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Hi All,
Are there any issues with car ferries between STT and STJ these days? We were told that only one boat is running with a several hour delay. We won't be there for another week and staying on STJ but wanted to rent a car at the airport to be able to explore STT on our own. Any info is appreciated.
Thanks,
Barefoot
Here's the latest:
It's unlikely you'll have any sort of a problem. I was on STJ Wednesday when there was only one barge running and it was quite a mess which created a whole bunch of internet furor which got a little out of control! The barge which was pulled for inspection was back that same night and was fully operational the following morning. Enjoy your visit!
Thanks so much Alana33 and STT Resident!! We greatly appreciate the information and will proceed with renting a car at the airport!!
Don't know when you'll be here but we're down to one barge again and from a Daily News article today, many waited hours, yesterday, July 6th, to get back and forth. Good luck.
Old news, Alana. The Captain Vic was out just for the one day yesterday and is back on schedule today, July 7th, with no major delays or tie-ups anticipated.
I'm just reporting what was in the paper this morning that had many unable to be accommodated by a single ferry yesterday without hours of delays. With only 2 barges running these days, it's best to prepare for the inevitable delays that may occur. If the USCG has allowed the 2nd barge back into service after it pulled it, that's great but the problem remains when there are not 4 barges in service as was normal in the past.
The only two major delays were last Wednesday and yesterday when on both occasions the Captain Vic was pulled out of service leaving only the Island Vic plying the route. While Global Marine's barge is out for regular annual maintenance there are only the two Love City barges running but other than those two days the crossing has been quite uneventful since the MrB was pulled out in January.
You don't go back and forth regularly to St. John as many of my friends and family do, who actually live there and experience the delays since the seizing of Mr. B. It's a craps shoot of whether you'll luck out and the barge(s) will run on time or have major delays.
Be grateful if you don't but be prepared if you do.
The 2 barges running are the smallest so they have difficulties with accommodating the regular daily traffic with the other 2 out of service.
Alana33 wrote:
You don't go back and forth regularly to St. John as many of my friends and family do, who actually live there and experience the delays since the seizing of Mr. B.
Assumptions.
I do hope things will improve as they do from time to time but there are those days where it's an absolute clusterf... as presently there are only
2 barges attempting to fulfill the demanding needs of daily, regular traffic that 4 could barely handle.
I see that in today's Daily News, there's an article about how
"Barge issues still impacting St. John garbage collection."
By JONATHAN AUSTIN Daily News Staff 6 hrs ago 0
Limitations on barge service between Red Hook on St. Thomas and the Enighed Port Facility on St. John continue to impact garbage collection on St. John.
More impacts from the lack of barge service.
Barge issues mean no concrete going to St. John work sites
By JONATHAN AUSTIN Daily News Staff 2 hrs ago 0
ST. JOHN — St. John builders met with a representative of Heavy Materials, the territory’s concrete company, Monday morning to speak of frustrations getting deliveries of concrete to the island.
There are now two barges running and it is off season so you should be okay. On the other hand if you are staying on St. John it is better to rent a car there so you will have options if your car needs service. Also, you really do need a 4 wheel drive vehicle on St. John. My guests have reported reserving a 4 wheel drive and then getting a two wheel drive and told to come back tomorrow and switch it out. Not how you want to spend the first day of your vacation.
The OP has probably already left after the vacation but Global Marine's barge has apparently come out of dry dock after its scheduled annual maintenance and is either back on the run now or will be imminently. Thus there will be three barges running again. There's been no problem with the car barges since the two one-day well-documented major mishaps and with the third barge back in operation the garbage and concrete runs will get back to normal.
It's extremely rare that there's a mechanical issue with STT rental agency cars on STJ and several of the STT agencies have contingency plans in place for that. Yes, if you're staying on STJ then a 4WD is advisable if not necessary. For this reason, all the STJ agencies carry only 4WD vehicles and all but one of the STT agencies require that visitors staying on STJ rent a 4WD vehicle. Thousands of visitors every year who rent compact vehicles on STT have no problem getting around STJ on a day trip.
I took the car ferry to STT yesterday - going over all good but coming back we waited 1 hour 35 minutes (I guess not bad considering) There is only one ferry running (the Captain Vic) for cars plus the smaller one that is being used for commercial vehicles only (and if they have any space left they will allow a few cars to go on as well) and FYI when the General comes back the Vic is going out of service as it needs a new ramp.
Pia
Seems that if you make a reservation that's working out quite well. Vehicles with reservations are given loading preference. That might be difficult for locals making the trip to do errands and shopping as you never know when you're going to be done with all that!
Down to 1 again today so all vehicles commercial and regular are using one
Pia
