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Trip report 12-30-2014 - 1-7-2015
Trip report 12-30-2014 - 1-7-2015
Posted this on the "other" forum but thought i'd post it here too.
This was our ninth trip and each one seems to be a new favorite trip!
First trip this time of year, we’ve been President’s week a couple times but this was far more crowded. Another difference – the mega yachts. I was amazed at the large number of them and the size! I looked one of them up that was anchored outside of Cruz Bay and saw that it chartered for $540,000/week plus expenses, accommodated 12 guests and had a crew of 15. Boy there are a lot of really, really rich people in the world.
We stayed at Gallows Point which we love, this is our second time staying there and will be there again next trip. Love being able to walk to bars/restaurants and also being so close to the water. The best snorkeling we experienced was in front of Gallows and over towards Frank Bay. The highlight for me was a beautiful white spotted eagle ray which allowed me to follow it around for a while. Also saw the resident barracuda several times and a ~3’ nurse shark. The swells on the north shore beaches we visited kept the water visibility pretty cloudy so it was nice to snorkel here.
The beaches were very crowded, had to get there early just to get a parking space. A few days had some pretty strong winds and there were some swells. Despite how busy the beaches were, we were lucky that we didn’t have any large, loud groups with music around us so it was all good. Oddly enough the most privacy we had at a beach was Trunk bay on a non cruise ship day. Our favorite beach this trip was probably Maho. We got there around 10 on a rainy morning, very few people and nice calm water. The sun came out and we still enjoyed the peace and quiet for a couple hours then between the dingys coming from the yachts and more people arriving it got pretty crowded.
We made reservations a couple weeks prior for Lime Inn our first night and Rumblines on NYE. Saw many people get turned away at both who didn’t have reservations. For the rest of our dinners we were able to make reservations the day before or day of. Went to 3 new restaurants, De Coal Pot – great food, great value! We had drinks, wine with dinner, 2 entrees for ~$60 and the food was fantastic. I can understand some of the reviews where people were turned off by the bones in the chicken roti but they didn’t bother me, best roti I’ve ever tasted. Finally made it to Chateau Bordeaux after many attempts – loved the roti there as well and you can’t beat the view! In addition to great drinks and a great place to people watch Cruz Bay Landing has really good food! It’s our new favorite bar, went there multiple times. A little disappointed in dinner at Banana Deck this year but we were right behind a party of 26 so I’ll cut them some slack.
Had 2 great meals at Lime Inn, they’ve shortened the menu and removed one of my favorites, shrimp dijon, but I asked and they made it for me
. Went to La Tapa on jazz night and everything was as usual delicious. Foodwise the highlight of the trip was Ocean 362. First trip we had 2 apps, 2 entrees and everything was innovative and amazing! We both agreed the best dinner we had ever had on SJ. So good that we decided to go back the next night and it was equally amazing. The new chef is a local and I hope he stays at 362 for a long time.
This was a different, less adventurous trip for us, no new beach for the first time ever, no hikes, didn’t make it to the east end, just a lot of relaxing, reading and visiting some of our favorite beaches. I guess all of our trips are a little different, all good, all fun, all in my favorite place in the world.
Funniest think we saw on this trip. . . . We were having a drink at the bar at the Terrace and a couple with a ~8yo kid were leaving after dinner and ask the host to call them a cab to take them to Gallows Point (~250 yards and he did call for the cab)
Pleasant surprise. . . Rented our jeep with Cool Breeze and highly recommend but the surprise Is that we returned our jeep at ~4:30 a day earlier than we had reserved and without asking they refunded a days rental ($83) even though the return time was 10:00
So another wonderful trip to paradise and while leaving was a little sad, chose to think of it as one day closer to the next trip.
This was our ninth trip and each one seems to be a new favorite trip!
First trip this time of year, we’ve been President’s week a couple times but this was far more crowded. Another difference – the mega yachts. I was amazed at the large number of them and the size! I looked one of them up that was anchored outside of Cruz Bay and saw that it chartered for $540,000/week plus expenses, accommodated 12 guests and had a crew of 15. Boy there are a lot of really, really rich people in the world.
We stayed at Gallows Point which we love, this is our second time staying there and will be there again next trip. Love being able to walk to bars/restaurants and also being so close to the water. The best snorkeling we experienced was in front of Gallows and over towards Frank Bay. The highlight for me was a beautiful white spotted eagle ray which allowed me to follow it around for a while. Also saw the resident barracuda several times and a ~3’ nurse shark. The swells on the north shore beaches we visited kept the water visibility pretty cloudy so it was nice to snorkel here.
The beaches were very crowded, had to get there early just to get a parking space. A few days had some pretty strong winds and there were some swells. Despite how busy the beaches were, we were lucky that we didn’t have any large, loud groups with music around us so it was all good. Oddly enough the most privacy we had at a beach was Trunk bay on a non cruise ship day. Our favorite beach this trip was probably Maho. We got there around 10 on a rainy morning, very few people and nice calm water. The sun came out and we still enjoyed the peace and quiet for a couple hours then between the dingys coming from the yachts and more people arriving it got pretty crowded.
We made reservations a couple weeks prior for Lime Inn our first night and Rumblines on NYE. Saw many people get turned away at both who didn’t have reservations. For the rest of our dinners we were able to make reservations the day before or day of. Went to 3 new restaurants, De Coal Pot – great food, great value! We had drinks, wine with dinner, 2 entrees for ~$60 and the food was fantastic. I can understand some of the reviews where people were turned off by the bones in the chicken roti but they didn’t bother me, best roti I’ve ever tasted. Finally made it to Chateau Bordeaux after many attempts – loved the roti there as well and you can’t beat the view! In addition to great drinks and a great place to people watch Cruz Bay Landing has really good food! It’s our new favorite bar, went there multiple times. A little disappointed in dinner at Banana Deck this year but we were right behind a party of 26 so I’ll cut them some slack.
Had 2 great meals at Lime Inn, they’ve shortened the menu and removed one of my favorites, shrimp dijon, but I asked and they made it for me
. Went to La Tapa on jazz night and everything was as usual delicious. Foodwise the highlight of the trip was Ocean 362. First trip we had 2 apps, 2 entrees and everything was innovative and amazing! We both agreed the best dinner we had ever had on SJ. So good that we decided to go back the next night and it was equally amazing. The new chef is a local and I hope he stays at 362 for a long time.This was a different, less adventurous trip for us, no new beach for the first time ever, no hikes, didn’t make it to the east end, just a lot of relaxing, reading and visiting some of our favorite beaches. I guess all of our trips are a little different, all good, all fun, all in my favorite place in the world.
Funniest think we saw on this trip. . . . We were having a drink at the bar at the Terrace and a couple with a ~8yo kid were leaving after dinner and ask the host to call them a cab to take them to Gallows Point (~250 yards and he did call for the cab)
Pleasant surprise. . . Rented our jeep with Cool Breeze and highly recommend but the surprise Is that we returned our jeep at ~4:30 a day earlier than we had reserved and without asking they refunded a days rental ($83) even though the return time was 10:00
So another wonderful trip to paradise and while leaving was a little sad, chose to think of it as one day closer to the next trip.
You don't stop playing because you grow old; you grow old because you stop playing.
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northerngal
- Posts: 420
- Joined: Mon Aug 07, 2006 4:32 pm
- Location: Michigan
Re: Trip report 12-30-2014 - 1-7-2015
Thanks for sharing! We head out on Wednesday morning and am SO EXCITED!!!
We are bringing Newbies so I'm a bit worried....first time for us to bring anyone...."Drink Right and Stay Left" and remember "Island Time" have been my mottos! Lets hope it works!
We are bringing Newbies so I'm a bit worried....first time for us to bring anyone...."Drink Right and Stay Left" and remember "Island Time" have been my mottos! Lets hope it works!
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ColoradoMom
- Posts: 49
- Joined: Wed Dec 15, 2010 10:48 pm
- Location: Boulder, Colorado
Re: Trip report 12-30-2014 - 1-7-2015
Nice TR, thanks! Taking a taxi to go 1/2 a block is indeed funny! I like how you said your trips are never the same. That's our experience too. Some trips I don't snorkel while others you can barely get the mask off my face!
We have never tried the Terrace. Good place??
We have never tried the Terrace. Good place??
Re: Trip report 12-30-2014 - 1-7-2015
Good luck with the newbies, our first trip to SJ was with another couple, we loved it, they didn't like it at all. That experience makes me scared to bring newbies with us.
We were just at the bar at the Terrace this trip. Nice bar and bartender plus its the first bar we go past after leaving Gallows
. We did go to the Terrace a couple years ago and the food was really good but thought the prices were a little high. $45 for lamb chops i think. We'll give it another try on a future trip.
We were just at the bar at the Terrace this trip. Nice bar and bartender plus its the first bar we go past after leaving Gallows
. We did go to the Terrace a couple years ago and the food was really good but thought the prices were a little high. $45 for lamb chops i think. We'll give it another try on a future trip.You don't stop playing because you grow old; you grow old because you stop playing.