USVI-On-Line

I am looking forward to a return trip to STJ in February with DH and 5 year old son. This will be our first "winter" trip to STJ as we normally visit in May/June. With a 5 year old, we spend alot of time in the evenings in the pool and I'm trying to decide if it's worth it to get a villa with a heated pool. I found two great villas for us at about the same price.

Villa #1: beautiful villa, desired location, spectacular views, very nicely decorated, no heated pool but pool gets full daytime sun.

Villa #2: decent villa, decent location, meets all our basic requirements, heated pool

Will we need a heated pool in February if we want to swim in the evenings?

It depends on your individual cold tolerance, and how highly you value a warm pool. If we turn the solar heating off, our pool drops to ~74 degrees F in February. Solar heat gets it up to ~80 F, still cooler than we would like, but a distinct improvement over an unheated pool. The bays don't drop as much as pools do, and are more like 79 F at that time of year (versus as high as 87 F in August).

Kevin

Thanks Kevin! We usually spend most of our time in the water and now i'm a little worried that even the ocean may be too cool? I always considered 80 degrees to be a swimmable temperature especially if the air isn't that much warmer than the water. I can't imagine going to STJ and not spending all our time in the water.

Pia,

I noticed you said "when we put ours in..." instead of "if". So, I consider that progress!

You are too cute Pia! Love your blog...

Pia wrote:I am going with the theory that if I keep talking "when" not "if" Les will begin to start using that phrase also Stay tuned for my next entry in our building blog - it will be showing various glass tile colors for the pool

Need to have a long talk with Les he needs a break

Also love your blog

Pia wrote:As a local I won't go in the water until late April at the earliest - tooo brrrr cold for me (OK March maybe if I have to do the short swim to Soggy and Mic is working) and as far as a pool - when we put ours in it will be heated

Pia

I wondered how the water would be for a Dec-Feb trip...I know we went in April of 09 and I thought the water was cold...I did very little snorkeling...but then again..I am the type person that 70 degrees in the house to me is cold...I guess we are sticking with summer months...

Pia wrote:As a local I won't go in the water until late April at the earliest - tooo brrrr cold for me (OK March maybe if I have to do the short swim to Soggy and Mic is working) and as far as a pool - when we put ours in it will be heated

Pia

Thanks Pia! Because of my husband's work, we have to go in February this year. I guess we'll just have to make the best of being on STJ for 2 weeks. Oh poor us

I have gone twice in February and we snorkeled every day for at least an hour every time we went out. You could always get a swimshirt if you feel it is cold but we never had a need for them. As for the pool, I would go with the heated pool if you wish to swim at night. The pool at our villa had full sun all day and all though we did swim a couple times during the day it was chilly. The hot tub was the preferred place to be at night.
PS...I'm not feeling sorry for you

KAY wrote:I have gone twice in February and we snorkeled every day for at least an hour every time we went out. You could always get a swimshirt if you feel it is cold but we never had a need for them. As for the pool, I would go with the heated pool if you wish to swim at night. The pool at our villa had full sun all day and all though we did swim a couple times during the day it was chilly. The hot tub was the preferred place to be at night.
PS...I'm not feeling sorry for you

Thanks for sharing your perspective. I think we will be happier if we could find a home with a heated pool. Off to search.

I find the water warm every month that we have been there Jan-May. I think it must depend on what you are used to. Of course, living in Maine the ocean water here never gets above 60-ish... EVER!

Only once did I ever get chilled in the winter and that was last year after a very long snorkel. The water temp never bothers me during day at the beach dips. My super-sissy friend doesn't ever complain and she won't dip a toe into her own pool below 85 degrees.

Villa pools are a different story. For us, it has ranged from absolutely frigid pools to ones so warm (yet unheated) that we swam at night. Location makes all the difference.