Hey molly--

I took a cheap disposable cooler to Lubbers Quarters Cay, taped it shut with Duct Tape, and put another roll of Duct Tape inside on the top. TSA opened the cooler and used the tape to reseal the cooler.

Several years ago I purchased a rolling cooler that we use when we go to the islands. Any food that we planned on bringing was placed in a deep freezer for several days. The night before we left I would pack the cooler and put the whole thing in the freezer. Everything was still frozen by the time we got to St Thomas. If there is extra space in the cooler we always used beach towels to fill the voids and add extra insulation. They say that large blocks of cheese and chocolate tend to have the same density as plastic explosives so expect that TSA will search the cooler. I never tape it shut but use small zip ties through the cooler zippers (applied loose enough so they can be easily snipped by you or TSA). As years have passed we have brought less and less food with us (especially since our trips are getting longer and longer). You can buy pretty much everything right there anyway.

Vibound,

Thanks for the heads up about the cheese and chocolate!

Dntw8up,

Great idea about packing the extra duct tape!

I'll be back to STT sometime this summer to do some maintenence and repairs to our condo, but the kid's wanted to go diving in the Bahamas for the week. I know what the food prices are on STT, but compared to the Bahamas the USVI is a bargain! The buffet style meals at the Atlantis start at over $50 per person, looks like I'll be cooking a lot on this trip!

Thanks for the advice,

Molly

I've never been to the Bahamas with a cooler, but I do go to the British Virgin Islands with coolers of frozen meats and other foods by air and by sea. No problem with TSA going outbound. Note, though, that uncooked meat is not allowed back into the U.S. We forgot this one time and flew to Tortola and stayed for a few days before going on to St. John by boat. I'm *still* mad about all my steaks being seized. Someone ate well...

Best,

Islandlola

Here's information I found on web site http://www.bahamabeachclub.com/pages/faq.htm

"What food can I bring to The Bahamas?
Anything except fresh fruits, vegetables and dairy products can be brought into The Bahamas. All meats must be canned or frozen. Note: To save on food costs, our guests are encouraged to bring one suitcase full of canned items, meats, cheeses and other goodies with them to the resort."

Thanks FL Barrier Island! I love this forum, so many great people with knowledge of just about everything! I've met a few of you our there already and hope to meet a few more on my next trip to STT.

Molly