Happy Fri-yay!!! We have been seeing A LOT of amazing yachts in the harbors over the past few weeks. I have been taking some pictures along the way and my curiosity got the best of me. So I did a little digging on these dream yachts and this is what I’ve found…..
Boat Charters
Business Spotlight: Wharfside Watersports Is A One-Stop Beach Shop
Since the storms of 2017 swept boats from Cruz Bay harbor against the iconic shoreline adjacent to the ferry dock, questions have been buzzing about the progress of the Wharfside complex. Today, you’ll see the beach cleared of debris and construction work and popular businesses with their doors now open. But there are some new things happening at Wharfside as well!
Read moreBusiness Spotlight: Wharfside Watersports Is A One-Stop Beach Shop
Business Spotlight: A Day of Luxury on Silver Coral
A lot of you out there are probably in the midst of the beginnings of some chilly weather in the states. You’re likely starting to daydream about your annual winter warm up. Let the vacation planning begin! What better way to spend a day on St. John than being on the water aboard Love City’s newest luxury charter boat?
Read moreBusiness Spotlight: A Day of Luxury on Silver Coral
Trip Report: Catching the Blue Marlin
The Blue Marlin.
We have gone fishing on charters in the Caribbean, Florida, Great Lakes, and other places around the world. It seems on every fishing charter while waiting for the first bite, the conversation turns to wanting to catch a blue marlin (or big tuna).
Business Spotlight: A Fun Day for the Whole Family on Salt Deck!
I’m sure that everyone has been wondering what’s going on with the British Virgin Islands….Well , right now they stand as CLOSED until at least September 1. But, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t plan to get out on the water while you’re here. And one of St. John’s newest boats, The Salt Deck, offers a unique experience in and of itself!
Read moreBusiness Spotlight: A Fun Day for the Whole Family on Salt Deck!
Business Spotlight: Come Sail Away with Kindred Spirit
I’m very excited to have the opportunity today to tell you about one of my absolute FAVORITE ways to be on the water.
Read moreBusiness Spotlight: Come Sail Away with Kindred Spirit
Business Spotlight: Island Roots Charters
Looking for a day on the water while you’re visiting St. John? Well, Captain Jason Siska and his company, Island Roots Charters, is a great option if you really want to get to know St. John and her surrounding waters!
Captain Jason was born on St. John and has spent most of his life exploring our local waters and the BVI. A VI Fire Fighter and First Responder, as well as a previous contestant on the hit reality TV show, Survivor, we’re confident he’ll make sure you have a safe, informative and exciting day in the VI!
Now, let’s talk about this gorgeous vessel! Island Roots is a 32 foot World Cat with ample, comfortable seating for up to 12 guests. The extended Bimini is perfect for catching some shade on the rear seats while the wrap around bow seating is ideal for upping your daily dose of Vitamin D.
A state of the art Bluetooth stereo system lets you customize your soundtrack for the day. The swim platform and oversized boarding ladder in the back allow for easy re-entry after a perfect snorkel or float.
And as far as unique snorkeling experiences are concerned, Captain Jason and his team has you covered! Island Roots is ONE OF SIX tour operators with permitted access to the Coral Reef National Monument waters. That includes Hurricane Hole on St. John’s East End, voted into the top five places to snorkel in the Virgin Islands in 2020 by “Outside Pursuits.”
Much of the over 18,000 acres of protected, submerged lands within the National Park and Monument’s waters are only accessible by boat. The Island Roots team and Captain Jason’s YEARS of experience in our waters will definitely help you discover some new favorites to explore!
Looking for more than snorkeling? They’ve got you covered there too! Island Roots is home to an array of water toys! If you want to try your hand at kitesurfing, the boat has training kites for the beginners and they know some of the best spots to take you to catch the breeze. Looking to add to your underwater exploration? They carry Subwings for a fast underwater ride and lion fish hunting spears and lobster snares if you want to return from the day with a fresh caught dinner.
Cliff jumping stops and numerous land based excursions further extend adventurous offerings you’ll enjoy on Island Roots. If you’re a first timer at any of this, the crew, backed with years of in and on the water experience, will happily show you the ropes.
If you’re simply in search of a relaxing day of floating and sipping, you can do just that on one of Island Roots’ oversize pool floats. Zip out to Christmas Cove and float the day away with a slice of pizza in your hand. Or, cruise over to Coral Bay to do the same with some tacos and tequila from Lime Out. Between those and MULTIPLE land based bars and restaurants accessible by water, you can experience the fun of a day spent bar hopping on Island Roots without ever leaving the USVI.
Take advantage of their current summer specials! Contact Captain Jason today to customize your perfect day on the water with Island Roots for an unforgettable experience in the USVI.
Check out their website for more information or to book directly online or contact Island Roots Charters directly at 340-643-5000 or [email protected]. Want to keep up on their adventures? Follow them on Instagram and Trip Advisor to see the full guest experience!
Business Spotlight: Spend a Day on the Water with Sunshine Daydream Charters
Sunshine Daydream 2 is a brand new 2020 World Cat.Hello everyone and happy Tuesday! One of the top questions we get here at News of St. John is “which boat should I take around St. John” or perhaps for a day trip over to the British Virgin Islands. There are several great ones to choose from, but today we’d like to tell you about one of the top companies on the island – Sunshine Daydream Charters.
We introduced you to Sunshine Daydream Charters several years back when it began operating on the island. Sunshine Daydream Charters is owned and operated by our friend Rob Woodworth. Captain Rob is a Coast Guard licensed, 100-ton captain and also a certified Padi rescue diver. Sunshine Daydream Charters is consistently ranked on TripAdvisor as one of the top boat charter companies on St. John. It offers both half day and full day trips here in the US Virgin Islands, as well as full day trips over in the British Virgin Islands. And even better? It just added a second boat! That means you can bring twice as many friends or family members with you!
One of the great features of Sunshine Daydream Charters – in addition to its great captains of course – is the fact that it can take large groups. Sunshine Daydream 1, the company’s original boat, can carry up to eight passengers. Sunshine Daydream II, the company’s newest addition which just arrived in the USVI, can carry up to 12 passengers. You can rent one of the boats on its own, or both if you have a large group.
Both boats are World Cats which offer a stable and spacious ride. Sunshine Daydream 1 is 28 feet and has twin Yamaha 200 engines. Sunshine Daydream II is a brand new 2020 vessel which measures 32 feet in length and is equipped with twin Yamaha 300 engines. Both boats are sleek, comfortable, and have ample seating in both the sun and shade. Want to hop in and out of the water? Well both come equipped with a sturdy, three-step ladder making it easy to get into and out of the water. Because if you’re in the Caribbean, we know you want to take a dip into our crystal clear waters!
Sunshine Daydream II has ample seating in the sun and shade.
Sunshine Daydream II can carry up to 12 passengers.
This brand new boat offers a stable and comfortable ride.For those of you looking to stay in US waters and forgo the process of clearing through Customs in the BVI while saving some cash, you can check out several great snorkeling spots that can only be accessed by boat. There are a lot of great lunch stops in the USVI including Lime Out, located in Round Bay on St. John’s East End, or Pizza Pi, which is located in Christmas Cove off of St. Thomas.
Prefer to head over to the British side for the day? Well Sunshine Daydream Charters can take you to Jost Van Dyke – home of the popular Soggy Dollar Bar; Norman Island – a beautiful island with a restaurant and the famed Willy T.; Cooper Island, Scrub Island, Virgin Gorda and everywhere in between!
Half day prices start at $500 for Sunshine Daydream 1 and $600 for Sunshine Daydream II. Full day prices start at $750 for Sunshine Daydream 1 and $875 for Sunshine Daydream II.
For more information, please visit their website at sunshinedaydreamvi.com
Business Spotlight: Love City Excursions
Back before I was fortunate enough to live on St. John, one of my favorite days while vacationing here was spent out on the water. I would spend hours looking for the perfect boat charter, researching destinations, reading reviews, etc. Well today I’d like to take away some of the legwork for all of you and tell you about our friends over at Love City Excursions.
Love City Excursions is owned and operated by Joe and Katie Zachary. Joe and Katie are no strangers to the island, as they have lived here for more than 10 and 11 years, respectively.
Love City Excursions features a 33-foot World Cat power catamaran – “Catzilla” as they call it – which features high quality snorkeling gear for adults, pool noodles, fresh water shower, two large coolers, plenty of dry storage and can seat up to 12 people. It’s definitely one of the larger, private day charters. They even provide Painkillers, water and ice for each charter. The boat is built to handle the winds that sometimes breeze through here during the winter months, which makes it a very comfortable ride. It also has several comfy bean bag chairs to lounge on and is very spacious and comfortable throughout.
Love City Excursions offers full day trips in both the US and British Virgin Islands. They also offer half day trips in USVI waters only, sunset cruises, a water taxi service, as well as all inclusive private charters.
Not on St. John but want to keep in touch with the happenings of Love City Excursions? Well you can check out their blog in which they highlight stuff like rainy day activities and the top Virgin Islands cocktails. Click here to check out their blog.
You can also bring a bit of Love City Excursions home with you. They have dry fit shirts, tanks and even drink tumblers. Click here to check out their online store.
For more information on Love City Excursions, visit their website at www.lovecityexcursions.com. You can also “like” them on Facebook at www.facebook.com/lovecityexcursions or follow them on Instagram at www.instagram.com/lovecityexcursions
New Luxury Charter Hits the Water
I know I’ve said it before, but one of the very best perks of running News of St. John is the amazing excursions I get invited on. Take two Fridays ago – I was invited out on Calichi, a beautiful 53′ SunSeeker Portofino. I grabbed a friend and had a fantastic day over in the British Virgin Islands. And today, I’d like to tell you all about it. 🙂
It was yet another gorgeous day here on island. We met at the National Park dock around 9 a.m. and joined a few other locals on the boat. We were immediately greeted by Captain Ty, Connor and Charlotte, who almost immediately offered us a mimosa … yes, please!
One of the great perks of Calichi is that it includes open bar, a continental breakfast and an afternoon snack. So needless to say, the champagne and drinks were flowing all day.
After indulging in a few cocktails and checking into Customs, we head on over to Pirate’s Bite. After that, we spent a little time over at B Line on Little Jost Van Dyke. One of the great things about Calichi is that no destination in the area is really out of reach. Calichi can comfortably accommodate up to 10 guests, and it has plenty of seating for relaxing in the shade or on its huge forward and aft sun pads, so it’s a great ride wherever you choose to go.
So by now, you’re probably all wondering price… Calichi charges $2,395 for up to six guests. That breaks down to just under $400 per person, but it includes an open bar, breakfast, a snack and fuel. So as far as charters go, it’s a pretty good deal. Additional guests beyond six are charged on a per-person basis. So yes it’s a bit of a splurge, but it’s well worth it.
Interested in learning more about Calichi? Check out their website at calichi-charters.com
