Here you go (on St John) 🙂

Pia

http://stjohnlinks.com/Hidden-Reef-Eco-Tour.htm

there is a yayak tour on stt. i think it is environmental tour or contact the park sysytem

billd

Pia I saw that site it was really great but I was wondering if there were any other tours on St John or St Thomas people could recommend. You know don't put all your eggs in one basket and all. My fiance and I really want to go snorkeling so that is a must and we do enjoy hiking. Would you recommend getting the lunch package included in the 5 hour hike thing or just pack our own?

Anyways sorry if I go on and on I'm just really excited about our trip. Thanks! 🙂

Here is one on STT. We have not been, yet, but have heard good things about it. There are three on the site but the mangrove lagoon is the one I have heard about.
http://www.viecotours.com/

I did the Reef Bay Hike on St. John, and it was great. Our group walked down and took a dip, then walked back up. The last 3rd of the hike up was quite a bit for me, but fitter folks will find it most enjoyable! I found it enjoyable once I'd finished, though - but it was a bit tough.

http://www.nps.gov/viis/planyourvisit/maps.htm

People often have a special tour with a boat waiting for them instead of hiking back up, but I am glad I did the whole hike.

I also did the VIEcotours kayak/snorkel, it was fantastic fun, and the guides are engaging and knowledgeable.

Have fun!

Here's another - not sure if it is an eco tour or not

Pia

http://www.arawakexp.com/

Family visiting us had a great time here: www.viecotours.com

dnt: I hope you will give up those stogies for the new year... I want to have you around for a bit longer! 😉

Hi EE---

I appreciate the emailed Kwanza wishes and look forward to six more days of Christmas before Epiphany 😉 I know this is the bustling season for T but I hope the two of you have been able to enjoy some time together during the holidays.

I have used the tattooed, stogie sucking avatar for many years and lately, people from my distant past have been hunting me down on Facebook. They see my avatar and with varying degrees of delicacy tell me I've "changed" -- HA!

Happy New Year!!!

Pia wrote:
Here's another - not sure if it is an eco tour or not
Pia
http://www.arawakexp.com/

I'm not sure what makes a tour an "eco-tour" but we took the all-day kayak tour with Arawak as reasonably fit (and fifty-ish) novices. The tour left Cruz Bay and followed the shore to Caneel Bay, crossed to Henley Cay, stopped for snorkel and lunch there (meal provided as part of tour), crossed to Lovango Cay where we snorkeled or rested, then came back across to Salomon Bay, then returned to Cruz Bay. The tour is BYO sun/bug goop, snorkel gear and water, but the kayak and lunch are supplied. I thought the ~US$100/pp (after tip) cost was very reasonable for a full day excursion. We were the only kayak noobs but kept up with the more experienced people without too much trouble.

Our guide was fairly knowledgeable about the flora on Henley Cay (but was trying to limit sun exposure so didn't snorkel with us). We tend to read about history, customs and nature before we travel, so we seek a chance to get out and see what we've been studying and ask a few questions rather than be presented with the beginner's introduction to the area.

VI Ecotours (STT and STJ on Caneel, I think) and Arawak Expeditions (STJ) are the only providers I know of that provide regular kayak/snorkeling escorted tours. Both tour groups always get good reviews.

Some beaches rent kayaks so you can go off on your own.

Most hiking is done on STJ, and the National Park Center has NPS trail maps, as well as Trail Bandit maps. The NPS offers a guided Reef Bay Hike trail on Mon and Thur with boat pick up at the end so you don't have to hike back up!

The Friends of the National Park have an extensive activity calendar for the season, and require reservations. There are a few kayak tours, I think.

On St. John you can also look into Sail Safaris which does some eco-sailing trips trying to focus on reefs, seashore environment, bird life and so on; http://www.sailsafaris.net.

You might be interested in some of these books: Feet, Fins and Four Wheel Drive, St. John Off the Beaten Track and St. John on Foot and by Car. All three are for St. John and cover some history, environment, trails, self guided tours. There is a book called Island Peak To Coral Reef, A Field Guide to the Plant and Marine Communities of the Virgin Islands which was put together by the University of the Virgin Islands. You can find the books at http://www.vitraders.com/, the St. John books under Visitor Guides and the Field Guide under General Books.

--Islander