USVI-On-Line

Can we please pull together to make this a better nation...sincerely.

Let's change the politics to the real issues that concern us: Is the Red Hook ferry better or the CA? Carry on vs checked bags? Bringing coolers of food or not? Chesney good/Chesney bad? Cruz Bay vs. Coral Bay? To lurk or work?

I agree - I have to say that I have been totally turned off by all of the fighting that has been going on here.

Chesney good vs. Chesney bad is too heated off a topic. Let's avoid that.

Let's see. I leave in two days. Carry-on only, CA ferry, no cooler.

Best Beach: Cinnamon will always be my first love.

And I'm totally taking the ferry to Jost and not renting a boat. I am, however, going out on Breath Monday! I'm so excited!

Lulu, Do you know how much is the ferry to Jost? Guess I have to look up the schedule too.

We have always rented a boat and then stopped there first before cruising around BVI. But....given the prices of everything and the economy....and my expectation that taxes are going up....maybe a ferry is a better idea.

I don't really think you get that much extra for the private boat. And I'm also not a swimmer/snorkeler, so I don't want to stop at cays on the way or swim up to the Soggy Dollar bar (although last year I was quite soggy when I arrived). If you enjoy those things, then I say a charter is the way to go. If you want to arrive on Jost about 9 a.m., leave around 3 p.m. and spend the time in between lounging at Ivan's and hanging with your friends, then the ferry is the way to go. It is $60, and that includes your customs fees.

By way of information only...

We tried the ferry to Jost a couple of weeks ago...mostly to compare value with Ocean Runner...which is what we have always done in the past. Yes, the $60 fee includes the ferry fare and your customs fee. We arrived at the ferry dock at 8am to fill out paperwork. The ferry left about 10 minutes late...at 8:40am. No big deal. We went to Tortola first to drop off passengers and clear customs. We arrived on JVD at 10:20am. EEK. We hitched a ride with a local over the hill to Ivans...then onto One Love. In order to not miss the ferry back, Gregory picked us up at One Love at 2:45 to return to the dock. All in all, we were there just over four hours. For some, that may be plenty. For me...not so much. The four of us spent $240 for the ferry. Had we rented a 25' OR from Pete...we'd have spent about $300...perhaps slightly more. For the extra 60 bucks (ish)...we could have had another three hours on Jost. Uh...HELLO???

Like I said...perhaps four hours is plenty of time for some. For a single person...even up to three people...I can understand the ferry. But for four or more...hands down OR!!!

We did resolve the neverending debate on whether or not we are getting our $$$ worth on OR! Heck yah!

To each his/her own! Just my two cents!

Good news is...Jost is Jost and it doesn't matter so much how you get there. Just that you get there!

118 & Counting...
Jen

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Another option is to do Dohm's private water taxi, which is a little more than the ferry. I just can't justify the extra cost, and really (don't hate me) I'm kind of over Jost after 4 or 5 hours. As much as I love the islands doing nothing but reading, napping and drinking painkillers bores me eventually.