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Trip report - first time USVI, including St.Croix #245655
01/24/2021 02:04 AM
01/24/2021 02:04 AM
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CaptainVlad Offline OP
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Just returned from a 12 day charter to USVI and thought to share, may be it will help somebody.

We had a booked trip to BVI with BVIYC in January, as we do most every year. This year, you can guess was different. We watched the news with horror. Confusing quarantine rules... that our charter company struggled to explain (I guess they guessed 99% of the time). Then having to spend considerable part of vacation with ankle bracelet like a criminal... And pay $$$$ for that. Even though half of our crew already went through the COVID and have antibody test on hands... We were ready to risk it all, but when they didn't start the Ferry, we literally run out of options and said - screw it. Buying $$$$ flight from STT to Tortola for 8 ppl is not the expense we were ready to take.

I'm now kind of glad. Having tickets all paid to STT, and with clear and simple covid rules - I decided to look at USVI instead. Quickly found a charter with DreamYC on a 40 ft Bali cat. 2 families, 4 adults and 4 9-11y.o. kids.

Short verdict - it was a fabulous trip and we would do it again without hesitation.

Airport. After submitting our tests 5 days in advance and getting approved in 24-48 hours, getting through STT was quick as usual. They took the temp and looked at papers, but all very fast and effective... May be 5 extra minutes. Rum shots were in a different place in duty free store. Oh well.

Compass marina. nothing to write home about. Toilet with a key. No shower. Looong walk to the boat. Boat can't hookup to electricity because boat just got transferred from some french island. There is a very small store with ice and sodas. The bar across from office is a great place to start vacation. The owner is kinda paranoid about masks when standing, and groups more than 6... So 4 our children coming to look at the menu to our table of 4 adults - almost got us expelled... But I'm sure she had her reasons. Like government watchers everywhere. And spicy chicken is a killer.

The DreamYC. Extremely nice and easy going people. Nothing much to tell. We asked for a bigger dinghy and after some arguing got it. The tech briefing was brief, as (I guessed) the boat was not familiar to them, transferred from other islands. Not much help with planning the route. So do you homework well.

Provisioning. We brought all our steaks and meats and whatever else we can freeze with us. There is a pretty good grocery/liquor store about mile from the marina. Prices are usual island prices. Alcohol prices are not as nice as BVI. You can walk there (20 min) and taxi back.

The 2018-ish 40 Bali cat. Awesome boat. The open cockpit/deck concept works great. There is only one table and it's half inside half outside and it makes sense a lot on a smaller boat. The seating space in front instead of nets - is also great. Full size fridge will spoil you for life. And water maker. It has water maker, and you can't really charter without water maker on USVI. There is no water (or any marinas at all we could find on St.John!!!!)

The mooring fees - $26. There are pay stations in almost every bay, and you have to stick exactly $26 into the envelope, and drop the envelope into the metal pole-looking container. They were all full, and very difficult to stick envelope in. I would guess nobody emptied them for a week or more.

The mooring were all taken by I say 3-4pm. Charter guy told us they transfered a lot of boats into USVI, as many people switched from BVI this year. We basically sailed from 11 to noon. Most of sailing was 1-2 hours at most.

The route.
After researching a lot - we completely skipped the St.Thomas for St. John and St. Croix. I was expecting the company to be finiky about St. Croix, but they didn't care at all. GRRRREAT!

So went around St.John first - and everything is soo close there. Caneel bay is less than an hour from marina. There is awesome Zozo resort there. Need reservation for dinner and no reservation for drinks. Drinks are pricy but atmosphere and the view well worth it.

Not many other restaurants or bars on the island. There is bar in Trunk bay, and some restaurants in Coral bay and Cruz bay and that's about it.

Caneel bay, Maho bay, Lemishur bay - all are great for multi day stay. There is some food during the day in Maho bay, just one stand, but it's just hod-dogs and such, terrible quality, and at 5* prices. Take a taxi to Cruz bay instead. $7pp. See the island (the drive is absolutely stunning) and fine dine and drink in Cruz bay for half of what you'll spend in Maho. There are couple of awesome beach bars there also.

You can also dinghy to Cruz bay from Caneel bay.

You can dinghy to Trunk bay from Maho bay. Trunk bay is fine, but I would never guess it's "the best in western hemisphere". I guess it's just a trap for tourists... I've seen a dozen of prettier beaches in VI.

Stingrays are guaranteed to see in Francis/Maho, near the boats in front of the Zozo. Including huge black with white dots one I've never seen before.

Don't miss Anaberg mill ruins from Maho or the next bay (the one facing Tortola).

Take in the view from Anaberg ruins with not a single boat on BVI side you can see (JVD, Tortola, Norman...). Did not see a single sailing BVI boat in an hour we've been there.

Coral bay is strange. I think they moved Lime out floating bar from were it was promised in the book. It's now right near the village. We opted for trip ashore instead. Dolphin market is a crowded little store with pretty good selection. BUT NO DINGHY DOCK. We just couldn't believe it. No dinghy dock. Like they didn't know about charter thing at all.... And then on top of that - they only have paper bags. Add those two facts together and you have a great chance of spilling your groceries all over the ocean frown Truly bizzare choices by shop owner.

We went to Skinny Legs for dinner. Burgers were great, but not much else on the menu.

The mooring/anchoring situation near the village is strange. Basically no moorings we could identify as available for us. We ended up on the moorings by the hurricane hole, with a healthy 20+ min ride from the village. With the waves. And paper grocery bags.

We went to St.Croix from Coral bay. Took us about 6 hours under sails, pretty calm seas, 15-18knts wind exactly from port side. Bali did 6 to 8 knts with some extensive trimming.

St. Croix is cool to visit. There is town made for tourists and mostly empty of tourists now. Boardwalk and town has many restaurants and bars. The Fort is closed. There is a marina with fuel, not sure about water. Marina is in bad shape, like Irma was ysterday. Or, and ship wrecks everywhere in the port.

We took a taxi and went to the Domino club, where you feed cans of beer to the pigs. Yes to the pigs, and you pay for it. And they have simple but great food - ribs and smoked pork. It was a great trip to the middle of the island. Which is much bigger than all other VIs. We went through Fredireksted on the way back, and I'm not sure why go there. It's like one street, not that great looking, and everything closed now, when cruise ships don't go there. It's not the same as St.THomas/little switzerland district at all.

We stayed two nights on St. Croix/Christiansted. And that's all it needs. I suspect one CAN sail around the island, just like around St.John. There are plenty of nice bays on the map. But I could not find any guides for charters, and decided to not risk it.

Sail back to St.John Lemishur bay was also 6 hours with wind on starboard side.

Lookup petroglyphs near Lemishur bay/Genti bay. They are from 900AC, and the spot and pond there is absolutely fabulous and worth the hike. There is also pretty cool ruins in Genti bay. But there is only two moorings there, and lots of coral. So you can stay in Lemishur bay and walk (pretty steep hike, not unlike high route in Cinquaterra in Italy), or dinghy into Genti bay, and from there it's easy walk.

Conclusion. It was a great trip, and all our crew glad we were pushed by circumstances to try this new route. BVI was great and comfortable and familiar, but with extra hustle of ferry, and fees, and controls, and usually need for hotel on STT the night of arrival... We will absolutely do BVI/USVI 50/50 now. As I'm sure most of the people who tried USVI this year.

BVI government really shoot their businesses in the foot with all the confusing rules, and treating tourists as convicts, and not being able to build a second testing station for the ferry, having about 8 month to do so.... I'm afraid to think how many businesses will go bust there.



Attached Files Spotted_eagle_ray.jpg
Last edited by CaptainVlad; 01/24/2021 02:16 AM.
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Re: Trip report - first time USVI, including St.Croix [Re: CaptainVlad] #245660
01/24/2021 03:15 AM
01/24/2021 03:15 AM
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 1,347
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LocalSailor Offline
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The restaurant owner at Compass Point is just following our Government rules -- masks unless seated at table - no parties larger than 6 - no standing/sitting at the bar. This allows us to have tourists and locals dining.
The dinghy dock in Coral Bay has been there a long time - I have a photo from 1917 with the same stone dinghy dock There are no public or NPS moorings in Coral Bay..
Our grocery stores have been banned from dispensing plastic bags for over 2 years. Most stores will follow that law. Bring reusable bags to go shopping.
There are no marinas on STJ.

Glad you were able to enjoy the USVI - Thanks for bringing the family - it is VERY different cruising here than BVI bar hopping. Because of the BVI closure the STJ NPS mooring situation is very overstressed. We have never had this kind of bareboat traffic to deal with -- hopefully it will settle down some if people do some research on visiting all of the USVI's and outlying Cays. STX has some of the best snorkeling/diving in the Caribbean - Fredericksted Pier is an awesome snorkel !!
I was surprised there were no snorkeling, swimming or water oriented comments in your report - did the kids have a good time??
There is also a CostUless store mid island STT and provisioning for 8 would be easier there. [No Bags at all! bring reusable ones.]

Eventually combining the USVI with a trip to the Spanish Virgins will become popular as the BVI fees continue to increase and charterers discover the peaceful cruising grounds west of the BVI.

Last edited by LocalSailor; 01/24/2021 03:16 AM.
Re: Trip report - first time USVI, including St.Croix [Re: CaptainVlad] #245663
01/24/2021 07:35 AM
01/24/2021 07:35 AM
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I'm glad you had a great trip. I wish you had received a better chart briefing. There is more than you can see or do in a week.

I copied this from one of my earlier responses.

Buck Island, St Thomas as a day stop. Turtle Cove and Shipwreck Cove.

Christmas Cove, Great St James A great place to spend the night, snorkel the cay in the middle of the harbor, and share a Pizza from Pizza Pi with your crew.

Cruz Bay, St John Moor your boat at Lind Point or off of Caneel Bay on a national park mooring. Dinghy into town to see the attractions. Dinning and Limin for every budget. Shopping from trinkets to T-shirts, Jewelry, and provisions. Everything in one funky little town.

St John National Park The interactive Marine Resources guide. (Google this map) This has it all the mooring fields, snorkeling spots, pretty much anything you want to know about the Park.

Hawksnest Beach, St John Named for the Hawksnest Turtles that call this home. A white sandy slice of heaven. We could tell you about Mermaid’s Seat but it is a secret.

Trunk Bay, St John One of the most photographed beaches on the planet. It really is that pretty. Check out the snorkel trail around Trunk Bay Cay.

Trunk Bay with the Underwater Trail is a great place for beginners and anyone who wants to learn about marine life by reading the plaques along the trail. The trail follows the west side of Trunk Bay Cay for about 300 feet before making a U-turn back to the beach. The coral and fish are well represented here. The reef continues beyond to the cay's northern tip, however do not venture past where you are in view of the lifeguards. The farther out you go, the rougher the water is.

Cinnamon Bay, St John Hang out with the rich and famous as well as the turles and Conch. Spectacular water views, snorkeling and views of some of the most incredible Vacation Villas in the Caribbean.

Francis Bay Beach and Maho Bay Beach This is a two for one deal. Two great beaches in one great anchorage. This spot pretty much comes with a turtle viewing guarantee.

Maho Crossroads In their own words. “A minimum footprint pop-up village at Maho Beach in St. John, USVI. Enjoy the Paddle-In Tiki Bar, Love Maho Beach Boutique, and Terrapin Beach Club.”

Leinster Bay and Waterlemon Cay Did we mention snorkeling? This spot can keep your whole crew in the water for hours. You can snorkel around Waterlemon Cay, Snorkle the reef along the shore or dinghy into the shallows in the mangrove area and look for juvenile fish. There are more starfish here than any other place we have ever been.

Coral Bay, St John The little village time forgot. Don’t come here looking for commercialized attractions it is not that kind of town. You can find art, food, and drinks. A dive shop and a floating Taco Bar. It is that kind of town.

Lime Out, Coral Bay Speaking of floating Taco Bars, because who doesn’t want to go to a swim up Taco Bar with Rum Drinks? This one speaks for itself.

Hurricane Hole, Coral Bay St John Made up of several day mooring areas in the National Park, this is a great place to spend the afternoon. Swim and snorkel along the mangroves on shore to see countless juvenile fish and sea life.

Salt Pond, St John This one is a secret so do not tell anyone. There are a limited number of moorings surrounded by unlimited beauty.

Rams Head Trail, Salt Pond, St John This hiking trail runs from the beach at Salt Pond to the top of Rams Head. Pack some water and comfortable shoes. The views are spectacular.

Great and Little Lameshur Bays Quiet coves, snorkeling oh and did we mention stargazing? With almost no light noise from shore due to the remote location in the park this is like taking a walk around the milky way. Make sure to put a stargazing app on your phone or tablet. It is good for hours of fun.

Reef Bay, St John Limited to two moorings this is an advanced hike.
“By Ken Wild
Within the deep interior of the Reef Bay valley rests one of St. John’s most important clues to a lost culture from the island’s past, the petroglyphs. This captivating place is located at the base of the valley’s highest waterfall, surrounded by the island’s lush tropical vegetation. Here, mysterious faces are found carved into the fall’s blue basalt rock. A spring fed pool beneath reflects a 20-foot wide panorama of carvings year-round with other petroglyphs visible nearby. For those who may be unfamiliar with the term petroglyph, the term petroglyph refers to rock art carvings whereas pictographs are rock art paintings.

Red Hook, St Thomas Does your crew want to spend a little time in town? In Red Hook you can either anchor out or get a slip in the Marina for the night. Either way there are a dozen or so Bars and Restaurants. Some diverse shopping opportunities and even a Grocery Store.

Magens Bay, St Thomas Take a nice down wind sail around the north shore of St Thomas. You will get to view lots of small cays like Hans Lolick on the north side on your way to Magen’s. This is a truely magical spot with a large crescent beach located between two peninsulas. Anchor in the middle or closer to shore. The pelicans are sure to put on a show.

Way Out West, St Thomas As you leave Magens you can continue on your down wind sail around the west end of St Thomas. Once you have cleared the west end it is back up towards the anchorages west of Charlotte Amalia.

Brewers Bay, St Thomas The first of the western anchorages. This anchorage is tucked in by the University of the Virgin Islands. It features a large sand beach and a very protected area for swimming.

Linbergh Bay, St Thomas Next up is another large sand beach. The hotel located onshore has a small beach bar and restaurant. This bay is home to lots of turtles and conchs.

Druif Bay, Water Island Home of Honeymoon Beach, a great spot to waste a day snorkeling and swimming with the turtles and rays. Lime away the afternoon at a beach bar. Then have sundowners watching, wait for it the spectacular sunset to the west.

Re: Trip report - first time USVI, including St.Croix [Re: LocalSailor] #245683
01/24/2021 11:29 AM
01/24/2021 11:29 AM
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CaptainVlad Offline OP
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CaptainVlad  Offline OP
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Originally Posted by LocalSailor
The restaurant owner at Compass Point is just following our Government rules -- masks unless seated at table - no parties larger than 6 - no standing/sitting at the bar. This allows us to have tourists and locals dining.
The dinghy dock in Coral Bay has been there a long time - I have a photo from 1917 with the same stone dinghy dock There are no public or NPS moorings in Coral Bay..
Our grocery stores have been banned from dispensing plastic bags for over 2 years. Most stores will follow that law. Bring reusable bags to go shopping.
There are no marinas on STJ.

Glad you were able to enjoy the USVI - Thanks for bringing the family - it is VERY different cruising here than BVI bar hopping. Because of the BVI closure the STJ NPS mooring situation is very overstressed. We have never had this kind of bareboat traffic to deal with -- hopefully it will settle down some if people do some research on visiting all of the USVI's and outlying Cays. STX has some of the best snorkeling/diving in the Caribbean - Fredericksted Pier is an awesome snorkel !!
I was surprised there were no snorkeling, swimming or water oriented comments in your report - did the kids have a good time??
There is also a CostUless store mid island STT and provisioning for 8 would be easier there. [No Bags at all! bring reusable ones.]

Eventually combining the USVI with a trip to the Spanish Virgins will become popular as the BVI fees continue to increase and charterers discover the peaceful cruising grounds west of the BVI.


The thing is - we never actually went to BVI for bar hopping thing. Enjoy Anegada and Soggy Dollar bars, but mostly pick quitter bays to stay. And cook a lot on a boat. So I guess that's why USVI felt great on the first try!

I didn't mention snorkeling because it kinds goes without saying that snorkeling is great everywhere there. We snorkeled probably an hour every day and kids spend another two hours jumping from the boat roof non-stop... Water is so warm....

Traffic is pretty bad right now, but there is also plenty of anchoring grounds. We never felt rushed to fight for the ball. But eventually we just settled to sailing earlier in the day. It's not like you have to do 3-4 hour hops as in BVI...

As for Coral bay - if we knew about reusable bags - that would be great help. But nobody mentioned it anywhere. And once you spend 20+ min riding to the town - nobody was enthusiastic to go back for bags... There is a dinghy dock near Skinny Legs, but not by Dolphin, we didn't found one. We had to leave dinghy in shallow and stony water and tie it to the tree....

Last edited by CaptainVlad; 01/24/2021 01:43 PM.
Re: Trip report - first time USVI, including St.Croix [Re: CaptainJay] #245685
01/24/2021 11:32 AM
01/24/2021 11:32 AM
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CaptainVlad Offline OP
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Originally Posted by CaptainJay
I'm glad you had a great trip. I wish you had received a better chart briefing. There is more than you can see or do in a week.
I copied this from one of my earlier responses.
Buck Island, St Thomas as a day stop. Turtle Cove and...


We surely seen your posting and used it as a base for our plan. Even had it printed with us!

You probably can add that Lovango resort is now offering mooring for $35 and dining. Not sure about how good that mooring for the night stay. Looked pretty open to seas.

Re: Trip report - first time USVI, including St.Croix [Re: CaptainVlad] #245694
01/24/2021 12:51 PM
01/24/2021 12:51 PM
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MIDiver Offline
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Thanks for the informative recap. We've resigned ourselves to the mooring ball race on our STJ area charter next month....sigh......

That lovely marine creature you saw is the elusive spotted eagle ray. They, along with whale sharks, who don't frequent these waters, are my favorite snorkel and dive buddies. Something about those spots.. smile

Coral Bay has a large liveaboard community hence the absence of public moorings. Dolphin really hasn't had to support a charter industry so water access isn't a huge priority. We're always popping in there when we are land based up on Bordeaux Mountain.

I for one am hoping that all these DYC boats and others (darn it Moorings) eventually go back to their original "homes" so STJ can get back to relative peace and quiet but I know there is little chance of that happening at least anytime soon.

As for Lovango - we've got an overnight mooring reserved for next month with a backup plan in case the winds dictate a different overnight location. Still hoping we can make it work. Zozo's at Caneel is wonderful and we definitely WILL make that reservation work. smile

Re: Trip report - first time USVI, including St.Croix [Re: MIDiver] #245702
01/24/2021 01:49 PM
01/24/2021 01:49 PM
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CaptainVlad Offline OP
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Originally Posted by MIDiver

I for one am hoping that all these DYC boats and others (darn it Moorings) eventually go back to their original "homes" so STJ can get back to relative peace and quiet but I know there is little chance of that happening at least anytime soon.


I'm sure the situation will normalize as soon as covid thing is behind. I'm also sure it will never be back to (I assume) how quiet it was before. But c'mon, you guys had it for yourselves for too long. And honestly, even now, it was not as crowded as JVD /soggy dollar/foxies on any day of the week. I didn't really felt the crowd at all. Not like great bay on JVD where after all the balls taken, boat after boat anchor in between, 3 times exceeding the common sense capacity of the bay. Don't even start on drunken parties all night near Willy T...

Re: Trip report - first time USVI, including St.Croix [Re: MIDiver] #245703
01/24/2021 02:00 PM
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CaptainVlad Offline OP
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Originally Posted by MIDiver


As for Lovango - we've got an overnight mooring reserved for next month with a backup plan in case the winds dictate a different overnight location. Still hoping we can make it work. Zozo's at Caneel is wonderful and we definitely WILL make that reservation work. smile



If the dinghy is good and big and the seas are calm and the wind is below 15 (check Windfinder app) - I personally would get a mooring in Caneel and dinghy to Lovango for dinner. It's 1.5 miles at most. And Caneel was nice and calm. But I realize it's not everyone's cup of tea to dinghy home through that straight, at night, after dinner smile

Last edited by CaptainVlad; 01/24/2021 02:01 PM.
Re: Trip report - first time USVI, including St.Croix [Re: CaptainVlad] #245705
01/24/2021 02:05 PM
01/24/2021 02:05 PM
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Well Capt.V - thank goodness it isn't as crowded as JVD/Soggy/Foxy's as that would be a travesty. wink Maho Crossroads is bad enough - lol. When we sail the BVI we gravitate to quiet areas around North Sound, Anegada and Diamond Cay and Little Harbor while at JVD - I'm not a Foxy's or Willy T fan (blasphemy, I know!) White Bay is glorious in the morning and evening when the frat party gang is still sleeping - as I am sure it is now. We hightail it out when things get busy. I like quiet - probably one of the reasons STJ and the Grenadines hold great appeal for me.... Mayreau, Tobago Cays...heaven. Glad you had a great trip.

Re: Trip report - first time USVI, including St.Croix [Re: MIDiver] #245706
01/24/2021 02:10 PM
01/24/2021 02:10 PM
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Originally Posted by MIDiver
Thanks for the informative recap. We've resigned ourselves to the mooring ball race on our STJ area charter next month....sigh......

That lovely marine creature you saw is the elusive spotted eagle ray. They, along with whale sharks, who don't frequent these waters, are my favorite snorkel and dive buddies. Something about those spots.. smile

Coral Bay has a large liveaboard community hence the absence of public moorings. Dolphin really hasn't had to support a charter industry so water access isn't a huge priority. We're always popping in there when we are land based up on Bordeaux Mountain.

I for one am hoping that all these DYC boats and others (darn it Moorings) eventually go back to their original "homes" so STJ can get back to relative peace and quiet but I know there is little chance of that happening at least anytime soon.

As for Lovango - we've got an overnight mooring reserved for next month with a backup plan in case the winds dictate a different overnight location. Still hoping we can make it work. Zozo's at Caneel is wonderful and we definitely WILL make that reservation work. smile


The Spotted Eagle rays are very common throughout the Caribbean you’ll see them jump out of the water in most anchorages, the Manta rays very rarely come close to shore.

Re: Trip report - first time USVI, including St.Croix [Re: sail445] #245707
01/24/2021 02:15 PM
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Yes eagle rays are common but unlike Southern stingrays they like to hide when you are trying to find them and dart off quickly. Did manage to see quite a few around STJ this past July. Had some great encounters with mantas off of Isla Holbox and Isla Mujeres and of course the Big Island of Hawaii. They are amazing, especially when leaping.

Re: Trip report - first time USVI, including St.Croix [Re: MIDiver] #245730
01/24/2021 07:02 PM
01/24/2021 07:02 PM
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Originally Posted by MIDiver
Yes eagle rays are common but unlike Southern stingrays they like to hide when you are trying to find them and dart off quickly. Did manage to see quite a few around STJ this past July. Had some great encounters with mantas off of Isla Holbox and Isla Mujeres and of course the Big Island of Hawaii. They are amazing, especially when leaping.

You’ll find the Eagle rays around the Vi and PR tend to approach you and try to rub up against you almost like pets. But then its not a hunted species like it might be in other areas where they are caught for food.

Re: Trip report - first time USVI, including St.Croix [Re: CaptainVlad] #245829
01/26/2021 09:22 AM
01/26/2021 09:22 AM
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That lovely marine creature you saw is the elusive spotted eagle ray. They, along with whale sharks, who don't frequent these waters, are my favorite snorkel and dive buddies. Something about those spots.. smile

Had a pair swimming roundmy dock yesterday evening,lovely to watch ,first time I have seen a pair together

Re: Trip report - first time USVI, including St.Croix [Re: sleepychef] #245847
01/26/2021 01:25 PM
01/26/2021 01:25 PM
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Sleepychef - seeing that pair together by your dock would be wonderul - I have never seen more than one at a time in USVI/BVI/PR, unlike on Grand Cayman where, in summer, I have seen them traveling in groups of 3-5 on the North Wall.

Last edited by MIDiver; 01/26/2021 01:25 PM. Reason: clarify
Re: Trip report - first time USVI, including St.Croix [Re: CaptainVlad] #257772
06/10/2021 09:15 AM
06/10/2021 09:15 AM
Joined: Jun 2021
Posts: 6
Rincon, PR
A
AustinRincon Offline
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AustinRincon  Offline
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A
Joined: Jun 2021
Posts: 6
Rincon, PR
We are also chartering with Dream YC, in July. I have gotten nowhere via email trying to get a larger dinghy / outboard. Currently stuck with a 3.1m w/ 5.5hp. What were you able to upgrade to?

Re: Trip report - first time USVI, including St.Croix [Re: CaptainVlad] #257790
06/10/2021 12:48 PM
06/10/2021 12:48 PM
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 1,951
St. John, USVI
RickG Offline
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RickG  Offline
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Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 1,951
St. John, USVI
We saw five eagle rays swimming together in Druif Bay, Water Island a week ago. Perhaps love is in the water?

Cheers, RickG


S/V Echoes, 2003 Beneteau 423
Grenada
Re: Trip report - first time USVI, including St.Croix [Re: CaptainVlad] #257821
06/10/2021 06:27 PM
06/10/2021 06:27 PM
Joined: Mar 2019
Posts: 79
Charlotte, NC
T
TC42 Offline
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TC42  Offline
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Joined: Mar 2019
Posts: 79
Charlotte, NC
AustinRincon - we chartered with DYC in April. No issues with them, but our dink also was way under powered and we had a 9.8hp. I attempted to upgrade to a larger one prior to arriving and they simply didn't have any to offer. I don't think I will ever charter a boat with such a small engine. It was a challenge for us. Good luck.

Re: Trip report - first time USVI, including St.Croix [Re: CaptainVlad] #257916
06/11/2021 10:53 AM
06/11/2021 10:53 AM
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 6,994
GA/NC
GeorgeC1 Online content
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GeorgeC1  Online Content
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Posts: 6,994
GA/NC
I think DYC like most charter companies requires the owner to provide a dinghy. Switching them out for one off another boat does happen but shouldn’t in that situation. The owner who spends the money for a upgraded dinghy does not want it constantly swapped to other boats getting wear that he gets zero compensation for. There may be other issues like davit capabilities that come into play.

Last edited by GeorgeC1; 06/11/2021 10:54 AM.
Re: Trip report - first time USVI, including St.Croix [Re: CaptainVlad] #258068
06/12/2021 05:19 PM
06/12/2021 05:19 PM
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 850
C
Cleobeach Offline
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Cleobeach  Offline
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Joined: May 2008
Posts: 850
There are two parties trying to bring a marina to Coral Bay and a group of property owners and many visitors are fighting it tooth and nail.

Re: Trip report - first time USVI, including St.Croix [Re: Cleobeach] #258076
06/12/2021 07:08 PM
06/12/2021 07:08 PM
Joined: Jun 2020
Posts: 1,131
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MIDiver Offline
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MIDiver  Offline
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Joined: Jun 2020
Posts: 1,131
Cleo - I have been following this. Would absolutely change Coral Bay forever. DYC is problematic at best. If they are part of this it would be very sad indeed.


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