First of all - congratulations on putting together a last minute trip!!! You'll enjoy it tremendously.

On the boat question - nobody is going to care. If you do a private powerboat or daysail rental, you can go wherever you want and your wife can swim while you relax and get to know the captain. If you do the New Horizons II tour, you won't be able to see the Baths unless you swim from the boat to the beach. Same for Jost Van Dyke - got to take that 15 yard swim to the beach - and they stay a couple hours on JVD. But - you can certainly swim in with your shirt on and, again, nobody is going to care.

It's really laid back - friendly - and people only really worry about themselves and how they are enjoying their trip.

You are right - relax, enjoy, and don't worry! It's your vacation - spend it how YOU please.

Good Luck! Have Fun!

How about a rash guard or my husband wears a T shirt in the water to prevent sunburn. I guarantee no one would look twice if you did the same.

Just keep your shirt on and enjoy yourself. No one will look twice.

You guys are the best, thanks for these replies. I feel better already. A little more relaxed.
Cant wait until this Saturday for our departure from all this snow and subzero cold. 🙂

Shirt on or shirt off, nobody will think twice. One of you on the boat one and one of you off the boat,nobody will think twice. Enjoy your vacation the way you want to.:-)

ChicagoWinter, give Dana at Carolina Corral a call - 1-340-693-5778. Her stable is in Coral Bay, St. John. Taxis pickup and drop off there, with prior arrangement; Dana will give you the scoop. The rides are generally up the Johnny Horn Trail with great views down the Sir Francis Drake channel. My daughters ride with Dana every time we visit. I skip the ride and take in the local color at nearby Skinny Legs. I would probably budget 5 hours for on-island tranportation and the ride.

Dana is a wonderful person and runs the business solo. A lot of her horses have been rescued and she has nursed them back to health. They run from Ivan at 16 hands, a big gentle thoroughbred to smaller ponies. There's not a lot of space for the horses to get up to a gallop, but they hit the flat ballfields for some trotting and galloping for those that like it.

Ask Dana about Ivan's retirement fund (we're contributors).

As for the shirt/beach/swim thing, don't sweat it. An awful lot of people keep their shirts on when they swim/don't swim. St. Thomas has a lot to do that is not swimming or on the beach. I love sitting at Hook Line and Sinker in Frenchtown and watching boats come and go; we did this on our last day in November on the way out from St. John - a great ending.

Cheers, RickG

Yet another vote for a Rash Guard - you could order one online quickly, or get one there. Great for preventing sunburn as well as "covering up" and LOTS of people wear them. They dry quickly (that makes them a bit better than a standard cotton T-shirt, in my opinion).

Have a great time!

Rash Guard or T shirt - if you can, rinse them with fresh water after swimming - to get the salt out - they will be more comfortable and dry quicker.

If you take in the New Horizon Sail trip your wife can swim all she wants. Like everyone has said, leave your shirt on in the water if that is your thing. No one will care. If you want to pick up a rash guard they work great and are generally rated at SPF50. You can pick one up almost anywhere in the islands but I bought my first one at the Surf shop in Red Hook by Duffy's. I use it when I'm diving as well as the water is warm enough for us New Englanders to dive without a wet suit. BTW - most boats require that swimmers use an inflating vest while snorkeling so you might even consider trying your had at it as it will be like swimming with your own little boat on you with your face in the water to see the sights. We're headed down in a couple of days so we'll be lucky enough to miss the pending Arctic Blast that you are getting right now.

See you in Paradise (the earthbound kind - I'm not a terrorist)