Second Trip to STJ while pregnant

mlr214 · Post by **mlr214** » Sat Mar 09, 2013 5:53 pm

Hi Everyone,

I'm so excited to be planning our return trip to STJ. I'll be 5 months pregnant for this trip so I'm wondering if anyone can offer tips for traveling to STJ while pregnant. We're looking for beaches that don't have much of a walk like Maho, Francis,Trunck, Cinnamon, and Jumbie, are they're any other good ones? We're pretty early risers so usually on beach by 8-9am.

Thanks!!

jimg20 · Post by **jimg20** » Sat Mar 09, 2013 8:09 pm

Congrats on the new baby.

Have you considered Hawksnest? The parking lot is much close than Trunk or Cinnamon.

mlr214 · Post by **mlr214** » Sat Mar 09, 2013 8:18 pm

Yes, someone on the tripadvisor forum brought that up. We stopped there one time on our last visit one morning on our way to cruz bay for a sailing charter. It seemed like there wasn't much shade b/c the sun was shinning right down on the beach in late April. Are there shady spots? Also I've heard this one gets pretty crowded b/c its so close to town.
Is Gibney easy to get to?

sasky · Post by **sasky** » Sat Mar 09, 2013 8:38 pm

All the ones you named, plus Gibney, which is my favorite beach. Super quiet, lots of space and there's plenty of shade. Easy enough to get to, much easier than Jumbie in my opinion. Get there early for parking.

If you get to Hawksnest early and leave before noon it's usually ok. But I tend to agree with you...can get crowded and sometimes there's not much shade. First world problems, huh?

I've been once while pregnant and once while healing from an ankle injury. So I feel your pain!

mlr214 · Post by **mlr214** » Sat Mar 09, 2013 9:25 pm

Thanks for the comments.

We didn't get to Gibney last time we weren't quite sure where the access was, can you describe where it is?

Thanks!!
I'm thrilled to be going back, pregnant or not. Only real downside is not being able to enjoy a rum punch.

Lindy · Post by **Lindy** » Sat Mar 09, 2013 11:05 pm

Gibney is just past Hawksnest on the left as you head away from Cruz Bay on the North Shore Rd. There is an iron gate with enough room to park about 3 cars outside of the gate. There is a door-sized opening in the gate to get through and a short walk down to the beach. Be careful because it's steep and the pavement can be a little slippery with sand on it. Once you get down there it is a nice level area in the shade set back a little from the beach next to the community center. If the North swells are up there really isn't much of a beach so try a different day. We usually stop whenever we can snag one of the parking spots to see how it looks.

Also check out Jumbie which is past Gibney. You'll see a small parking area on the right hand side with enough room for 3 or 4 cars. Cross the North Shore Rd and follow the boardwalk to the beach. This beach is small and fairly private. You can usually tuck under some of the sea grape trees for shade. Really, any of the beaches have a little bit of shade if you hug the vegetation line. Just don't stay until dusk when the no-see-ums start biting. They will also bite on gloomy, drizzly days so stay away from the vegetation on those days.

Teresa_Rae · Post by **Teresa_Rae** » Sat Mar 09, 2013 11:27 pm

I might know a thing or two about being pregnant on STJ

Both of my children were conceived there; we have a 3 year old and one on the way. With our first we were able to take a babymoon when I was 5 months pregnant but unfortunately with this baby we couldn't afford a second trip in the same year (I'm a stay at home mom now so unlike the first time around, we're living on only one income).

But I digress...

Honestly, being pregnant on STJ wasn't really any different than not being pregnant, the flights just sucked more. Our babymoon was our 8th trip to STJ, and the only major difference was no rum for me. But I'm not a huge drinker anyway so it wasn't that big of a deal...however I did discover than Painkillers and Pina Coladas are pretty tasty without the rum! Also the strawberry shortcake drink at Lime Inn is really good without alcohol.

We still did our usual hikes, I still did the long snorkel around Waterlemon, we really didn't change anything. You'll be fine

jimg20 · Post by **jimg20** » Sun Mar 10, 2013 8:21 am

We have never dealt with the parking problem or walk down to Gibney. We have always gone to Hawksnest and snorkled around the point to Gibney. We'll get there and sit for a while. It makes a great rest stop. BTW, the movie "Trading Places" ends on the left side of Gibney. The cast ends up there celebrating their major upset of the brothers' who try to bankrupt them. "The best way to hurt rich people is to make them poor people."

JIM

lazylane · Post by **lazylane** » Sun Mar 10, 2013 10:42 am

We love Vie's Beach! Very short walk, $2.50 fee and good food!

deejayjay · Post by **deejayjay** » Sun Mar 10, 2013 10:46 am

Both Lameshurs, Kiddle and Grootpan Bays are very close to their parking areas. And all have very good snorkeling. You'll have great lameshur, kiddle and grootpan to yourself. Although those 3 are cobblestone, and not sand.

sasky · Post by **sasky** » Sun Mar 10, 2013 12:53 pm

lazylane wrote:We love Vie's Beach! Very short walk, $2.50 fee and good food!

Forgot about that one! That was a good one for us.

I will say the one thing that was kind of a bummer about being pregnant on the island was the morning sickness. I could only stay out snorkeling for a short time before getting terribly nauseous. Hopefully at 5 months you'll be past that point!

mlr214 · Post by **mlr214** » Sun Mar 10, 2013 5:44 pm

Thanks, yeah morning sickness on vacation would be terrible. Thankfully I'm starting to get past that now, I'm 13 weeks now. I'm just hoping the heat won't be an issue, last time i was pregnant was in the winter.
We're staying in Coral bay, about 1/3 of the way up mountain without A/C.
Thanks for Vie's beach suggestion, we went there briefly last year.

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