Looking For Opportunity...

[Wildernesstech]

We are going to be in St. Thomas USVI the week of October 6th for ten days WITHOUT a boat!!! Is anyone on the forum going to be in the area?

David and Brenda

[Gallivanters]

Dave & Brenda,

We recently spent over six years in St Thomas... fixing-up our newest old boat while in a crash course of learning the in's & out's of parenthood! St Thomas was a very good port to us.

Unfortunately (no... Fortunately!) we sailed away from there a bit over a year ago and are at present loving life in French Polynesia aboard our new old boat and soon to be six year old son. Life is good!

I know lots of people in St Thomas who have boats and will be there in October. Short of providing names, I'll attempt to steer you toward them...

You may want to visit Red Hook, where you'll find a crusty crowd of local sailors upstairs on the deck bar above American Yacht Harbor, or Molly Malone's, Duffy's Love Shack or better yet - across the bay at Latitude 18... where you'll definitely meet some great people while dancing to nightly live music. Over the hill - past the stop light - is where you'll find Independent Boat Yard within Benner Bay Lagoon and Cariga's at Bottom's Up... home to some of the most colorful Lagoonatics you'll meet anywhere in the Caribbean. We had a berth in the marina the entire time we were on St Thomas. If you visit - tell 'em I sent ya. Joe in the wood shop has a beautiful old wooden boat and is always looking for an excuse to cast her lines. You'll hear a lot of good sea stories after dark at both Bottom's Up and Latitude 18.

On the north side is Hull Bay Hideaway and always worth stopping by for a look and on the western side of Charlotte Amalie is Tickles at Crowne Bay Marina... both hangouts for local sailors. And there's the newly re-vamped Yacht Haven Grande downtown if you enjoy rubbing elbows with the mega-yacht crowd. I once spoke with Jimmy Buffett there while he was loading his seaplane at the dinghy dock.

You might consider renting a power boat from one of the vendors located at American Yacht Harbor. They aren't overly expensive to rent for a day. Small power-cats give the smoothest rides and if you rent one with twin four stroke outboards, you can make it all the way to Virgin Gorda and back, stopping at all of the popular destinations, including Foxy's, the Willy T, the Baths, Pusser's Landing, etc along the way, and the four strokes will not burn a wallet-full of money as a two stroke can.

You can rent a kayak in Benner Bay for a great trip out to Happy Island - Sundays are best.

You can take the ferry from Tickles over to Water Island for a nice Sunday session at Honeymoon Bay (say hello to Heidi for me) or jump on a ferry in Red Hook to St John for a nice time any day of the week. the Sunset Beach Bar is a good local hangout. You can also take the bus (or hitch hike) on St John over to Coral Bay for lunch at Skinny Leggs and be back in Red hook for dinner. Too easy.

Hope this will help steer you toward meeting some nice people around St Thomas and her neighboring islands. The Virgin Islands are certainly among the nicest boating destinations in the world and I'm sure you'll have all the fun (or relaxation) you can handle. I just hope there are no storms blowing during your visit in October.

Tell all the bartenders I sent ya and that we hope to return some day soon!

To Life!

Kirk

[Wildernesstech]

Kirk, I just HAD to finally reply! Your information and my wife's research allowed us to make friend's quickly during the visit from the original post. We live aboard here now! Thanks, even though it is quite late in the game. What I really am writing this for, is to ask you if there is anyone here that you want us to say hello to for you? Somethings have changed of course, and we are awaiting a storm as August often finds us. But we will be happy to try to extend any greetings you would like forwarded.

David & Brenda

[dianoce]

It seems that you had have a great sailing experience. Can you share some of your experiences here. So that when the time that we will be going there we have some knowledge to bring. Congrats to your great trip.

[Wildernesstech]

Dianoce, We would love to share more of our sailing adventures here, and will in the near future (Hopefully with pictures), and if you have not already figured it out... there are many with more experience than us on this forum!

Just be patient with us as it is Hurricane season here, and our signal is seldom good.

[Gallivanters]

Hi David & Brenda!

Glad to hear you've settled-in and taken our place in the Virgin Islands! Nice, eh?

Where are you keeping the boat? We spent most of our time berthed at the end of B Dock at the Boatyard in Benner Bay. Our favorite weekend get-aways were Honeymoon Bay at Water Island, Christmas Cove, Maho Bay, Foxy's and Cane Garden Bay. My job always took me to the Bight at Norman island, The Bitter End at Virgin Gorda and everywhere in between. Our favorite afternoon get-away was Happy Island!

We're presently loving life in Australia and will be heading back to the Caribbean by way of Cape Good Hope and Brazil in the not so distant future.

In the meantime - please pass along our warmest personal regards to Randy and his Lagoonatics (Tom Peck, Austin Gumbs & Kiwi Brett) at Carigas in the boatyard, Heidi at the Beach Grill on Water Island, Foxy & Tess on Jost van Dyke and Sir Richard on Necker Island. They're all good hosts and among the nicest people I've ever had the pleasure of knowing. Please let them know we're coming home soon.

I trust you survived Irene. 'Tis the Season. We were there nearly seven years and I know how bloody hot it is there right now... but don't worry - the tradewinds will be back soon and cool everything down real nicely.

Enjoy the Cruzan and avoid the Jumbies!

To Life!

Kirk

[Wildernesstech]

Kirk,

We haven't taken your place... We are a long way from Benner... There will likely be plenty of room for you when you get back here, and we'll await your arrival! Kiwi is still peddling used boats and gear, Doug is behind the bar at Carigas, Timmy's Suzuki still runs, and the gang has changed little (At least that they can remember)...

We are anchored in Water Bay, as I work on Morningstar and Winifred. I seldom head toward Soggy Dollar and the Brit' Bunch simply because I would have to stash the spearguns and all ashore, but we do get that way occasionally. Sir Richard's house burnt to the ground via a lightning strike, which is a bloody shame! Christmas cove is now "Mooring Ball Only", you know all good things come to an end. If they (DPNR) catch you tied to mangroves pre-storm they say that they will cut you adrift! I have a 6"6" draft and have yet to find my "Spot" anyway. I can get into Benner Bay at high tide on a heel...

Let us know when to start looking for your return!

David & Brenda

s/v Ceilidh