days and RAV4 for 4. Changing vehicles midway is a minor PITA but at least I've got a vehicle now.

[VABuckeye 2472]

Enjoy.  It's one of my favorite places in the world.

[milkman 428]

My daughter just got back from St John's. She said they tried to rent a Jeep but they are booked up for weeks. They ended up getting a driver to chauffeur them around the island.

[VABuckeye 2472]

St. John.  

St. John’s is a university. 😀

Sorry. Pet peeve of mine. 

[Longhorn94 2448]

Ok, need Surly help. Looking to book an anniversary trip for end of April / first of May. We want to go someplace tropical. Caribbean has our interest. Is St John the best place to go? We have been to Hawaii, Florida, CA, and Tx beaches but not Caribbean. All advice welcome. Looking for a beautiful romantic place to hang out on the beach and take it easy.

 

 

[PorscheGuy 127]

7 minutes ago, Longhorn94 said:

Ok, need Surly help. Looking to book an anniversary trip for end of April / first of May. We want to go someplace tropical. Caribbean has our interest. Is St John the best place to go? We have been to Hawaii, Florida, CA, and Tx beaches but not Caribbean. All advice welcome. Looking for a beautiful romantic place to hang out on the beach and take it easy.

 

 

USVI and BVI are great.  Mostly boutique type places on all the islands.  Plenty of rec's on this tread already, I'm sure others will chime in.  I would stay away from any large resort type places if you prefer romantic.  Stay away from Mexico/Cancun/Playa, Jamaica, Dominican and Costa Rica.  Peter Island in the BVI's would be perfect, but they are still rebuilding from the hurricane.  Also, look at Bahama outer islands like Eleuthera and Exuma if you really want to go somewhere secluded.  BVI and USVI will have more upscale options to stay and more options to dine.  Eleuthera and Exuma are more remote, but water and beaches are stunning and you might be the only one on the beach for hours. Just depends on what you and your wife want/expect.  

[Longhorn94 2448]

Thx PG. So with St John, where is best place to stay?

[Poolflood 845]

3 hours ago, Longhorn94 said:

Thx PG. So with St John, where is best place to stay?

We've been to St. John 4 of the last 5 years.  Obviously we are fond.   However,  I'm hearing it's rather crowded right now.   Accommodations and jeeps to rent are in short supply. 

https://stjohn-villarentals.com/ is good site to book. 

We've stayed at https://www.mulleysstjohnvillas.com/ (Bordo Mare) twice and https://www.calichi-stj.com/ twice. 

I wouldn't recommend caliche for first time visitors.  It's up on Bordeaux mountain and the driving is.... fun!   

You're booking on extremely short notice.   There's also a private Facebook group https://www.facebook.com/groups/258379884874658/

It's private but you can ask to join.   Once on you can tell the group what you're looking for,  dates,  e.t.c.   and they'll help you.   But be wary of PM's.   They should post in the group.   Only owners and managers are allowed to respond who have availability. 

[troph 24781]

On 3/1/2021 at 2:04 PM, CooterBrown said:

Our friends alternate charters between BVI and USVI. It's the USVI this time around.  I don't think the plan is to also do the BVI but then again they asked us to go last night and I didn't get much details other than the charter cost and dates.  After 25 minutes of research this morning, I booked flights and a villa for the 2nd week. Going pretty much blind with no expectations and I kind of like it.  Just still have to find a Jeep rental. Struck out at the first two I tried and waiting on word from a third.

   

Hell yeah! That’ll be fun! I’d be super stoked in your shoes.  I’m working on my certifications and should be all clear by year end, thinking Bahamas for thanksgiving then  BVI another time. Oddly our top friends are “meh, I get sea sick, but I’ll go to {insert land destination} with y’all.” Ugh. 

[Poolflood 845]

3 hours ago, Longhorn94 said:

Thx PG. So with St John, where is best place to stay?

Oh and if you go see if you can get on https://palmtreecharters.com/.  Request captain Sarah.  We book with them 2 times each trip.

[dlatin 328]

St John is a favorite of ours. We’ve rented several villas including this one with my sisters and my parents. https://www.dejaviewvilla.com/ We are chartering a cat out of STT for 10 days late July. We had planned to sail both US and BVI waters but after reading the current state of affairs getting into the BVIs we likely will stay in US waters. Happy to answer any questions you may have.

[dlatin 328]

[dlatin 328]

Hell yeah! That’ll be fun! I’d be super stoked in your shoes.  I’m working on my certifications and should be all clear by year end, thinking Bahamas for thanksgiving then  BVI another time. Oddly our top friends are “meh, I get sea sick, but I’ll go to {insert land destination} with y’all.” Ugh. 

I noticed in the boat fanatics thread you are working through you certifications. I did the same thing, starting with 101, then 103, 104, 105 and 106 over the course of a year all working to charter my own boat in the BVIs. I did the 106 in the BVIs with an instructor that gave me the confidence to do our trip a couple months later. I rented a 46’ monohull and sailed 10 days with my wife and 2 kids age 10 and 12. It was an amazing trip. A month later Irma destroyed the BVIs. We are sailing a catamaran in July.

[troph 24781]

51 minutes ago, dlatin said:

I noticed in the boat fanatics thread you are working through you certifications. I did the same thing, starting with 101, then 103, 104, 105 and 106 over the course of a year all working to charter my own boat in the BVIs. I did the 106 in the BVIs with an instructor that gave me the confidence to do our trip a couple months later. I rented a 46’ monohull and sailed 10 days with my wife and 2 kids age 10 and 12. It was an amazing trip. A month later Irma destroyed the BVIs. We are sailing a catamaran in July.

That’s awesome ! Except for the storm. Yeah this is a long haul plan, need something to work toward, the career thing only satisfies so much. I’d love you to join the thread over there and share your sailing stories! 

[CooterBrown 18004]

Been in the USVI for over a week now and it’s now one of my favorite places on earth.

The power plant on St Thomas is completely down so no electricity there or here on St John. There’s no wind tonight so the house is getting warm. So, to keep cool, I’m sitting on the patio in my drawers having a beer at 2:30am. It’s nice.

[Poolflood 845]

Jealous.

Where on St. John are you staying?

[CooterBrown 18004]

Jealous.
Where on St. John are you staying?

Villa overlooking chocolate hole bay.

[Poolflood 845]

2 minutes ago, CooterBrown said:

Villa overlooking chocolate hole bay.

Nice!  Stayed at Bordo Mare couple times. God I love that island.

[CooterBrown 18004]

Pics from Trunk Bay this morning.

The big fish were 4’-5’ long. Not sure what they are but I’m sure someone will speak up. The school of small fish was so dense at times, you could see no water.

The coolest thing was that pelican dove in about 3’ from us. We were underwater at the time and I thought someone had somehow dove into water.

[CooterBrown 18004]

It’s my last night here in St John and it is without a doubt going to be a regular stop for us.

If there’s one bit of advice I’d follow is to make sure the house you rent has a generator or a Tesla Wall backup. The 18 hours without electricity AND water (electric filtration) was rough.

The only downside I could really name is that there’s not enough restaurants by a country mile. Everything is packed from open to close. The shortest wait for a table was 45 minutes. Other than the pizza place, which was still an hour wait to go, there’s no places where you can easily and quickly get to go food. There are a couple of food trucks that were never open. You can cook at home but it’s not much cheaper due to the high grocery prices.

In Cruz Bay, don’t bother looking for a free parking spot. They’re few and far between. Just go to the lumber yard parking and pay $10 for 3 hours.

The plantation ruins are worth a stop.

I’d rank the beach we went to in this order:
Trunk Bay
Hawksnest
Maho Bay
Cinnamon
Honeymoon

For the first four, arrive by 9am or after 3pm to get a parking spot. Honeymoon has plenty of parking but you have to pay for a shuttle from the lot to the beach. They are really exceptional beaches with crystal clear water and perfect sand.

[VABuckeye 2472]

Damn, it’s been a while for me.  I need to get back there.