usvi-on-line
Trip Report Feb 10-20
Trip Report Feb 10-20
Well Liamsaunt is a tough act to follow when posting a trip report but here goes.
Day 1 - finally arrived! Just me and my wife, flying on miles, direct United flight from Dulles. At the gate we were informed that the flight was overbooked and everyone in seating no. 4 would have to check their bags because there would be no room in the overheads. I argued with the agent to no avail, she said that on United that aisle seats were the 4th seating (we always get aisle seats across from each other) and she doubted that even people in seating 3 would be able to carry on their bags. I relented but seethed a little more when there was plenty of space for our 2 carryons.
Flight arrived early, we met Rachel and then went to claim our bags. Threw our bags in the car as Rachel said “if you hadn’t needed to check your bags, we could have made the 3:00 ferry”. Oh well, we are here, time to let it go, and listening to Rachel tell stories on the way to Red Hook, it was easy to do.
I wish I could describe the feeling I get when we approach the dock in Cruz Bay, an odd combination of excitement and complete peace, but I guess here I don’t need to.
Oscar, the greeter for the Grande Bay unit, met us at the dock and since he didn’t have to tell us where to find everything in town it left us free to discuss more esoteric subjects like, who has better barbecue, Uncle Joes or Candi’s. We had to agree to disagree.
The Grande Bay unit was a penthouse front row with a nice outdoor area, perfect for our 3 night Cruz Bay stay. We dropped off our bags and 2 minute walk to the Beach Bar for a few drinks, then on to Rhumb Lines for dinner, really good. Back to the villa for a nightcap and talk about our good fortune at being back in our happy place.
Day 2 - get smoothies from the smoothie stand on the northeast corner of the square, walked around town, then off to Low Key to buy new snorkel gear, great staff, great fit! We grab lunch at the beach bar and then hike to Salomon’s to try out our new gear. 10 minutes into the hike it starts raining and rains off and on for most of the next couple hours. First time to Salomons and I’d forgotten to do my homework about the best places to snorkel and missed the reef on the right side but I was so happy to be in the water in St John that I’d have been happy looking at my feet. Got back in town soon enough to see a great performance by the Love City Pan Dragons. Fabulous early dinner at Asolare, after dinner drinks at Quiet Mon, made some new friends. Great fun!
Day 3 - breakfast at Mojo cafe then St John car rental who were extremely nice and helpful as always and we were able to pick up our car that morning. Picked up sandwiches at Deli Grotto and off for a wonderful day at Hawksnest. Snorkeled, read, relaxed, great day! Drinks at Quiet Mon, great dinner at La Tapa.
Day 4 - leave Grande Bay, shopping at Dolphin market and Starfish and off to Coral Bay to meet Marc Miller for an early checkin at Villa Tiffany. Driveway is a little exciting, four wheel drive necessary but the payoff is well worth it, the villa is beautiful and the view is absolutely amazing! Feel free to pm me if you have questions about the villa. Great lunch at Shipwreck landing, drove all round the east end, drinks/dinner in. For the next week we follow a familiar fun routine, during and after dinner with a little rum, sitting on the veranda with Feet Fins and 4 wheel drive, we decide which beach we will visit the next day.
Day 5 - beautiful day, go to Francis Bay early, great snorkel, saw turtles, big schools of pompano (maybe called a different name in Caribbean) and 2 rays. Lunch at Aqua Bistro then back to Maho for the afternoon, saw some small barracuda, several flounder, another turtle. Dinner in.
Day 6 - another beautiful day, early trip to Waterlemon, we were the only people on the beach! Around 10 people started steadily arriving, we went for a snorkel, beautiful!, around noon when we got back the beach was packed solid, it looked like a cruise ship had landed. We went back to Shipwreck for another great lunch then afternoon/evening at the villa.
Day 7 - early trip to Salt Pond, a few other people there, found a great shady spot but spent most of our time snorkeling. Lots of squid, more sea urchins than I’ve ever seen, there was a small area that must have had 18-20, also lots very close to the beach. Also saw parrot fish, anglefish, tang, wonderful snorkel. Late lunch, lobster rolls at Tourist Trap, back for afternoon/evening at villa.
Day 8 - plan was to try Gibney but no place to park so went on to Hawksnest since we love it there. Huge swells, no snorkeling, got a lot of reading done, met Rosie, a local, had a great time talking with her. Lunch back in town at Ocean Grill, very good! Back to villa for evening to watch the full moon rising and find shapes in the clouds, doesn’t get much more relaxing.
Day 9 -villa day, sleep in, pool, hot tub, read, nap, out once again for a great lunch at Shipwreck, back to the villa in time to see a georgeous rainbow and then an early dinner at Sweet Plantains, very very good.
Day 10 - rainy day but decided to try Cinnamon, way too rough for snorkeling but stayed for a while till the heavy rains came then went back to Shipwreck for yet another great lunch. Back to villa to enjoy our last day in Paradise. . .
Day 11 - departure day, sigh, returned car, lunch at Deli Grotto, and then the ferry to Red Hook where Rachel met us. I will never use anyone but her in the future, such a wonderful, positive person.
Another wonderful trip to my favorite place in the world.
Day 1 - finally arrived! Just me and my wife, flying on miles, direct United flight from Dulles. At the gate we were informed that the flight was overbooked and everyone in seating no. 4 would have to check their bags because there would be no room in the overheads. I argued with the agent to no avail, she said that on United that aisle seats were the 4th seating (we always get aisle seats across from each other) and she doubted that even people in seating 3 would be able to carry on their bags. I relented but seethed a little more when there was plenty of space for our 2 carryons.
Flight arrived early, we met Rachel and then went to claim our bags. Threw our bags in the car as Rachel said “if you hadn’t needed to check your bags, we could have made the 3:00 ferry”. Oh well, we are here, time to let it go, and listening to Rachel tell stories on the way to Red Hook, it was easy to do.
I wish I could describe the feeling I get when we approach the dock in Cruz Bay, an odd combination of excitement and complete peace, but I guess here I don’t need to.
Oscar, the greeter for the Grande Bay unit, met us at the dock and since he didn’t have to tell us where to find everything in town it left us free to discuss more esoteric subjects like, who has better barbecue, Uncle Joes or Candi’s. We had to agree to disagree.
The Grande Bay unit was a penthouse front row with a nice outdoor area, perfect for our 3 night Cruz Bay stay. We dropped off our bags and 2 minute walk to the Beach Bar for a few drinks, then on to Rhumb Lines for dinner, really good. Back to the villa for a nightcap and talk about our good fortune at being back in our happy place.
Day 2 - get smoothies from the smoothie stand on the northeast corner of the square, walked around town, then off to Low Key to buy new snorkel gear, great staff, great fit! We grab lunch at the beach bar and then hike to Salomon’s to try out our new gear. 10 minutes into the hike it starts raining and rains off and on for most of the next couple hours. First time to Salomons and I’d forgotten to do my homework about the best places to snorkel and missed the reef on the right side but I was so happy to be in the water in St John that I’d have been happy looking at my feet. Got back in town soon enough to see a great performance by the Love City Pan Dragons. Fabulous early dinner at Asolare, after dinner drinks at Quiet Mon, made some new friends. Great fun!
Day 3 - breakfast at Mojo cafe then St John car rental who were extremely nice and helpful as always and we were able to pick up our car that morning. Picked up sandwiches at Deli Grotto and off for a wonderful day at Hawksnest. Snorkeled, read, relaxed, great day! Drinks at Quiet Mon, great dinner at La Tapa.
Day 4 - leave Grande Bay, shopping at Dolphin market and Starfish and off to Coral Bay to meet Marc Miller for an early checkin at Villa Tiffany. Driveway is a little exciting, four wheel drive necessary but the payoff is well worth it, the villa is beautiful and the view is absolutely amazing! Feel free to pm me if you have questions about the villa. Great lunch at Shipwreck landing, drove all round the east end, drinks/dinner in. For the next week we follow a familiar fun routine, during and after dinner with a little rum, sitting on the veranda with Feet Fins and 4 wheel drive, we decide which beach we will visit the next day.
Day 5 - beautiful day, go to Francis Bay early, great snorkel, saw turtles, big schools of pompano (maybe called a different name in Caribbean) and 2 rays. Lunch at Aqua Bistro then back to Maho for the afternoon, saw some small barracuda, several flounder, another turtle. Dinner in.
Day 6 - another beautiful day, early trip to Waterlemon, we were the only people on the beach! Around 10 people started steadily arriving, we went for a snorkel, beautiful!, around noon when we got back the beach was packed solid, it looked like a cruise ship had landed. We went back to Shipwreck for another great lunch then afternoon/evening at the villa.
Day 7 - early trip to Salt Pond, a few other people there, found a great shady spot but spent most of our time snorkeling. Lots of squid, more sea urchins than I’ve ever seen, there was a small area that must have had 18-20, also lots very close to the beach. Also saw parrot fish, anglefish, tang, wonderful snorkel. Late lunch, lobster rolls at Tourist Trap, back for afternoon/evening at villa.
Day 8 - plan was to try Gibney but no place to park so went on to Hawksnest since we love it there. Huge swells, no snorkeling, got a lot of reading done, met Rosie, a local, had a great time talking with her. Lunch back in town at Ocean Grill, very good! Back to villa for evening to watch the full moon rising and find shapes in the clouds, doesn’t get much more relaxing.
Day 9 -villa day, sleep in, pool, hot tub, read, nap, out once again for a great lunch at Shipwreck, back to the villa in time to see a georgeous rainbow and then an early dinner at Sweet Plantains, very very good.
Day 10 - rainy day but decided to try Cinnamon, way too rough for snorkeling but stayed for a while till the heavy rains came then went back to Shipwreck for yet another great lunch. Back to villa to enjoy our last day in Paradise. . .
Day 11 - departure day, sigh, returned car, lunch at Deli Grotto, and then the ferry to Red Hook where Rachel met us. I will never use anyone but her in the future, such a wonderful, positive person.
Another wonderful trip to my favorite place in the world.
You don't stop playing because you grow old; you grow old because you stop playing.
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cool breeze
- Posts: 275
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msgcolleen
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- Joined: Thu Oct 05, 2006 8:33 am
- Location: Allen, Texas
Wonderful report and pics! Glad you had such a good time! We are considering Grande Bay on our next trip and wondered which penthouse Grande Bay unit you stayed at? Booked through vrbo or direct with Grande Bay?
Looks like a nice view at the one you stayed at!
Looks like a nice view at the one you stayed at!
I've got 2 tickets to paradise~Pack your bags we'll leave tonight!
[url=http://www.TickerFactory.com/]
[url=http://www.TickerFactory.com/]
We booked through vrbo http://www.vrbo.com/276983Wonderful report and pics! Glad you had such a good time! We are considering Grande Bay on our next trip and wondered which penthouse Grande Bay unit you stayed at? Booked through vrbo or direct with Grande Bay?
Looks like a nice view at the one you stayed at!
They were very nice and easy to work with. Oscar the greeter is great.
Yes, it does have a very nice view and I liked the outside area.
You don't stop playing because you grow old; you grow old because you stop playing.
we are right behind you at Tiffany and can attest that the place is truly great--the view is unparalleled--and if you are a morning person, all the better--the same hummingbird has been visiting us--did you have the young donkey here? (my kids named him marvin, but when he was at the top of the driveway i really expected Juan Valdez to show up with some great coffee.........)
< leaving on the 22nd of march...but too lame to figure out the ticker thing again!>