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Kiddle and Grootpan and Lots of Other Rambling
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greyhoundmom
- Posts: 978
- Joined: Mon Jul 30, 2007 3:06 pm
- Location: Columbia South Carolina
Kiddle and Grootpan and Lots of Other Rambling
Anyone done these two in the same day? They look interesting. We only have a week and have done a lot of the same beaches over the years. We want to do some that we've never done before. We have newbies and thinking about Francis/Maho/Glass Blowing one day but we want something new to us too. Dennis Bay got me in lots of trouble with S/O two years ago, so that's out! Miss Vie's would be new and a must, what would be good after Vie's? Thinking about 1/2 day at Brown Bay, any experience with Brown, looks like early morning hike, great ruins. I am dead set on my dog walking with the shelter and 9:00 church at Emmaus Moravian. We are in Coral Bay and by golly, I am milking the hell out of our week. Want to be up at 6:00, out of the house by 8:00 and sucking every hour out of our day....I'm a desperate woman on island for the first time in 2 years! Have I missed anything that our newbies need to do? We've crossed off the touristy things like Trunk and Cinnamon. We have a newbie who is an amazing photographer and we want to give her many cool photo opps. Any suggestions would be appreciated! 
Kiddle bay was awesome, but scary. Grootpan looked too scary for me to even try, but our villa manager said the is beautiful, straight out of National Geographic. They are next door to each other, so travel time between is minimal. I've heard its possible to snorkle from Kiddle into Grootpan, again, would be much to scary and deep for me. The deep dark water scares me. Both places are also very remote, which gave them a creepy quality to me.
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greyhoundmom
- Posts: 978
- Joined: Mon Jul 30, 2007 3:06 pm
- Location: Columbia South Carolina
Thanks for the input on Kiddle and Grootpan. S/O likes your advice as he doesn't do scary, deep, dark snorkles! He much prefers tame, shallow, aqua adventures! I remember Waterlemon one year where I snorkled halfway across and then veered left into the deep dark water before I realized where I was. That freaked me out! Sometimes I need a GPS while snorkeling!
I imagine this is already on your list, but don't miss Skinny Legs.
I've only been to STJ once, so still a newbie myself. I was avoiding Trunk because I thought it would be commerical and over crowded. The lady that owned the house where I was staying told me a visit to Trunk Bay was a must and I really should go. I did and I LOVED it. I went in the morning, planning to stay a few hours and then go somewhere else, but I couldn't make myself leave. So, I don't know that I'd be so quick to mark that off your list. Won't your newbies want to be able to say they visited Trunk and Cinnamon?
Maho is one of my favorite beaches. And is a short drive from Coral Bay.
I am also a photographer and I got some good sunset photos from Francis Bay and from the overlook on the North Shore Road above Cruz Bay. Also some great photos from Anaberg. There are great photos all over STJ, your photographer friend will be in heaven.
Wish I was going to be there, too! Have fun.
I've only been to STJ once, so still a newbie myself. I was avoiding Trunk because I thought it would be commerical and over crowded. The lady that owned the house where I was staying told me a visit to Trunk Bay was a must and I really should go. I did and I LOVED it. I went in the morning, planning to stay a few hours and then go somewhere else, but I couldn't make myself leave. So, I don't know that I'd be so quick to mark that off your list. Won't your newbies want to be able to say they visited Trunk and Cinnamon?
Maho is one of my favorite beaches. And is a short drive from Coral Bay.
I am also a photographer and I got some good sunset photos from Francis Bay and from the overlook on the North Shore Road above Cruz Bay. Also some great photos from Anaberg. There are great photos all over STJ, your photographer friend will be in heaven.
Wish I was going to be there, too! Have fun.
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greyhoundmom
- Posts: 978
- Joined: Mon Jul 30, 2007 3:06 pm
- Location: Columbia South Carolina
Donkey Diner breakfast is definitely on our list at least twice! Skinny's is always our first night dinner. The newbies are pretty much letting us plan the days. I'd certainly squeeze Trunk in if they wanted to do it but since this is our 5th trip we are trying to do more off the beaten path bays this time. Also want them to experience Tourist Trap, Shipwreck and Sweet Plaintains if still open end of July. Thanks for the suggestions!
I'm going to regret talking about this, but I am a big Brown's Bay fan and I think it reflects on why I love St John. You can make a morning of it or a whole day if you are so inclined.
The hike is a moderate up over the ridge then down. The beach is good sized and can accommodate several groups without bumping into each other. Sometimes you can be the only one. The beach has a long shallow entry before deepening. I would recommend entering only in the sandy areas when you can see the bottom. Urchins have moved into the grassy areas so you should be alert for them.
The snorkeling to the left is very good and shallow with a beautiful coral garden. Take your time and you will be rewarded. The current tends to run out to the point so pace yourself and remember that the swim back will be slightly more difficult than the swim out. There is snorkeling off to the right side in deeper water with slightly less coral.
The one draw back to Brown's is if the wind is up out of the east, it will take the waves straight on and it will not be that much fun. It is not protected like Maho and Francis. But the ruins are neat too.
The snorkeling out of Kittle is great, but as reported, it is deep. We snorkeled the right side of Grootpan and didn't see that much. We haven't tried the left side.
The hike is a moderate up over the ridge then down. The beach is good sized and can accommodate several groups without bumping into each other. Sometimes you can be the only one. The beach has a long shallow entry before deepening. I would recommend entering only in the sandy areas when you can see the bottom. Urchins have moved into the grassy areas so you should be alert for them.
The snorkeling to the left is very good and shallow with a beautiful coral garden. Take your time and you will be rewarded. The current tends to run out to the point so pace yourself and remember that the swim back will be slightly more difficult than the swim out. There is snorkeling off to the right side in deeper water with slightly less coral.
The one draw back to Brown's is if the wind is up out of the east, it will take the waves straight on and it will not be that much fun. It is not protected like Maho and Francis. But the ruins are neat too.
The snorkeling out of Kittle is great, but as reported, it is deep. We snorkeled the right side of Grootpan and didn't see that much. We haven't tried the left side.