usvi-on-line
jvd day trip
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cajunjimbo
- Posts: 6
- Joined: Tue Dec 05, 2006 5:31 pm
- Location: Louisiana
jvd day trip
my wife and i are taking our first trip to st john may 1-6...we wanted to hit the bvi's one day. she's not a big snorkeler and doesn't drink and i like to do both in moderation so i'm trying to come up with something that'll make us both happy...after extensive research on this forum, i think we'll take the ferry across and spend the day on jvd as opposed to taking a boat trip to multiple stops that'll involve snorkeling that nicole won't particularly care to do...my reading about jvd has led me to these things as options(tell me what i'm missing)...foxy's(tamarind or taboo?), white bay/soggy dollar, bubbly pool...how about some suggested itineraries from you guys? any can't miss snorkeling where she can chill on the beach while i take a dip? otherwise i'll get all my snorkeling on st john and jvd will just be sightseeing type stuff... also, if i'm way off base on my thinking about jvd for a day trip, tell me what else you would suggest...private charter is to $ for our blood, so please keep that in mind.
thanks!
thanks!
I think you've hit the high points on JVD. There are other places at Great Harbor besides Foxy;s that you can check out as well as at White Bay.
One comment about taking the ferry to JVD. Nyestreet and Mrs. Nyestreet did that a couple of weeks ago and they had a hard time finding a taxi when they got off of the ferry. You may want to see if you can pre-arrange a taxi.
One comment about taking the ferry to JVD. Nyestreet and Mrs. Nyestreet did that a couple of weeks ago and they had a hard time finding a taxi when they got off of the ferry. You may want to see if you can pre-arrange a taxi.
...ron
Time to start working on convincing the wife that we have to go back soon!
Time to start working on convincing the wife that we have to go back soon!
We have done this trip twice by ferry. First of all, it only runs Fri-Sat-Sun from STJ, so take that into consideration when doing your planning. I would imagine you could get there other days but would have to get to Tortola first and coordinate from there. I've never looked into it. Check out vinow.com for the ferry schedules.
Both times when we went, there were plenty of taxis waiting when the ferry arrived. Look for one that has Perfect Pineapple on the side. It is Foxy's son Gregory Callwood and he has one fine ride. You should arrange for a pick up time so you can get back to the ferry. It leaves at 3:00 sharp or a few minutes earlier so don't be late. If you want to go to the Bubbly Pool and Foxy's Taboo, you have to get yourself to the east end of the island. I'm sure one of the taxi's would do that but it might be a little pricey. I've considered doing this but it is so hard to tear ones self from White Bay.
In regard to the Nyestreets, I was wondering if they went to Great Harbor to look around first maybe and then there were no taxis waiting? At any rate, if none around, just walk to Foxy's or any other establishment and I'm sure they could take care of it. BTW $5pp to White Bay from Great Harbor.
The ferry dock for JVD and other BVI's is across from the National Park building, not the STJ/STT dock. You will arrive on JVD between 9:15 and 10:00 depending on if you clear customs in West End Tortola or JVD.
Hopefully someone else can help you with the snorkeling question. Just keep in mind when making your choice of island that JVD is more of laid back, do very little kind of atmosphere.
Both times when we went, there were plenty of taxis waiting when the ferry arrived. Look for one that has Perfect Pineapple on the side. It is Foxy's son Gregory Callwood and he has one fine ride. You should arrange for a pick up time so you can get back to the ferry. It leaves at 3:00 sharp or a few minutes earlier so don't be late. If you want to go to the Bubbly Pool and Foxy's Taboo, you have to get yourself to the east end of the island. I'm sure one of the taxi's would do that but it might be a little pricey. I've considered doing this but it is so hard to tear ones self from White Bay.
In regard to the Nyestreets, I was wondering if they went to Great Harbor to look around first maybe and then there were no taxis waiting? At any rate, if none around, just walk to Foxy's or any other establishment and I'm sure they could take care of it. BTW $5pp to White Bay from Great Harbor.
The ferry dock for JVD and other BVI's is across from the National Park building, not the STJ/STT dock. You will arrive on JVD between 9:15 and 10:00 depending on if you clear customs in West End Tortola or JVD.
Hopefully someone else can help you with the snorkeling question. Just keep in mind when making your choice of island that JVD is more of laid back, do very little kind of atmosphere.
mia, Your welcome. Hope you enjoy your visit.
Nyestreet, Sorry to hear about your experience! We have always went directly to White Bay from the ferry dock as we heard not much goes on at Foxy's during the day. I have read on other forums that it can be difficult to get to the east side of the island, one of the reasons we didn't bother. I also thought it would "eat up" most of the day.
Nyestreet, Sorry to hear about your experience! We have always went directly to White Bay from the ferry dock as we heard not much goes on at Foxy's during the day. I have read on other forums that it can be difficult to get to the east side of the island, one of the reasons we didn't bother. I also thought it would "eat up" most of the day.
Wow, bummer. Just reinforces that I won't bother with Great Harbor next time. (No offense to Foxy and others). Our first trip by ferry, we stopped in West End and were there by 10:00, had four full hours, the second time we cleared on Jost and were there shortly after 9:00. With arranging for the taxi pick up, we had til 2:30. Quite a nice day. If you liked White Bay at all, maybe you can give it another chance. That said, Jost isn't for everyone. We had a really nice time and I was able to meet someone (Diane) from another forum that we had planned for months. We hated to leave that day. Met some friends on the ferry on the way that we would see a lot of that week too.nyestreet wrote:Yes we didnt get to jost til about 10 am, WH at noon, I was so worried about missing the ferry we left WH at 2PM., Luckily there was an endless supply of greenies.
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cajunjimbo
- Posts: 6
- Joined: Tue Dec 05, 2006 5:31 pm
- Location: Louisiana
so it looks like we'll be free from the ferry by 10 and should expect to be back at ferry dock for 2:30 to make sure and catch it for 3:00....that leaves 4.5 hours...is that time to do bubbly on east end and soggy dollar at white bay? anything else in between? if we can't do both, what would y'all recommend given my first post?
thanks!!
thanks!!
cajunjimbo,
I am going to throw this out to you and see if you are interested. We have chartered a boat with JVD Scuba for 3 May. Colin is coming from JVD with another couple to Cane Garden Bay on Tortola to pick us up. Take a look at his web site. It sounds like a very informative trip instead of just snorkeling It is not a booze trip. Arranged this with another poster from a different board. We have alread paid (about $500 with fuel) for an all day trip starting with our pick-up at 10AM. Would not mind sharing costs with others. Let me know if you are interested. SRT
I am going to throw this out to you and see if you are interested. We have chartered a boat with JVD Scuba for 3 May. Colin is coming from JVD with another couple to Cane Garden Bay on Tortola to pick us up. Take a look at his web site. It sounds like a very informative trip instead of just snorkeling It is not a booze trip. Arranged this with another poster from a different board. We have alread paid (about $500 with fuel) for an all day trip starting with our pick-up at 10AM. Would not mind sharing costs with others. Let me know if you are interested. SRT
we are planning to take the ferry over next trip (we said that last time too!) and here are some notes I cut and pasted from others who did this:
#1 Gotta make this quick as I am off to work. We have done a day trip to Jost twice by ferry. It is an economical way to get there and you will have a solid 5 hours to spend there. The ferry will drop you off in Great Harbor where Foxy's is. Not much going on there during the day. You can get a taxi to White Bay for $5pp each way. It takes about 5 minutes. I don't recommend walking, it is hilly! You will not need to rent a car. I recommend spending the day at White Bay and checking out The Soggy Dollar, Seddy's One Love and Ivan's. Soggy Dollar has good lunch food and Jewel's is supposed to have good burgers. You can arrange for your taxi to pick you up in time to catch the ferry. Leaves at 3:00pm. You will get there at approx 9:30-10:00, depending if you have to clear customs at West End Tortola or Jost. Have a great time! We are going back in June and will take the ferry again.
Poster 2 On our last trip we planned on taking the ferry over to Jost Van Dyke for the day, but the ferry leaves at 8:30 am and we just didn't feel like getting up (we are NOT morning people). So, on this trip we were determined to go to Jost and dragged our butts out of bed at 7:30 am to get ready to go. Walked down to the area where the car ferries used to dock, across from the Lumberyard, and $100 bucks later had our tickets. I'm curious to know why, when you go on one of those tour boats, like Limnos or something, the BVI customs charge is $20 cash, yet when you take the ferry over to the BVI the customs charge is only $5, and they put it on our credit card. Hmmmm, more tourist gouging, perhaps....anyway, I digress.... There were about 30 people hanging around waiting for the boat to Jost and another for Virgin Gorda. 8:30 came and went and no ferry boats. A nice boat captain did come around and tell us the name of the ferry because we had to fill that in on the BVI immigration and customs form. Finally, around 9 the Mona Queen pulled up and about 20 of us loaded on. I chose sides poorly and had to sit with the sun beating on me the whole way over. Luckily it was a short trip, about 30 minutes, and the water was quite smooth. Pulled into Great Harbour (I think that's what it's called) and had to wait on the boat until the 2 BVI customs ladies arrived at the little shack by the dock. By the time they stamped our passports (yes! I love getting stamps in my passport), 2 couples ahead of us had a cab waiting and asked if we wanted to share, they were heading over to White Bay. Sure! We piled into Bunn's Taxi and headed up the hill between Great Harbour and White Bay. Bunn stopped and let us get out for this shot:
The other couples in our taxi were Jost veterans, they were talking about the guy who owns One Love Beach bar there who had caught and cooked them a fish last time they were there. It amazes me that this little hardly inhabited island has such devotees, but we have room to talk, this is our 3rd visit, the first on our own (we've been on the big tour boats there before), we wanted to do our own thing. Anyway, Bunn drops us at Soggy Dollar and asks us what time he should pick us up. We figure 1:30, so we have time to go to Foxy's before the ferry at 3. Soggy Dollar is the perfect beach place. Free use of chairs and hammocks, libations, $10 beach barbeque lunch, nice, clean restrooms, and happy people all around.
We veg on the chairs and hammock, walk the beach, relax, swim in the blue water, admire all the boats (I wanna be a boat driver!), ate the best burgers and sides ever, buy some T-shirts, and basically just enjoyed our first day in paradise. The beach here is beautiful
Bunn picked us up at exactly 1:30 and dropped us at Foxy's
Once when we were there in the afternoon Foxy was there and he was telling stories and joking and came out and met our boat from his dock. This time Foxy was there, but strangely, he was just sitting in a chair off to the back of the establishment on the stage where the musicians were congregating. He didn't move or say a word, just very subdued, seemingly staring off into space. Limin perhaps? Mark thinks he was counting his money....
Aaannnnyway, had a few drinks, browsed the gift shop and decided to stroll down main street on our way back to the ferry dock:
Ferry came on time and soon we were back on St. John. At customs the guy asked us if we had any food. We said no and he asked what was in our cooler We replied, umm, wet bathing suits. He wasn't interested in checking that out....
#1 Gotta make this quick as I am off to work. We have done a day trip to Jost twice by ferry. It is an economical way to get there and you will have a solid 5 hours to spend there. The ferry will drop you off in Great Harbor where Foxy's is. Not much going on there during the day. You can get a taxi to White Bay for $5pp each way. It takes about 5 minutes. I don't recommend walking, it is hilly! You will not need to rent a car. I recommend spending the day at White Bay and checking out The Soggy Dollar, Seddy's One Love and Ivan's. Soggy Dollar has good lunch food and Jewel's is supposed to have good burgers. You can arrange for your taxi to pick you up in time to catch the ferry. Leaves at 3:00pm. You will get there at approx 9:30-10:00, depending if you have to clear customs at West End Tortola or Jost. Have a great time! We are going back in June and will take the ferry again.
Poster 2 On our last trip we planned on taking the ferry over to Jost Van Dyke for the day, but the ferry leaves at 8:30 am and we just didn't feel like getting up (we are NOT morning people). So, on this trip we were determined to go to Jost and dragged our butts out of bed at 7:30 am to get ready to go. Walked down to the area where the car ferries used to dock, across from the Lumberyard, and $100 bucks later had our tickets. I'm curious to know why, when you go on one of those tour boats, like Limnos or something, the BVI customs charge is $20 cash, yet when you take the ferry over to the BVI the customs charge is only $5, and they put it on our credit card. Hmmmm, more tourist gouging, perhaps....anyway, I digress.... There were about 30 people hanging around waiting for the boat to Jost and another for Virgin Gorda. 8:30 came and went and no ferry boats. A nice boat captain did come around and tell us the name of the ferry because we had to fill that in on the BVI immigration and customs form. Finally, around 9 the Mona Queen pulled up and about 20 of us loaded on. I chose sides poorly and had to sit with the sun beating on me the whole way over. Luckily it was a short trip, about 30 minutes, and the water was quite smooth. Pulled into Great Harbour (I think that's what it's called) and had to wait on the boat until the 2 BVI customs ladies arrived at the little shack by the dock. By the time they stamped our passports (yes! I love getting stamps in my passport), 2 couples ahead of us had a cab waiting and asked if we wanted to share, they were heading over to White Bay. Sure! We piled into Bunn's Taxi and headed up the hill between Great Harbour and White Bay. Bunn stopped and let us get out for this shot:
The other couples in our taxi were Jost veterans, they were talking about the guy who owns One Love Beach bar there who had caught and cooked them a fish last time they were there. It amazes me that this little hardly inhabited island has such devotees, but we have room to talk, this is our 3rd visit, the first on our own (we've been on the big tour boats there before), we wanted to do our own thing. Anyway, Bunn drops us at Soggy Dollar and asks us what time he should pick us up. We figure 1:30, so we have time to go to Foxy's before the ferry at 3. Soggy Dollar is the perfect beach place. Free use of chairs and hammocks, libations, $10 beach barbeque lunch, nice, clean restrooms, and happy people all around.
We veg on the chairs and hammock, walk the beach, relax, swim in the blue water, admire all the boats (I wanna be a boat driver!), ate the best burgers and sides ever, buy some T-shirts, and basically just enjoyed our first day in paradise. The beach here is beautiful
Bunn picked us up at exactly 1:30 and dropped us at Foxy's
Once when we were there in the afternoon Foxy was there and he was telling stories and joking and came out and met our boat from his dock. This time Foxy was there, but strangely, he was just sitting in a chair off to the back of the establishment on the stage where the musicians were congregating. He didn't move or say a word, just very subdued, seemingly staring off into space. Limin perhaps? Mark thinks he was counting his money....
Aaannnnyway, had a few drinks, browsed the gift shop and decided to stroll down main street on our way back to the ferry dock:
Ferry came on time and soon we were back on St. John. At customs the guy asked us if we had any food. We said no and he asked what was in our cooler We replied, umm, wet bathing suits. He wasn't interested in checking that out....
That is totally a non issue. Being new here, I was just surprised to read it. I'm glad that the info is useful. What are your dates for STJ? I think we are going to be there the same time. We will arrive Thanksgiving or the next day or so.mary beth wrote:brenda, I would have given you credit but I just cut and paste what is helpful for me and put it in a document - wasn't keeping track of who wrote what
Thanks for the info, again!