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Trip Report May 10-20
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TraumaQueen
- Posts: 162
- Joined: Tue Jan 31, 2012 3:28 pm
- Location: Mississippi
Trip Report May 10-20
First of all a huge THANK YOU for everyone that posts here. The good and bad. This forum is invaluable to those of us who are new to St John.
I'm not very good at trip reports, I tend to ramble so bear with me. I'm going to divide this into lodging, restaurants, beaches/activities and ruins.
We stayed in both Cruz Bay and Coral Bay. I must say we are definitely Coral Bay folks. Very quiet and exactly what we needed.
CRUZ BAY BOUTIQUE: Awesome place! David was a wonderful host with great suggestions. We were in Room 4 with the balcony to the back. Very clean and comfortable. The bar outside our balcony was tame. We only heard music one night and we think they stopped at 1100 because we fell asleep before then. Ha! There was a sitting area in the front of the hotel where guests gathered in the morning for yogurt, fruit, pastries, oatmeal, coffee and juices. It was a great start to the day. If you want to be in the heart of Cruz Bay the. This is the place for you! I wouldn't hesitate to book it again!
ASTRAL RIDGE: Surreal, phenomenal, breath-taking. I think you get the picture. We were originally booked for Astral Cottage, but I was surprised by my honey and were upgraded to Astral Ridge. Some folks complain about the road up Calabash Boom, but in order to get to heaven you gotta go thru some rough patches. Then again, I grew up going off roading in Mississippi; except we didn't have those hills or that view! The hot tub has a view to die for and the pool is warm enough to swim, but cool enough to refresh. I did have an issue with some peeping toms while showering EVERY night. I even named them Larry and Leonard. Yup, they are lizards that would jump on the window sill as soon as I turned on the light in the shower. They ate like kings while we were there! Do not hesitate to book either one as you can't see the other house. I'll post some pics as soon as I resize them.
BANANA DECK: What can I say. We ate there 2 of the 3 days we were in Cruz Bay. Get the Jamaican blackened ribeye. Damn good.
HIGH TIDE: Also very good. Who knew mango-fried rice would be so good? Try it with blackened chicken. Yummy!
SUNDOG CAFE: Can you say puff? You must try their puff. It's a pastry filled with whatever they decide to put on it that day. Excellent!
SKINNY LEGS: Good burger, ate there twice.
VILLA MEALS: We cooked the rest of our meals in. Made sammies for lunch on the beach and cooked at night. LOVED Starfish! Yes, some things are more expensive,, but we were shocked to see the meat was the same, if not cheaper, than home. We made ribeyes, pork chops, fajitas, home made hamburger helper and breakfast for supper.
SALOMON: Whoa! Gorgeous beach with little to no people. I was expecting the hike to be easier, but it was our first beach on our first morning there so we were still tired from the prior day of travel.
TRUNK: Beautiful, but not my ideal Caribbean beach. Too many people, even on a non-cruise ship day. Don't get me wrong, it is stunning, but not my favorite.
SALT POND: As we were walking down the trail we ran into a Park Ranger who told us of some thefts the prior week on the beach. Apparently someone was skirting the edge of the beach and stealing money out of bags. Nothing else was taken, nobody confronted, just cold hard cash. We saw the ranger truck parked there a few times so they were all over it. It didn't deter us from enjoying this beauty of a beach! Saw a few turtles, some cool fish to the right and just soaked it all in. The hike down wasn't too bad and just when you wanted to complain on the way back up you were at the top.
FRANCIS: Hands down my favorite place on Earth. No Manta Ray, few people, huge sea turtle and life was good.....
JUMBIE: Great little beach, but wind was up that morning and sand was getting kicked up in my face. I don't like my beer to crunch so we weren't there long. Ha!
CINNAMON: See Trunk
MAHO: I was most curious about the draw to this beach.....until we got there. Stunning! The sand was perfect, water was perfect, palm trees, breeze. Just stunning, buuuuut......
I'm terrified of horses and things that big unless they are behind a fence. Well, I was good with the donkeys being around me until one decided he wanted my PB&J as much as I did. It's funny now, but not so much at the time. I went to our jeep to get my sammie out and I guess Eeorye (sp) got a good whiff of it and quickly came rushing towards me. Did I mention he already stomped his feet at me earlier? My honey, Chris, saw me running to the other side of the jeep and came and rescued me and my sammie. Now, the normal human being wouldn't have been bothered by this, some were even petting the donkeys, and I in no way claim to have been harassed by them. I just don't want a horse-like creature so close to me
.
REEF BAY HIKE: Just say no if you aren't in good shape unless you do the ranger guided tour. We started at Centerline and all I could say was "the way back is going to suck". We did the petroglyphs, Reef Bay Great House, Par Force slave ruins and decided to go back from there. Thank God. We saw a deer, mongoose, and a giant hairy spider. There was such a strong smell of vanilla at one point in the trail I had to stop, close my eyes and take it all in. Whatever you do, save your water and energy for the way back up. We started on the trail at 0745 and it rained off and on so it was cool. I cannot imagine starting around noon without the rain.
ANNABERG: Pretty place with outstanding views. Read up on it before you go. I love visiting places after I read the history so I can imagine how it was "back in the day". Be sure to find the sign that points out the islands you can see.
LAMESHUR RUINS: Hands down my favorite ruins. That view is amazing! I just wish I could buy the house "as is" and fix it up. Ha! I'd have to pave the driveway though
.
KEKOA: Holy moly what a fantastic relaxing day! We did the Jost sail and have zero complaints. We stopped at Leinster to snorkel off shore, but not at Waterlemon. Saw some jelly fish (non-stinging), turtle and huge parrot fish. Next a stop at Soper's Hole to clear customs. Next we sailed into Jost with the black sails up. The music selection was reggae and sailing/boat/beach music. Just perfect. Soggy Dollar was fun, just make sure you can swim back after all the painkillers! Just kidding, they'll come get you in the dinghy if you need them to. Oh, did I mention we had an all female crew? Three hot blondes with a personality as pretty as they were!
COURTESY CAR RENTAL: We will use them EVERY time we go to St John. We bought the $45 roadside assistance and glad we did. The second day we woke up to a flat tire. No
problem! Just called Greg and he came and plugged it in our driveway! A few days later the rear-end went out in the jeep in the rain after dark. Greg to the rescue again! He came and swapped jeeps with us at the villa. No questions asked.
RANDOM THOUGHTS:
1. Take the time to soak it all in. ALL of it from the Stinky Donkey Dip in Coral Bay to the vanilla scent in the woods.
2. Make sure to speak to the locals and ask about their history on island. Almost all have interesting stories to tell.
3. SLOW DOWN in all you do. Drive slow, drink slow, eat dinner slow and enjoy your company.
4. Try my new favorite rum mixes: Vanilla Rum and Rootbeer as well as Banana Rum and Sunkist.
5. Don't wear a watch. Who cares if it's 0900 and you already want a beer on the beach? As long as you are responsible and have a driver, go for it!
6. It's never long enough. Don't think about packing for home until you have to shove things in your suitcase.
7. Put the camera down!!!!!!! You can't be in the moment if you're worried about the shot. My Canon D10 was just as awesome sitting in my beach bag while I watched 3 turtles munch on sea grass.
8. Book first class airline tickets if possible. 3 1/2 hours from ATL to STT was a breeze in first class. STT to ATL was not so pleasant when you're tired and sad. My legs were screaming for some room and I'm 5'4".
9. Don't worry so much about rain, bugs, things you can't control. We left the beach by 1500 every day and have zero bug bites. We also got to the beach around 0900. If it's raining where you are, drive to the other side and chances are it's dry there.
10. You will get used to driving left. I found it actually felt more natural on that side of the road.
11. Get a porter at the airport! Tany was wonderful!
We are already planning a surprise trip for our boys next year!!!
Thank you for reading.
I'm not very good at trip reports, I tend to ramble so bear with me. I'm going to divide this into lodging, restaurants, beaches/activities and ruins.
We stayed in both Cruz Bay and Coral Bay. I must say we are definitely Coral Bay folks. Very quiet and exactly what we needed.
CRUZ BAY BOUTIQUE: Awesome place! David was a wonderful host with great suggestions. We were in Room 4 with the balcony to the back. Very clean and comfortable. The bar outside our balcony was tame. We only heard music one night and we think they stopped at 1100 because we fell asleep before then. Ha! There was a sitting area in the front of the hotel where guests gathered in the morning for yogurt, fruit, pastries, oatmeal, coffee and juices. It was a great start to the day. If you want to be in the heart of Cruz Bay the. This is the place for you! I wouldn't hesitate to book it again!
ASTRAL RIDGE: Surreal, phenomenal, breath-taking. I think you get the picture. We were originally booked for Astral Cottage, but I was surprised by my honey and were upgraded to Astral Ridge. Some folks complain about the road up Calabash Boom, but in order to get to heaven you gotta go thru some rough patches. Then again, I grew up going off roading in Mississippi; except we didn't have those hills or that view! The hot tub has a view to die for and the pool is warm enough to swim, but cool enough to refresh. I did have an issue with some peeping toms while showering EVERY night. I even named them Larry and Leonard. Yup, they are lizards that would jump on the window sill as soon as I turned on the light in the shower. They ate like kings while we were there! Do not hesitate to book either one as you can't see the other house. I'll post some pics as soon as I resize them.
BANANA DECK: What can I say. We ate there 2 of the 3 days we were in Cruz Bay. Get the Jamaican blackened ribeye. Damn good.
HIGH TIDE: Also very good. Who knew mango-fried rice would be so good? Try it with blackened chicken. Yummy!
SUNDOG CAFE: Can you say puff? You must try their puff. It's a pastry filled with whatever they decide to put on it that day. Excellent!
SKINNY LEGS: Good burger, ate there twice.
VILLA MEALS: We cooked the rest of our meals in. Made sammies for lunch on the beach and cooked at night. LOVED Starfish! Yes, some things are more expensive,, but we were shocked to see the meat was the same, if not cheaper, than home. We made ribeyes, pork chops, fajitas, home made hamburger helper and breakfast for supper.
SALOMON: Whoa! Gorgeous beach with little to no people. I was expecting the hike to be easier, but it was our first beach on our first morning there so we were still tired from the prior day of travel.
TRUNK: Beautiful, but not my ideal Caribbean beach. Too many people, even on a non-cruise ship day. Don't get me wrong, it is stunning, but not my favorite.
SALT POND: As we were walking down the trail we ran into a Park Ranger who told us of some thefts the prior week on the beach. Apparently someone was skirting the edge of the beach and stealing money out of bags. Nothing else was taken, nobody confronted, just cold hard cash. We saw the ranger truck parked there a few times so they were all over it. It didn't deter us from enjoying this beauty of a beach! Saw a few turtles, some cool fish to the right and just soaked it all in. The hike down wasn't too bad and just when you wanted to complain on the way back up you were at the top.
FRANCIS: Hands down my favorite place on Earth. No Manta Ray, few people, huge sea turtle and life was good.....
JUMBIE: Great little beach, but wind was up that morning and sand was getting kicked up in my face. I don't like my beer to crunch so we weren't there long. Ha!
CINNAMON: See Trunk
MAHO: I was most curious about the draw to this beach.....until we got there. Stunning! The sand was perfect, water was perfect, palm trees, breeze. Just stunning, buuuuut......
I'm terrified of horses and things that big unless they are behind a fence. Well, I was good with the donkeys being around me until one decided he wanted my PB&J as much as I did. It's funny now, but not so much at the time. I went to our jeep to get my sammie out and I guess Eeorye (sp) got a good whiff of it and quickly came rushing towards me. Did I mention he already stomped his feet at me earlier? My honey, Chris, saw me running to the other side of the jeep and came and rescued me and my sammie. Now, the normal human being wouldn't have been bothered by this, some were even petting the donkeys, and I in no way claim to have been harassed by them. I just don't want a horse-like creature so close to me
.REEF BAY HIKE: Just say no if you aren't in good shape unless you do the ranger guided tour. We started at Centerline and all I could say was "the way back is going to suck". We did the petroglyphs, Reef Bay Great House, Par Force slave ruins and decided to go back from there. Thank God. We saw a deer, mongoose, and a giant hairy spider. There was such a strong smell of vanilla at one point in the trail I had to stop, close my eyes and take it all in. Whatever you do, save your water and energy for the way back up. We started on the trail at 0745 and it rained off and on so it was cool. I cannot imagine starting around noon without the rain.
ANNABERG: Pretty place with outstanding views. Read up on it before you go. I love visiting places after I read the history so I can imagine how it was "back in the day". Be sure to find the sign that points out the islands you can see.
LAMESHUR RUINS: Hands down my favorite ruins. That view is amazing! I just wish I could buy the house "as is" and fix it up. Ha! I'd have to pave the driveway though
.KEKOA: Holy moly what a fantastic relaxing day! We did the Jost sail and have zero complaints. We stopped at Leinster to snorkel off shore, but not at Waterlemon. Saw some jelly fish (non-stinging), turtle and huge parrot fish. Next a stop at Soper's Hole to clear customs. Next we sailed into Jost with the black sails up. The music selection was reggae and sailing/boat/beach music. Just perfect. Soggy Dollar was fun, just make sure you can swim back after all the painkillers! Just kidding, they'll come get you in the dinghy if you need them to. Oh, did I mention we had an all female crew? Three hot blondes with a personality as pretty as they were!
COURTESY CAR RENTAL: We will use them EVERY time we go to St John. We bought the $45 roadside assistance and glad we did. The second day we woke up to a flat tire. No
problem! Just called Greg and he came and plugged it in our driveway! A few days later the rear-end went out in the jeep in the rain after dark. Greg to the rescue again! He came and swapped jeeps with us at the villa. No questions asked.
RANDOM THOUGHTS:
1. Take the time to soak it all in. ALL of it from the Stinky Donkey Dip in Coral Bay to the vanilla scent in the woods.
2. Make sure to speak to the locals and ask about their history on island. Almost all have interesting stories to tell.
3. SLOW DOWN in all you do. Drive slow, drink slow, eat dinner slow and enjoy your company.
4. Try my new favorite rum mixes: Vanilla Rum and Rootbeer as well as Banana Rum and Sunkist.
5. Don't wear a watch. Who cares if it's 0900 and you already want a beer on the beach? As long as you are responsible and have a driver, go for it!
6. It's never long enough. Don't think about packing for home until you have to shove things in your suitcase.
7. Put the camera down!!!!!!! You can't be in the moment if you're worried about the shot. My Canon D10 was just as awesome sitting in my beach bag while I watched 3 turtles munch on sea grass
.8. Book first class airline tickets if possible. 3 1/2 hours from ATL to STT was a breeze in first class. STT to ATL was not so pleasant when you're tired and sad. My legs were screaming for some room and I'm 5'4".
9. Don't worry so much about rain, bugs, things you can't control. We left the beach by 1500 every day and have zero bug bites. We also got to the beach around 0900. If it's raining where you are, drive to the other side and chances are it's dry there.
10. You will get used to driving left. I found it actually felt more natural on that side of the road.
11. Get a porter at the airport! Tany was wonderful!
We are already planning a surprise trip for our boys next year!!!
Thank you for reading.
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PatrickMcc
- Posts: 223
- Joined: Sat Jan 05, 2008 2:43 pm
- Location: Boston
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PatrickMcc
- Posts: 223
- Joined: Sat Jan 05, 2008 2:43 pm
- Location: Boston
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TraumaQueen
- Posts: 162
- Joined: Tue Jan 31, 2012 3:28 pm
- Location: Mississippi
We purchased the roadside assistance from Courtesy. It was $45 for the entire week. I'm sure they would've helped us with the rear-end going out, but not with the flat. They would've expected us to change the flat with the spare on the back and bring it to them so they could repair it. We were going to do that because we had a sail scheduled that morning, but the spare looked worse than the flat! They put old tires on the back of the jeeps for spares so nobody will steal the new one. When he saw how bad the spare looked, he agreed it was too bald and had one of his guys go to the beach we were at that day and change it. As bad as it all sounds, they handled it so well it was amazing!PatrickMcc wrote:Excellent report but I have a question about the roadside Assistance- shouldn't the car rental dealership send someone to assist you for free if you have rented from them? We have never had a problem but I always assumed they wold help you out if there was a problem.
After all that (told you I ramble) I'd check with your rental agency about what they cover. We also won't consider renting on STT now. Can you imagine them having to bring a replacement jeep from STT on car ferry? We would've lost an entire day of vacay!
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greyhoundmom
- Posts: 978
- Joined: Mon Jul 30, 2007 3:06 pm
- Location: Columbia South Carolina
FRANCIS: Hands down my favorite place on Earth. No Manta Ray, few people, huge sea turtle and life was good.....
Miss TQ, after so many years, Francis is my go to place. I love the walk down the road, the tranquility, the parking my butt under a seagrape, the spending the day with lunch and a huge glug of painkillers, bobbing in that amazing water. Your trip report was very informative and fun to read! It is truly my go to place early in the morning.
Miss TQ, after so many years, Francis is my go to place. I love the walk down the road, the tranquility, the parking my butt under a seagrape, the spending the day with lunch and a huge glug of painkillers, bobbing in that amazing water. Your trip report was very informative and fun to read! It is truly my go to place early in the morning.
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GotToGetAway
- Posts: 396
- Joined: Tue Mar 08, 2011 10:55 pm
- Location: FL
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EagleRayLover
- Posts: 1474
- Joined: Sat Feb 12, 2011 8:56 pm
- Location: St. John -WooHoo!!
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ColumbiaSCTraveler
- Posts: 528
- Joined: Mon Apr 18, 2011 9:33 pm
- Location: Columbia, SC
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TraumaQueen
- Posts: 162
- Joined: Tue Jan 31, 2012 3:28 pm
- Location: Mississippi
-
TraumaQueen
- Posts: 162
- Joined: Tue Jan 31, 2012 3:28 pm
- Location: Mississippi
Thank y'all for your kind words! Yep, we "got it" in every way imaginable!
The kids want to take a cruise next year
, but we may be able to talk them into St John. If not, they'll be left the following year for another adults only vacay 
They didn't go this time because we wanted to make sure it was all we thought it'd be.
The kids want to take a cruise next year
, but we may be able to talk them into St John. If not, they'll be left the following year for another adults only vacay They didn't go this time because we wanted to make sure it was all we thought it'd be.