USVI-On-Line

Hi all-
Jorge mentioned cold water in his last TR. How cold is cold? Our only previous visit to STJ was at the beginning of April (nine years ago) and the water seemed pretty nice then. We are headed back (yippee!!!!) in three weeks and I am wondering, do I need to bring shorty wetsuits for the boys (ages 5 & 2, one of them has one, we'd need to buy one for the other) - is it that cold? They have long sleeved rash guards - will that be enough? To all of you STJ veterans, this may sound like the stupidest question that has been posted. Sorry. But the last thing I want to happen is for the boys to whine all week that it's too cold to swim, since that's kinda our main activity for ten days. Thanks for any help...

Its warmer then Milacs is in the summer

Here Smiles, I took this from the USVI weather website. Although it doesn't say what the water temp is today it offers this:

Water temperatures in the Virgin Islands do not change greatly from summer to winter, however the 4 or 5 degree change is noticeable to those acclimated to consistently warm tropical weather. In the summer months the water temperature is about 83 degrees and in the winter about 79 degrees.

That's sure to feel like a warm bath in comparison to those icy Minnesota lake waters. I always bring the rashguards for the kids anyway because they are great for protecting their shoulders from the sun while splashing in the water or snorkling.

Well, what d'ya know... an advantage to being from the frigid north!

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Thanks, everyone. No worries, Jorge. If it feels cold to them, we'll just go with my husband's solution of picking them up and throwing them in. (And standing right there so they don't drown, of course. Don't go calling child protection...)

Smiles
I would think it would be the reverse. I live near the Jersey shore and in early summer when the water is still cool (65-70) my kids jump right in while I'm doing the tip toe thing. When you come from colder waters it always seem warm there, if not, throw them in we won't tell!
Scott

hey Traveler - we do the Jersey shore in mid-June and if the water temp hits the low 60s we're happy. Your choice of words in saying "cool" temps is quite generous!

I agree with you...St. John water temp in the high 70s looks mighty good right now!

Martini girl-
Yeah ,your right, but Smiles is even more north than us so I'm sure their water is even cooler(there's that word again). I guess I'll just have to tough it out next week!
Scott

Are water up hear is ice so I'd say its cooler

We live in the gulf coast area and I don't go in the water here! Yucky! It isn't cold though!

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