Best tip yet ...for newbies

[Mrs. B]

We did carry on and a backpack last year and only ended up using a fraction of the clothes we brought. We wore swim suits and a cover-up/ t-shirt during the day as we bounced from beach to beach and a few pairs of shorts and shirts for casual dinners out. This year we are again planning on each taking a carry-on and a backpack with less clothes than last year.

[toes in the sand]

I'm getting ready for my liveaboard sailing lesson in January. Taking a towel and a rain jacket will more than double the size of my packing. Time to shop for a small quick-dry travel towel!

Cheers, RickG

The quick dry towels are fantastic. I carry a small one for canoe floating/camping. First time I packed it I packed a regular towel as well expecting to be disappointed with the quick-dry. Haven't packed a towel since.

[PA Girl]

To each their own.

Some of our friends can't get by without checking a full-size bag per person. Big Red has a XXL flotation vest and size 14 flippers that just about fill a checked bag.

Yep, Mr. PA wears 14/15s and his fins barely fit into his checked bag. Years back we had a mini-disaster when his checked bag went missing for two days. Not easy to find size 15 flip flops on STJ.

I'm getting ready for my liveaboard sailing lesson in January. Taking a towel and a rain jacket will more than double the size of my packing. Time to shop for a small quick-dry travel towel!

Cheers, RickG

I always take a swim towel along for the beach, love those things.

Have you checked out any of the bareboater's packing lists over at TTOL yet? It is amazing what some of those people take along!

[PA Girl]

Walking around randomly to explore is fun. But driving around randomly just fills me with anxiety, especially in places like STJ where parking is in short supply and it's hard to turn around.

My mom and her husband feel the same way, they refuse to drive on STJ. It isn't that they "can't" do it, they just don't want the stress. (it isn't age related or lack of experience)

We all have our "thing" Mine is the airport/taxi/ferry, it sends my anxiety through the roof so we do the private route.

[mindehankins]

Every single trip, I very carefully pack two carry on bags, and come home on the day before departure to find hubby has torn it all apart and packed into checked bags. Some day, we're going to lose bags, and he'll see why I go to all that trouble!

My "thing" on island is driving, which I'm going to have to get over, in January.

[Exit Zero]

I have found the 'packtowl' to be the most effective and practical synthetic towel for sailing and packing. A lot of sizes,colors, and absorbency to choose from - Mine is a [largepersonal] ----cascadedesign.com/packtowl

[Vega]

Our first trip in 2003 we took one checked bag and 2 carry-on.
The only reason was that we got married on island that trip so took our wedding "stuff" and everything else that we didn't know better about already.

5 trips later (and one in less than 3 months woo hoo!) we have done carry on, one backpack that my wife carries, with her small "purse/bag" inside the back pack, and I carry the Kona snorkel bag which houses both sets of gear, including 2 snorkel shirts as they wrap up real small

The carry on has gotten smaller and smaller over the years.
Last trip we managed to get virtually everything for both of us into one carry on and the backpack....cause we're Canadian....so, the other bag must get checked on the way home if we can't fly into DTW....gotta pack rum somewhere, and Cruzan is more important than any ol t-shirt I need to bring home if it isn't being used as Rum "padding"

Priorities and all!

[PatrickMcc]

We have only done carry on since my kids got out of diapers- about 30 years ago. We only go for a week -last few years 10 days. My best tip- put your clean t-shirt on at night before you go out to dinner and wear it the next day until dinner time. If you are having dinner at home it is even easier- don't change. If you are going for 7 days all you need is 7 pairs of underpants and seven shirts- buy an extra or two there, two swim suits and three pairs of shorts plus bathroom items. Probably a hat and sunglasses and maybe a book. You might need to pack a pair of sandals or watershoes- you can wear your bulkier shoes there and back if you are coming from a cold climate. Leave your winter coat in your car at the airport or don't wear it in the taxi. My wife is better than I am at this. We did a 13 day tour of Tuscany and Rome last fall with carry-on. Some of the women were complimenting my wife on some of her outfits and couldn't believe it when they found out she did carry-on only. It isn't that hard unless you are gong to a cold place and you need bulky clothes.

[silands]

Big Cheeze I'm with you no need to pack anything more then you need. Carry on works for us going on five years now can't wait to go back in March and put it to use!!

[Dome526]

We did our first trip with 2 carry-ons, a Polar Bear Cooler with meat, and a small backpack with cameras, etc. After packing clothes, I went back and took out half of what I packed. There were STILL a few items I didn't need! Rules for our next trip:
1. Take minimal clothes.
2. Send food, coffee, etc.
3. Stay again at Cinnamon Bay Campground
4. think about trying no car rental just to see if we can do it with just taxi rides!
5. Bring the Polar Bear Cooler FILLED with meat next time!
Tom in CT

[fmzip]

Then, I used the cooler to keep ice, putting the Polar Bear inside a large cooler that was provided at CBC. This worked so well, that I had ICE FOR 3 DAYS!!!! Yes, 3 days! The cooler doubled as the personal bag for the trip home too, and the extra t-shirts, St. John Spices, etc. fit perfectly. I doubted at first that CARRY ON would work, but with planning, it worked to PERFECTION! Next trip (yup, I get it now) I will send items to Connections, and send items to CBC. Food was expensive. Starfish was more than I thought, and the sales flyer did not apply on the day that we went to resupply. Next trip, I will do carry on again, and bring more meat than I did this time, and I will send a box ahead of time to the campground, and to Connections, which has 2 locations- in Cruz Bay, and Coral Bay. DO CARRYON! It works! Bring shower gel for a quick clothes wash....it works. You are going to buy souvenior clothes anyway.
Tom in CT

Could you explain what CBC and Connections are please?

Thanks!

[lprof]

Could you explain what CBC and Connections are please?
Thanks!

I believe CBC is Cinamon Bay Campground: http://www.cinnamonbay.com/ (terrific sound effects on this home page)
and Connections is: http://www.connectionsstjohn.com/

[Dome526]

CBC is Cinnamon Bay Campground. Connections is a company that can receive packages and hold them for you. CBC will also receive and hold a package for $5