USVI-On-Line

We want to do a full day trip to see the Baths and Jost Van Dyke.

Opinions on New Horizons II, Stormy Petrel and Bad Kitty (BK boat doesn't do it for me but will consider if they offer the best trip!)?

Thanks!

No opinions on those (I know...I'm helpful) but we did the Limnos trip a few years back. It was fun, but, if anything, a little too organized once you got to VG and The Baths. You didn't really have any time to do anything other than the Baths hike and a quick swim. The return stop at Norman Island, however, was really cool.

Thanks! Other suggestions are definitely welcome. That is my only concern with this type of trip...being rushed and not enough time at each stop.

Palm Tree Charters

www.palmtreecharters.com/

kristen1206 wrote:Thanks! Other suggestions are definitely welcome. That is my only concern with this type of trip...being rushed and not enough time at each stop.

Do you especially want to go on a charter that has a lot of people (party boat)? Or are there a lot of people in your group? If not, may I highly recommend Palm Tree Charters. Capt John will take you anywhere you want to go, and stay there as long as you like.

Just a suggestion.

-Bert

I've done a few.

Last time, Stormy Petral. I wasn't crazy about that boat and I thought it was slower then other ones that we were on.

Born to Rhumb. Nice boat, fast and Captain will let you bring your lunch on instead of stopping somewhere, wasting time and costing you at least $25.00 PP more.

New Horizons. I think that's a hit or miss. Sometimes those boats are packed. We were lucky enough that there were only on that day with 6.

I'd still pick Born to Rhumb. Nice Captain, nice boat, fast, good prices and your own food.

JMO

Thanks all. I will check into these. Our group is only 4 people so a private charter probably won't be cost effective.

I am a Capt John fan and in looking at some of the prices of the other charters, I don't see it as being outrageous at all.
For a little bit more, you get to go where where you want, when you want. So worth it for us.

If you have four people, a charter is similarly priced to one of the bigger boats. For example, New Horizons is $145/person, and there can be up to 18 people on the boat. Palm Tree is $525 for the day and you get the boat to yourselves. Gas will cost about another $150. I have done both and won't go back to the bigger boats. It's too rushed and too cramped.

My recommendation would be to skip the Baths and hit Norman Island, maybe Willy T and a few other nice spots the Captain will know before capping it off on Jost. IMO, the Baths are too far for what you get to see and do once there. You will use lots of time and gas getting there and back and it could be a rough ride depending on the conditions of the sea.

Have fun. Then again, how could you not have fun island hopping the BVIs?

Another option is to do a charter boat to VG and take the ferry to Jost on another day (roughly $65 pp).

That way you don't have to rush as much.

To be honest VG is an all day affair and if you include Jost it's usually only a stop for lunch.

So i'd say split it up.

We did BK last yr and the only problem I had with it was we felt rushed at each stop, kinda like Pip said alittle to organized. Barely anytime to spend at each stop..If it were me Id opt for one with less stops in one day.

Good point about splitting it into two trips!

kristen1206 wrote:Good point about splitting it into two trips!

If you take the ferry to VG one day and then take the ferry to JVD another day, you have lost 2 dyas on STJ. If you are there for 2 weeks, that might be ok, but I can not imagine being there for a week and leaving the island twice.

Another good point...

Guess I just need to find a fast boat!

If you all had to choose..would you pick Jost over the Baths? I would like to see the Baths but I really want to go to to Jost.