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Just got back from St. John
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Teddy Salad
- Posts: 205
- Joined: Thu Mar 08, 2007 7:05 am
- Location: Colorado
Just got back from St. John
We got back home last night after spending 9 nights in St. John and of course we had a great time. We stayed in a one-bedroom cottage in Fish Bay called Fishbone. This was our second trip to St. John. Our first trip was seven years ago. We went to celebrate our 15th wedding anniversary.
Highlights of our trip included snorkeling at Trunk Bay, Brown Bay, Ditleff, the Western side of Reef Bay, and Waterlemon. Another highlight: meeting Ruth of St. John Spice.
Hikes we took included the Reef Bay trail (down and back), Ram Head, and Cinnamon Bay trail.
We ate all our breakfasts at the cottage, along with some lunches and dinners. Lunches out were at Sun Dog, Skinny Legs, and Miss Lucy's (Sunday Brunch). We had dinner at Lime Inn, Stone Terrace and Uncle Joe's Barbecue twice.
A more detailed trip report will follow, but in the meantime feel free to post here or PM me with any questions. We found the locals to be friendly and helpful which made our trip even better.
Highlights of our trip included snorkeling at Trunk Bay, Brown Bay, Ditleff, the Western side of Reef Bay, and Waterlemon. Another highlight: meeting Ruth of St. John Spice.
Hikes we took included the Reef Bay trail (down and back), Ram Head, and Cinnamon Bay trail.
We ate all our breakfasts at the cottage, along with some lunches and dinners. Lunches out were at Sun Dog, Skinny Legs, and Miss Lucy's (Sunday Brunch). We had dinner at Lime Inn, Stone Terrace and Uncle Joe's Barbecue twice.
A more detailed trip report will follow, but in the meantime feel free to post here or PM me with any questions. We found the locals to be friendly and helpful which made our trip even better.
Hi, Thanks for sharing, glad to hear you enjoyed it! We are traveling from Colorado to St. John in a few weeks. How was the weather? Anything has to be better than the cold we have been having here in the mountains! Negative 4 this morning. 
Were the snorkeling conditions clear? How was your flight and ferry trip over to the island? We are flying all night, our flight leaves Denver at midnight the night before, and have one stop in Philly.
Were the snorkeling conditions clear? How was your flight and ferry trip over to the island? We are flying all night, our flight leaves Denver at midnight the night before, and have one stop in Philly.-
Teddy Salad
- Posts: 205
- Joined: Thu Mar 08, 2007 7:05 am
- Location: Colorado
Jayseadee - Fishbone was fine, nothing fancy but perfect for us. Great view and stargazing as advertised. Private and secluded, could hear the surf from Ditleff point. Would stay there again.
Carebare - The weather was great for the most part. Sunday the 6th we got quite a bit of rain from about 10 AM until 3 PM when it quit. A few light brief showers on other days. Mostly partly cloudy highs in the low 80's, lows in the low 70's. Snorkeling was great, water was clear and warm. Kind of wavy at Salomon on Saturday the 5th, but great every where else we went. Flights were fine (flew AA from Denver to Miami (8:40 AM flight) and Miami to STT, took the 10 PM ferry and got to the CB dock about 10:20 PM (7:20 PM our time) so no big deal. Trip back was a much longer day, but at least not overnight like yours (ouch).
Minnjim - Take the road past the Westin. You go up a steep hill or two. At the intersection of the 104 that goes north to Centerline road, go straight even though the sign says Dead End. A little ways past that there is a very steep switchback on a concrete road. Just past the sign for Klein Road there is a new stone gate on the right. Turn there and the road will take you onto Ditleff. At the bottom of the hill you will probably see a vehicle or 2 parked near some new steps going downhill to the right. Park there and take the steps. The snorkeling is best toward the left of the bay. You have to go a ways past the sand and seagrass where the coral starts. We saw lots of fish there of all kinds.
Carebare - The weather was great for the most part. Sunday the 6th we got quite a bit of rain from about 10 AM until 3 PM when it quit. A few light brief showers on other days. Mostly partly cloudy highs in the low 80's, lows in the low 70's. Snorkeling was great, water was clear and warm. Kind of wavy at Salomon on Saturday the 5th, but great every where else we went. Flights were fine (flew AA from Denver to Miami (8:40 AM flight) and Miami to STT, took the 10 PM ferry and got to the CB dock about 10:20 PM (7:20 PM our time) so no big deal. Trip back was a much longer day, but at least not overnight like yours (ouch).
Minnjim - Take the road past the Westin. You go up a steep hill or two. At the intersection of the 104 that goes north to Centerline road, go straight even though the sign says Dead End. A little ways past that there is a very steep switchback on a concrete road. Just past the sign for Klein Road there is a new stone gate on the right. Turn there and the road will take you onto Ditleff. At the bottom of the hill you will probably see a vehicle or 2 parked near some new steps going downhill to the right. Park there and take the steps. The snorkeling is best toward the left of the bay. You have to go a ways past the sand and seagrass where the coral starts. We saw lots of fish there of all kinds.
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Teddy Salad
- Posts: 205
- Joined: Thu Mar 08, 2007 7:05 am
- Location: Colorado
Minnjim - forgot to mention what Ditleff beach was like. It had gravel-sized rocks near the water and was sandy further back into the trees. It's not a huge beach, but it was never crowded any of the 3 times we were there. Any other people there are likely to be locals and there might be a dog or two.
I thought access to Ditleff was all blocked off, so we did not even try to go last year. I definitely want to get over there. John's being itching to snorkel at Ditleff ever since he read about the shark nursery being over there in Feet Fins and Four Wheel Drive.
It's like looking in your soup and finding a whole different alphabet.
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Teddy Salad
- Posts: 205
- Joined: Thu Mar 08, 2007 7:05 am
- Location: Colorado
Teddy Salad
Staying at Sea Cay villa this June just up the hill from Ditleff Point. How is the later afternoon sun there? Had plans on going snorkeling after a day at the north shore beaches with my son while my wife and daughters were getting ready for going out to eat.
Liamsaunt
Now I’ll have to read my copy of Feet Fins and four wheel drive before February vacation (skiing in NH where else). A shark nursery sounds like fun.
Staying at Sea Cay villa this June just up the hill from Ditleff Point. How is the later afternoon sun there? Had plans on going snorkeling after a day at the north shore beaches with my son while my wife and daughters were getting ready for going out to eat.
Liamsaunt
Now I’ll have to read my copy of Feet Fins and four wheel drive before February vacation (skiing in NH where else). A shark nursery sounds like fun.
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Teddy Salad
- Posts: 205
- Joined: Thu Mar 08, 2007 7:05 am
- Location: Colorado