I am so stinking excited to go , I've been packing for two months. I know, kinda lame, but I think of things, and then throw them in the suitcase. I think your idea of sundresses is a good one. Where did you find them? I have a couple opf dresses, but they are a little dressy for cover-upping.
My suitcase is so anally packed, I'm covered for just about every scenario.Benadryl-check,cottonswabs-check,plastic baggy for USVI sand-check. Yep, I'm an idiot.

I leave on the 11th of July for a month on STJ. Right now I am in the process of packing a box to send down. I don't like to carry a lot of things down. This time we need some supplies (towels etc) for the boat so it's easier to send things down beforehand. I leave a lot of clothes on the boat but take down sundresses for church. Only carry down spices now rather than other foods. Do like to bring some coffee and tea. We will sail for 2 weeks and then my husband will come home and I will stay for 2 weeks on my own. This is my R&R time! When we arrive in STJ husband will leave me on the dock and go and get the jeep. Then we'll head for the unit we keep our dinghy in-take it to Coral Bay, inflate it and head out to the boat. It's a long drawn out process and then we come back in to have a bite to eat at Skinny's. The next day I'll start my grocery shopping. Then we can really start to enjoy ourselves.

Since I work for an airline and fly cheap or free on standby I have to dress nice for the flight. Last time on Delta I had to wear a business suit and tie (so I could ride 1st class).

I knew what I wanted to pack about a week prior, but didn't pack until the night before the flight.

Traditions...first thing off the plane I have to have a free Cruzan rum punch at the airport when I pick up my bags.

Secondly, immediately after getting to the hotel, throw on the swimsuit and run into the ocean.

After that it's just relaxing and do whatever seems right. No plans per se. 🙂

I usually start packing a week prior. once fully packed, I unpack it all. I go through each piece of clothing and ask am I really going to wear this if its a definate yes it goes into the suit case a no it dont adn maybe goes into another pile. one Ive gone through everything I go through the maybe pile and recheck/ I usually figure if I need any more tshirts or shorts I can always buy them once I get onto the island so I usually pack a empty suit case in my full case so I can have an extra bag for the return trip.
I bring mainly shorts tshirts ryan shirts and one dress outfit (casual) My birkenstock sandles my converse tennisshoes adn a pair of loafers for dressy nights

I pack the night before and when we get to STJ we go to Woody's...

Are you kidding!!! I'm packed & don't have reservations made yet!! Planning on in November sometime!??! Have to shop more to build up more frequent flyer miles on the credit card for free air!
I will for sure pack a whole lot LESS this time.
And now that we have been there once, we know what to expect!

Save some Rum for us!!!

Hello,

When I went on my very first trip to the states I packed weeks (ok maybe it was a couple months 😛 ) before because I was so excited.

After backpacking through Europe I realized I could wear the same thing over and over. And now that I am a more seasoned traveler I pack the night before and generally pack little because I almost always end up wearing just a few pieces of what I pack.

I make a list of what I need to pack, I suppose I should just keep a master list rather than rewriting it each trip but making the list is part of the ritual. Over the years the clothing part has gotten shorter and shorter. One year I went on a 3 week trip and took a grand total of one pair of shoes; wore it to the beach and shined it up a bit to wear to church - much to the dismay of my travel partner.

Have fun packing Bluwater and have a great time.

--Islander

The night before. Usually after dinner before bed. I try to pack light but we ALWAYS take too damn much.

Ok, all you people who have all these once we get there STJ traditions are making me jealous! We haven't even been there more then 1 day to make any traditions but that is going to change come March! I will tell you my packing habits though. Starting about a month before the trip I start a vacation treasure box. (usually a big plastic storage container). Every day or every couple days, I throw something in the box. I usually start packing about 5 days before the trip and always overpack. Then I get to hear my husband b***h for the next 12 hours because he has to pack it all LOL! My favorite before trip tradition is to hit Bath & Body Works and get some tropical smellies. Then when I come home I continue to use them and it reminds me of my trip. Hopefully I'll get to start a new when I get to STJ tradition in March. Keep your cool traditions coming!

Sounds just like our routine. I start packing as soon as the laundry is done 🙂 - usually a day or so before - right up until we leave the house (packing for ourselves plus 2 kids makes that last day fly by!).

First stop - Woody's for painkillers and conch fritters (in that order!)

I usually start the packing process about a week before by making a basic list. I don't get at all obsessive. We don't bring much and if we forget anything, we either buy it there or--more likely--do without it. Amazing how much I can do without. I'm fairly involved tying up the ends of my life here so that I can go away and not have to worry. For me, one sign of a good vacation is having things so well arranged that i don't need to call home to check on things.

The actual packing starts a couple days before as I begin to toss things in the bag. The size of the bag sets the limit. I tend to fill whatever bag I bring, so I go with a small one. Things get added and removed over the days. The final night it get finalized and I try to keep in mind that I really need next to nothing. When I'm done, I compulsively fill any space with stuff that I could perfectly well do without.

Upon arrival, my wife and I consciously help one another to slow down and transition to Island Time. Simple questions and reminders: "Why are you rushing? Is there anywhere you need to be by any particular time in the next week?" "If we miss the ferry we'll be able to get a Carib and hang out at the ferry dock." "Why do you still have your watch on?"

We slow down, let it sink in that we're in paradise. Start by walking slowly to the terminal and feeling the air. We like to sit down and savor it all, just look around and see how beautiful it all is.

Lessee..
We pack the night before, in fact since we have to drive 2 hours to the airport to catch a 6 or 7 am flight, and it's always midnight until we get everything else done, we usually just pack, make a pot of coffee for the road, and leave for the airport. No sleeping, can't sleep anyway.

Upon arrival, do the usual taxi/ferry transfer to STJ, grab our vehicle and head for Starfish Market for supplies. Out to Morningside Villa, unload everything, open a Caribe, and jump into the pool. (Whether I bother to change into a bathing suit or not depends on how hot I am and who else may or may not be around.) Float around in circles, cool off, call Uncle Joe and order dinner. After dinner, turn off all the lights, sit by (or in) the pool sipping Alize' on ice and watch the stars. Count the cruise ships heading for St. Maarten. Home.

We pack the night before, usually til @ midnight, cuz we certainly can't get any sleep (so excited)! My husband and I only had to check one bag last time. We carried-on snorkel gear, essentials (book for flight, water) and a change of clothes just in case.

I bring at least 2 pairs of flip flops cuz they don't take up any room, Teva's for the hubby, bathing suits, coupla shirts, coupla capris, coupla shorts, headache meds (painkiller painkillers), sunscreen and Bath & Bodyworks Coconut Lime Verbana body spray and shower gel. I only wear this scent to St John cuz I zone-out on island time when I wear it at home and my emloyer probably wouldn't like that much.

This year we are going solo, just the two of us, so we have to pack some frozen meat, too (someone else had that job the last coupla years). That'll be a bummer. We'll have to check the snorkel gear I guess :(.

Isn't it crazy when you come home and can still smell the island on your clothes?!! A bit of a mix of Coconut Lime Verbana, salt from the ocean and a little deisel from the ferry ride back to STT.

I'm not going back til December. I think I might go crazy by then.

I usually pack the day before. One suitcase is filled with food, stuff like cereal, basic all put in large zip freezer bags. (They protect against leakage and come in handy later on.) One year we opened the bag and someone had opened the fudge stripe cookies and taken about 4, there was a yellow stickie that said "sorry couldn't resist!" Tradition...after I get on the STJ ferry dock there is a food cart at the end. I get two conch fritters w/ hot sauce and a Ting soda.

Almost forgot our arrival tradition:

A drink at Rumbalaya. I don't hear many people rave about them but we are regulars there while we are on St John. Best people watching on the island! Happy tourists come in, sad tourists go out. A great place to cool off after coming back from STT shopping or bopping around the shops in Cruz Bay. And the little lizards in the trees and along the railing are cute as heck. It's a great, casual, hang out.

Everything stops once we walk off that ferry dock. A big sigh of relief. I almost kissed the dock last year!

You guys are cracking me up!

To sitter: You said:
"Save some Rum for us!!!"
Don't worry! Cruzan will make some more JUST FOR YOU!!!

And Lysa: You said:
" Almost forgot our arrival tradition:

A drink at Rumbalaya. I don't hear many people rave about them but we are regulars there while we are on St John. Best people watching on the island! Happy tourists come in, sad tourists go out"
Now I know why no one raves about it!

ROFL!!

Interesting...

I really related to Nick's comment "Why do you still have your watch on?" I take mine off on the flight over to 'force' myself into island time early and then have to ask someone for the time to determine which ferry to take to STJ!

Of course, the true USVI addict would chime in with "I don't pack anything but my Visa/MC." Now that is truly letting it all go (until you get back home and receive the bill!).

LOL...I also wondered about the Rumbalaya comment. Why are they sad when they leave? Is it because of the bill? LOL

I love reading about everyone's arrival and packing traditions. I'm 4 days til wheels up and am just starting to think "hmmmm, where's the snorkel gear?"

Well Im going to start packing tonight, we leave on the 3rd so I figure by the 3rd I should have everything packed and if it isnt then o well. First thing I do when I get to the airport is of course get me my rum punch, that usually mellows me out after the long plane ride. Second, get over to STJ and go to Woodys for a drink and a appetizer. Then go to the beach and from there it all just carries itself. Time moves at its own pace, and I know I have nowhere I need to be so now im in paradise.