USVI-On-Line

Well I gotta tell you up front...if you are looking for a day to day run from beach to beach trip report...this report is not for you..(Infact Ive debated whether to even write one)..But For the 1st time we didnt do any of that...we didnt rush to get anywhere...we mainly sat our happy a**es on the beach...and totally relaxed and visited very few beaches...just did nothing.. Our travel day was without incident, once I made it thru security...seems the barrel clasps on my capris set off the detector at the airport..so yeah..I had a full body pat down...I had been looking so forward to going on this vacation..I could have cared less...All I wanted was just to get on the plane. Between work and all the little things that could go wrong, would. Bewteen getting the kids settled as to not getting all my time off I had asked for...all I knew was..It was my 50th Birthday and I was ready to GO !!! Our flight was on time..and we had no delays at all..I dont know...maybe Im just lucky in that aspect...but I see so many people reporting about delays and cancellations..and date changes...We have flown Spirit for the last 4 trips...and knock on wood...we've always been on time...we may not be so lucky next time...but this time..we made it as scheduled...I had booked the flight down when airmiles opened up back in November...I got tickets for us both including a checked bag for 38.00. I had more in parking at the airport than in the tickets themselves...Kinda makes it hard not to go with prices like that..


Once we arrived..we walked over to JJ's Texas Coast...we love that place and go at least once while we are there..I walked over to Bayside Market picked up and few supplies and we got a taxi to Cinnamon Bay...we had reserved cottage 10-D for our next 8 days there...I gotta tell you..the location could only be beat by Gibney...absolutely wonderful...we had planned on getting a jeep later in the week...we didnt get a jeep right away because we wanted to do "nothing" for a few days and just relax.

Day 1. I had been looking at the reef thats on the Amarosa webcam...and wondered how the snorkeling over there would esp with all the houses on the hill...so we decided to check that out and some of our neighbors in 10-C had never seen the plane, so headed over in that direction..we snorkeled around the point that you see on the Amarosa cam all the way to Windswept beach...and I gotta say there was some of largest coral I have ever seen on around that point...the water was somewhat rough but we did manage to get to the shore after being just about knocked off the rocks getting to the beach at Windswept. We rested there for a bit and then walked over the other side of the beach nearest Trunk Bay.. We always go to Windswept from Trunk ..but this time we went to Trunk...we decided we would go over there...snorkel a bit..maybe grab some lunch and then get a taxi back...but of course it was crowded...so we didnt snorkel...we did grab a quick bite to eat..the only problem was...we didnt have any shoes..which meant we would have to walk all the way back to cottage 10 barefooted from the taxi drop off...NOT...so we ended up buying flipflops at the gift shop to wear back..to the tune of about 35.00 for about 2 dollar flipflops...YIKES !!!! Oh well...it was a great snorkel..and its only money...hubby says...do not worry...we will make more...lol

Day 2...You guessed it...we sat in chairs and snorkeled from Cinnamon Bay off and on all day...(mostly sat in chairs)

Day 3...We decided to head over to Maho Campground and check out the glass blowing....well they werent blowing any glass when we were there...but it was nice to go and visit as we had never been to the campgorund part...we went to the beach from there...LOTS of steps...up and down...we had a good snorkel and then shopped in the store..( they are less expensive than CBay store) and taxied back...to do just what we came for...to sit in our chairs...

Day 4...You guessed it...sat in our chairs...watched the boats...people...read...just relaxed...did nothing...although we did snorkel some on the lower end of Cbay.
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Day 5..You guessed it...sat in our chairs...watched the boats...people and read...snorkeled out to the Cay...

Day 6... This was Beach Bar Day...so we headed into town after doing what we had done all week...sitting in our chairs...watching the boats...people and read...our neighbors in 10-B had checked out..so we had knew ones moving in from a cottage 8 .. I thought to myself when I saw her...You look familiar...but didnt think much about it...as we were leaving she stopped to chat again...and she said they come there every year...Im not sure what she thought when I asked her if she was from Ohio and did she teach school and she said yes..but they were there last yr when we were and we had given them a ride into the town, they had been hitchiking...thats where I remember her from...small world...we headed on into Cruz Bay and had some dinner at JJ's again..then on over to the Beach bar...where we met several peeps from the Forum...Augie..ERL..Captn Brandi and Sue...Rhonda and her hubby...along with Deb and Jay Pennington...had a wonderful time meeting everyone..If you get chance to meet others at the Beach Bar please do...It such fun to put faces with names..we had a few drinks and then headed back to C Bay for the night

Day 7..You guessed it...sat in our chairs...watched the boats people and read...Oh we did swim all the way around the Cay this day...

Day 8..We decided to go to Gibney...last time we snorkeled out to the "private" beach but didnt have the camera...We ended up getting a taxi to Gibney since we had never made it to get that jeep. He ended up dropping us at Hawksnest so we decided to swim for it...let me tell you..its a long swim to the private beach from Hawksnest...although we swam along the shore and around..I think we were swimming against the current...we made it...finally...took a few pics and then went on out to the point..swam back...dripped and caught a taxi back to Cinnamon bay...

Then it was time to pack up and get ready to head back home...boo hoo.

We enjoyed a few meals at the Tree Lizard..as well as grilled out at the cottage and I even cooked a few times...We wanted a relaxing trip and we got it..no rushing to get anywhere...no where to be...just doing nothing was perfect...we never got the jeep...and all in all I think we came out better off...it would have probably just sat in the parking lot most of the time we were there...and Im sure we spent less than a 100.00 bucks on taxis the whole time we were there...

Departure day: Got up...got checked out...turned our chairs back in..kinda like loosing a best friend..
Had breakfast in town and did a bit of shopping, saw Ruth. I went to Connections to print our boarding passes…was given the option to cancel…boy did I think about it…but instead we boarded the ferry and was at Red Hook way too soon…got our taxi and headed to the airport..Upon getting checked in..our bag was over weight…don’t ya hate when that happens...?? We moved stuff and shoved stuff in our back packs til we were where we should be…and off to Security…Customs….and…about 30 minutes later…and we’re done..we get thru security and I start to search for my phone so I can see what time it is…and…no phone…seems it fell out of my pocket in the taxi…so we go back out…(per the security guard) and find the taxi stand…one of the guys was nice enough to get the number for the East End Taxi company and call for me…Out of all our trips I did not know there was 2 taxi companies…and of course…we had picked the wrong one…finally at 3:10 one driver gets intouch with the driver of our taxi…and hes trying to find somewhere to pull over so he can look to see if my phone is in the back…but we cant wait…we have to go…we are boarding at 3:30 and we have to go back thru security…we had notified the Customs agent and she waved us on thru…we made it with a few minutes to spare…when we get into Ft Lauderdale I call the cab driver ( he had given me his card) and he said the guy had found a phone..but had went on home…and he would take care of it the next day…after a cpl days of calling…I did infact find out that it was my phone and had to arrange for someone to get it and send it to me…Im happy to say it was Deb Pennington that got it back to me…She went out of her way to go get it and mail it to me…I am very grateful to her...I now have my phone with all my crap on it…TY Deb !!!

We had a great time.... it was different…just hanging out and no really doing anything…just limin at the cottage…It was nice to have a relaxing trip…no where to go..no rushing from here to there…just being lazy !!!! Til next time....

I will post pics later on...for those that have us on FB...some of the pics are already there...

Sounds really nice and relaxing. You all are quite the marathon snorkelers. We discovered Cinn Beach for our first time on our trip in May. We didn't realize it was so beautiful. Had a really nice snorkel out at the Cay too. Thanks for sharing your trip.

Nice report - especially the relaxing in the chair part.
Yes, Deb is one of the best VI folks!

Now that's my kind of trip! Total relaxation~
Did you say $38 for your flight? Whoa! I would go once a month at that rate! Cinnamon Bay cottage, especially 10-D is on my bucket list. . . your right that nothing could be better except Gibney Beach Cottage but I'm not shelling out that kind of $$$$! Do you have to book 10-D way in advance? I would love to go in the winter! Thanks for the sweet limin report

Nice trip report!There's nothing wrong w/ just hanging out on the beach for day's on end.Sometime's we just need that!I hope you can post pics of your views from the cottage,and thank's again for the report.

Msgcolleen...Yes the tickets down were 10.00 plus 28.00 for a checked bag...we used airmiles to get there and I think we paid about 380.00 for us both to get back..Im not sure how afar ahead you have to reserve them...we made our reservations in January for June...and as I said...they are nothing fancy...but the location is hard to beat...

Parafins...I will post pics...just have been super busy...but there are some on Facebook if you are on there..

PS...we loved our "lazy" vacation..

We stay in a tent at CBC every March. I had no idea you could snorkel all the way to Trunk Bay. Would you hazard a guess as to how much time you spent in the water? Would you consider swimming back to CBC from Trunk or is it likely you'd be against the current? Glad you got your phone back..

nuendelcapecod wrote:We stay in a tent at CBC every March. I had no idea you could snorkel all the way to Trunk Bay. Would you hazard a guess as to how much time you spent in the water? Would you consider swimming back to CBC from Trunk or is it likely you'd be against the current? Glad you got your phone back..

I think we were in the water for at least an hr.
(Im guessing on that maybe longer) and there are lots of rocks and the reef is really shallow as you get out of the water to Windswept..You have to becareful where to exit..The water was really rough when we were there..and we had a hard time trying to get on our feet...we then rested...and walked to the far side of the beach nearest Trunk..I think you could go around Windswept..but I dont like being that far out..Also had we not already been to Windswept..(via Trunk)I dont think I would have tried it from C Bay. The first time we tried it over there from Trunk we didnt make it..we went back to Trunk..we had looked at it on Google Earth and saw where there was a opening between the rocks to get to Windswept..but we couldnt find it..Second try and next trip...we made it..we just hadnt gone far enough out.as I said..I dont like being too far out...I've never even gone all the way around Trunk Cay or Waterlemon..Im just chicken like that...you could make it coming back..but I think I would just snorkel and come back..I think getting in the water would be a tricky as getting out at windswept...Im glad we did it..and I would snorkel the reef by Peter Bay again...but it was tough getting into Windswept from Cinnamon...but the snorkel is great...

$38.00???? What airport...we are missing St. John so much but the prices from Charlotte are keeping us away.

Sounds like a great trip. I love those days of doing nothing!

Myrtle Beach...we used airmiles with Spirit..we have their Mastercard and use it for most of our monthly household expenses...not to mention they gave us a good chunk of miles when we signed up for it..last yr we flew both ways for 20.00 + our checked bag fee..I dont buy seats and always get a fairly decent seat and have always gotten to sit with hubby...we've never been seated apart..Cottage 10 was 105.00 a night...115.00 with tax..that alone made the trip very affordable..alot of peeps dont like Spirit.. but as I said..I personally have had on time flights and no problems...and for 38.00...I couldnt complain too much if the flight was late..

View from Cottage 10-D

Cinnamon Bay early in the AM.



They were working hard to get into that bag



Cinnamon Bay in the evening

I had no idea we could get this close

Chomp Chomp:

10-D from the water