USVI-On-Line

Well there has been allot of talk about the new ferry schedule. So I thought I would put my .02 in. The best way to handle the new schedule is to depart the plane, stop by the rum booth to get your welcome drink. Then go to the baggage area, there is a bar there were you can get a good bushwhacker. Then hopefully you have brought half the stuff and twice the money so you won't have to actually wait for the baggage conveyor. If you have carry on only then go directly to the taxi stand, get in the cab and go to Red Hook to catch the Ferry. If you have baggage then get the baggage go to the taxi stand, get in the cab and go to Red Hook to catch the Ferry. I chose Red Hook for a couple of reasons. First even with the lighter schedule there are more runs from Red Hook than down town. Second there is a bar in the Red Hook terminal, so if the "Next Ferry" happens to be a couple of hours wait then there are things to do, like have another bushwhacker or six. The bottom line is some of the Ferry's are running some aren't, it really doesn't matter, when you get to the terminal you will get on the next one. You have no control over the flight arrival time, the Ferry departure time or the commute in between. So get a Bushwhacker, or any other island drink you like settle down and get there when you do.
Jay

Jay, question, should I get a Bushwacker???? LOL
good advice! see you on island some day!

Great suggestion I might just have to do that.
Amy

captainjay,
Extremely logical and useful advice, as always. Plus, you really made me laugh.
Thanks,
-Ruth

That was perfect! and funny too!

I admit it! I am one of "those people" who has been obsessing about the ferry schedule since Pia posted the changes happening July 6(our arrival day). I had been giving way to much thought to the whole thing and then it hit me yesterday - why worry. Get off the plane, get a taxi and you will eventually get on a ferry. The end result is the same - I will be on our beloved island of St. John!

Problem solved! Thanks for the voice of reason to we travelers who often overthink things.

That's pretty much the approach that we've always had. When we started going to STJ, we didn't know anything about there being a ferry schedule. I never knew about actual schedules until I got a computer and started using forums. We'd just go to Red Hook and take the first ferry that came (sort of like when I take the subway: just go to the station and get the first train that comes). We didn't mind waiting. It gave us a good opportunity to slow down, sip a Carib and appreciate how beautiful it all is. A ferry would eventually come and we'd get on.

Now we just get in the van, enjoy the ride, meet other passengers who are as excited about being there as we are and begin to shift over to Island Time. I sometimes take my watch off on the trip across the island. I won't really need it again until the day that we leave. Sometimes the dispatcher will try to steer us to CA rather than RH for one reason or another and we're happy to go with the flow. Either way gets us there. When there's nowhere that I have to be by any particular time for a week or more, I'm certainly not going to be in a rush.

When we were going to VG last fall we flew to Beef Island and had to wait at Trellis Bay for the ferry to VG. Now that's a really nice place to wait. I'm not very good at waiting when I'm at home, but when I'm on vacation in a beautiful place, I can find waiting quite pleasant.

Excellent advise! (Going to be sure bayer reads this one!)

The mellow approach is high-ly recommended. Bushwackers aside, get a bottle of Cruzan Blackstrap and a couple of cokes in the duty-free shop...drink some coke, pour in the rum, smile. The van "drivers" herd us to the waiting area - be sure to make eye contact and say hello and thank you. There are many routes to RH and they all depend who's in the van and where they're going on STT, or to RH. We call Kathy from the airport and let her know if we'll make the 2. 3, or 4. We confirm with her when we've boarded the big boat. I'm usally chillin' when the engines fire up, already on Island Time.

I prefer the shorter taxi ride and longer boat ride so i always aim for downtown. But it all depends on when we get there and when the next ferry is.

If you aim for downtown the Greenhouse is a decent spot to kill some time with food and drink!

Spoken (or written as in this case) like a true Islander

XOXO
Bug