USVI-On-Line

Thanks everyone for the info
I think we will try Calypso 1st as we have used a dinghy before, but if they dont think we have had enough experiance at least I know we have another option
Nikki

Hey good people , my family and I are going to St. John Aug. 16th and 18th. We want to rent a dingy but was wondering how long does it take to get to waterlemon bay? Do they give you a map and is it easy to read (will I know where I'm at )? Does it show you where Johnsons reef is located, I hear that it is a good place to snorkel.One last question, Is it worth while to go past Waterlemon bay in search of good snorkeling.

P.s. Where is the best place to see Turtles, Rays and Sharks ? Thanks

Im guessing about 30-45 minutes to get to Waterlemon if you dont stop along the way. We did stop so Im not positive. Calypso does give you a map which is easy to read. We stopped at Francis and thought it was Maho... There were 3 snorkelers in our group and everyone thought Waterlemon was the best. They saw turtles, starfish, rays, sea urchins, barracuda and various other fish, but no sharks.

We have seen a nurse shark at Waterlemon before.

Turtles...Francis and Waterlemon are both good places...just look in the grassy areas. Maho is good as well.

We have seen eagle rays at Maho and Waterlemon and regular sting rays at all of them.

Thanks a lot for the info... It seems Calypso and Noahs are the only place that rent dingys on St. John and what I have read Noahs is cheaper but has a smaller engine then the calypso. If that is true, I'm going w/ Calypso. Two weeks and counting!! Can't wait !

My husband saw some sort of shark that was black on top, definitely not a nurse shark, when we snorkeled Waterlemon in June. It scared the pants off him. I missed it, even though I was close by!

Rebecca in No. VA

That may of been a reef shark. They are totally harmless as long as you are not in the water w/them

Heck, I just wanted to tell you that if you rent from Noah's, you can't go past Waterlemon, and you probably wouldn't want to either. It's just far enough and if it's a chopping, bounce-around day in that dinghy, Waterlemon will be far enough.

heckstar wrote:Hey good people , my family and I are going to St. John Aug. 16th and 18th. We want to rent a dingy but was wondering how long does it take to get to waterlemon bay? Do they give you a map and is it easy to read (will I know where I'm at )? Does it show you where Johnsons reef is located, I hear that it is a good place to snorkel.One last question, Is it worth while to go past Waterlemon bay in search of good snorkeling.

P.s. Where is the best place to see Turtles, Rays and Sharks ? Thanks

Calypso will give you a map. We went to waterlemon first, then stopped at other beaches on the way back. Especially the ones that you can't get to easily from land. You do have to park at mooring balls and swim in though. You can drop off passengers at the beach, but someone has to swim in from quite a ways out. You cannot snorkel Johnsons reef from a dinghy. You have to stay away from that area. Calypso will not let you go beyond Waterlemon. I have no experience with Noahs. Hope this helps.

Thank you Connie and deejayjay for your helpful insight and info. I wonder why you can't take the dingy to Johnson reef, is the current to strong? If you know Deejayjay please let me know Thanks again, Heckstar

When we took noahs the only places we couldn't beach the boat was waterlemon and cannel all the rest they gave you a map where you can beach them

Interesting to know the difference in beaching regulations. Calypso led us to believe that the reason we had to use the bouys was that we weren't allowed on the beaches with our dinghys. Now I know that it was just calypso that didn't want us on the beaches with their dinghys. I'm sure there's other people on here who know more about Johnsons reef than me. I have been told that it is privately owned, and that its too rough. Don't know if either of these is true.

From what I have heard there isn't any place to anchor at Johnson because it is all coral on some calm days you will see some charter boats out there but they are follow in the snorkrlers arround.

Okay, looks like Johnsons reef is out. That's okay, pleanty of other places to snorkel. Thanks guys!