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We're going to be in Love City in <2wks!!!
I have some questions. We've gone twice before in November. This is our first summer trip & first post-Irmaria trip.
What's the name of that grill next to Crabby's Watersports? Is it still open?
Which way is the wind predominantly out of (for the sake of cool evening breezes?) Does this affect how rough the surf is on one side of the island or the other?
Is this a good time of year to spot a lemon shark, and what's the best bay, or water depth?
Ditto for spotted eagle and manta rays?
Are any of the above more likely to come in in the evening, morning (like on the Gulf) or could it be all day?
Have a blast! I can't answer all of your questions, but you must be thinking of Aqua Bistro which is next to Crabby's. It's the place with the octagonal bar overlooking Coral Bay. Yes, they have re-opened.
Not sure about the wind, but it will not be like the Christmas winds that can occur in the winter months (there will be less wind in 2 weeks for sure).
All the sharks we have seen have been nurse sharks, and we have seen them in many places and on multiple occasions/trips, the most frequent/popular including Gallows Point, Frank Bay, Francis Bay (on the right heading out towards Mary Point), and Haulover South.
Spotted eagle rays are always a highlight (well, in addition to octopus for us) - we have seen eagle rays at Gallows Point, Little Lameshur, Frank Bay and Francis Bay. Good luck finding a manta ray - we have never seen them. Not positive, but I believe they are maybe around (seldom) in the winter months? (we usually go in Nov/early Dec., or June). We have seen the sharks and eagle rays on both our mid-late morning, early afternoon and late afternoon snorkels. Oh, and separately, 54b on TA just reported seeing a spotted eagle ray at Salt Pond last week. Good luck, please report back!
@agave_in_the_sand, look forward to hearing about your vacation to St. John!
Rough surf on St. John is typical mainly in the early months of the year. A nor’easter in March of this year caused big waves at Trunk Bay and other northshore beaches on St. John (and also north side beaches on St. Thomas and St. Croix). Many said they hadn't seen waves that big at the islands' beaches in decades. And of course if there are storms in the area the seas are rough.
I've rarely seen sharks while snorkeling in the VI... baby blacktips a few times in shallow water, a nurse shark among rocks in maybe 15 foot water, a hammerhead heading out to sea in maybe 10 feet. And there was a huge, impressive shark that our group guessed to be either a bull shark or tiger, it was in deep water, in open ocean, off a boat which we all promptly got back on! ? ?
