USVI-On-Line

Just a quick caution so that others will perhaps take better care of their cameras than I did. We're just back from our first trip to VG. I managed to fry my camera on our first morning there while climbing around in the Baths. I knew that water (particularly salt water) and electronics don't mix, but didn't realize how little water it took to ruin one. I didn't drop it, but I guess there was enough splash. I used this same camera last year in Hawaii and guess i had gotten a bit too casual. It was a good little camera: a Canon SD630.

Generously, my wife did permit me to use her camera from time to time, but set stiff regulations as to where it was to be used. I'd demonstrated that I sometimes need someone to give me non-negotiable rules to follow. It was the only unpleasant thing that happened all week. And now I get to start researching cameras again.

Try an underwater housing and keep it on the camera in wet situations. I took mine to the Baths and used it for above water pictures and they came out great.

I got a olympus 720 waterproof one so I don't have to worry now they have the 770 that will go deeper

I think that's the camera I'm replacing my poor dead Fuji with! Do you like it?

Sorry to hear about your camera woes, Lex. So, you've talked for a couple of years about trying the BVI's for a change from the beloved island. How'd they stack up?

We liked VG very much. We'd been there on a day trip before, but staying there is a different thing (just as a day trip to Trunk gives visitors only a diluted taste of STJ). We also enjoyed being there in real low season. Not many tourists on the island at all. We really had the Baths to ourselves most of the time. We ate at the Rock Cafe one night and were the only customers. Hard to assess how our experience would correspond to being there in February or March.

Beaches are spectacular. Pretty good snorkeling. Most businesses owned and run by West Indians, so a strong sense of being a visitor in a different culture, particularly during the low season. Fewer restaurants/bars and some were closed. Different scene at the resorts on the North Sound, but we spent most of our time in the Spanish Town/Baths area. Some development going on, but appears to be much more under control than on STJ. I'll probably post a trip report on the BVI site and put a mention here with the link. I'm still interested in the Grenadines.

I started looking online for a camera today. I also started researching underwater cases. They cost a bit but are cheaper than replacing a camera.