I think you can find nice people anywhere --- as long as your heart and mind are open to them.

T&C and STJ are very different scenery-wise. T&C are more "desert-island" feel. Flat, unbroken scenery. Some beautiful beaches, lots of resorts.

STJ is mountainous (yes, 4WD is a necessity) and more real-world feeling. Not much in the line of resorts. More like the tropical landscape in the South Pacific. Mountains that roll into the sea. Green hillsides, waterfalls after the rain.

It's all in what you like or want to experience. For my money, it's STJ but T&C has its merits, too.

Forgot to add, the water clarity and color is similar in both places. The most beautiful water I've ever seen, though, is southeast of Jost Van Dyke near Sandy Caye and Sandy Spit. Could look straight down 40 feet and see the bottom clearly. Blue like the purest aquamarine gem you've ever seen.

Thanks Lisa,
Hey, my name is Lysa too, but spelled with the "Y" Anyway, thank you so much for the input, We have decided on STJ, We really wanted to go to Bora Bora, but man it's just too much $$$, when there are other beautiful places. Thanks for the info in Jost Van Dyke too, can you get there on a boat from STJ? We are going to take a ferry or a day sail over there too.
Have a great day!

Thanks

hey diamond... i have been to many islands in the pacific (not bora bora though) and many in the carribean and st. john w/ alittle BVI run is good for the soul. you wont be disapointed

Take a look at the thread on this forum from a few days ago, when everyone chipped in on their favorite snorkeling spots on STJ. There's some good infor there.

From one "Lysa with a Y" to another, St John is the island paradise I always thought I'd never had a chance to experience. Now that I have, it's hard to fo anywhere else!

The only thing lacking is monkeys but the donkeys pigs cows and goats make up for that :).

Hey Diamond 2- check at the top of the message board for info on ferries- go to the St John section, go to ferry schedules (I think) and you should get all your questions about ferries to and from STJ answered.

We daysailed to Jost on Breath out of Coral Bay. Long day but the height of our vacation. We were out ten hours and enjoyed every one of them. Foxy's for lunch (try the lobster salad - to die for!) then out to Sandy Caye for snorkeling. The sound of the wind in the sails of this huge old wooden sailing ship was something you will always remember. If you go, tell Foxy that Lisa from Iowa gives him another hug.

Enjoy your trip and don't worry that STJ is second best to Bora Bora. They both have their merits and STJ is so many fewer hours in the air...

Not to nit-pick, but the islands of Turks and Caicos are not actually in the Caribbean Sea. They are in the Atlantic Ocean.

Lisa,

We are thinking of booking Breath for our November trip - good to hear you had a great time. You must have had a nice sunset sail home, too since it was a 10 hour day. Anything else you can comment on with this trip? By the way, we are from Iowa also!

Carolmo

Thanks everyone for the great info!! These forums sure are helpful. We have decided on STJ and I booked Morgan Point villa for our stay.
St John just looks too beautiful not to go there. I love all the hills, palms, etc. some of the Other islands in the C. (like T&C)are flatter and not as "tropical" looking, from what I can tell anyway. We are coming in May 06, Can hadly wait!

Thanks again,
-diamond

LisaF,

I just went out on "The Breath" website & do not see a day trip to Jost. I just see one to Norman Island Island & Willy T's.

How long ago was it that you did your trip? Was it a special charter or a regular trip that they ran? Maybe they just haven't updated their website.

Thank you for the info!

Sue

My family and I took a daysail on Breath a number of years ago and had a bad experience with them. Destinations that were promised and never came to fruition, lunch terrible, crew hungover unfriendly,They kept to themselves a majority of the time. Cleanliness of the boat and smell were not up to expectations,lateness in leaving,etc. I would highly advise against it. To top it off, it was no bargain, we could not wait to get back. I feel there are much better daysails around. Keep in mind they live on this boat so that may give you a different perspective. The boat is not a great sailing vessel either since it's a ketch.

We just got back 3 weeks ago and were on Calypso out of the Westin and Cruz Bay. It was absolutely awesome. Food, drink, crew, totally professional and fun to be around.

Good Luck

Okay, on my soap box about bad reviews. Brady, this is the umteenth time I have read this exact same complaint of yours about one bad day "a number of years ago." Now everyone gets ONE bad day. No one can promise you you will go to an exact spot because of weather conditions and other concerns. Lateness in leaving? A ketch can't sail?

Anyway, I have no personal personal knowledge of this boat, although I believe the owner circumnavigated in it. That story in itself would make an interesting day to me. To others, read between the lines on these single bad reviews as the writer often has some sort of personal grudge. Okay, back off the soap box.

Thanks, East Ender, took the words out of my mouth!

If you search back a month or two, you'll find some great reviews of trips people have taken recently on Breath. Have a great trip!

Thanks guys - you have allieviated my hesitation after reading the one negative post. I think I do remember reading all those positive posts awhile back (compared to this one negative one). I so appreciate all the info found on this board. Can't wait for November. Thanks again!

Carolmo

By the way Peter and Dorothy do not live on Breath. You might want to pick up Peter's new book Adrift on a Sea of Blue light. It is a great read and insight into the man and the boat. Peter is a great sailor and if you don't make it to a place like Jost when you thought that you might it's probably because of the wind conditions and time constraints. I've seen Peter or his crew waiting on the dock for latecomers and this may be the reason that the disgruntled poster was late in departing. Just my thoughts on the matter but I love Breath and enjoy watching her sail in and out of Coral Bay.

I do apologize for giving you my experience on Breath. I thought that's what this message board was about, sharing of ideas, thoughts, and getting some good inside information before making decisions that may be positive or negative.

I must admit I do not read who the posts are from many times. I do know that Breath has been brought up a number of times and without looking whom posted the topic, I respond. So in the thought of being helpful and giving my two cents, I gave our experience on a daysail by looking at the topic and responding.

At the time Peter and Dorothy did live on the boat with their dog Sanchez and their teenage son, Diego. So again, I can only provide you with what I experienced.

Peter is a wonderful sailor and writer but again that did not play a part in the experience. We did speak with him in in depth of some of his sailing experiences buth other than that there was little conversation. I wish we did go to Jost but that wasn't in the plans. Communication is a wonderful thing and he did not communicate the change of plans until we were sailing underway.

When I am on vacation, My family and I enjoy being pampered. That means spending decent money and expecting decent service in return. Therefore, I'll provide you with more details and you can decide for yourself. The reason we were departing late was because his crew was hungover and couldn't get a ride there in time. Everyone was waitng. Yes and that was on my dollar. He then passed out on deck with his scrotum hanging out the side of his shorts for everyone to see. I wish I could say I am joking but it is the truth. I could provide a name but will withold. I can't say my financee at the time really appreciated that. Or maybe it was the dog nimbling at the tunafish and sprout sandwich on stale bread that we were served for lunch. This again was in addition to an odor and a boat that is in not in great shape. Don't get me wrong the boat is beautiful to look at, very solid, has been around the world but was not clean to my standards. The lines were shotty and the boat doesn't sail great. Being a sailor myself, I have been on a number of Ketchs' and Breath is sluggish. However, that really didn't factor in to play because we were not necessarily there to sail. WE just prefer to sailing over power boats.

I am not wealthy but I have been visiting this wonderful place (my favorite place) in the world since I was eight years old. My folks since the late sixties. I work hard for my money and expect a certain level of service with that. I don't think we expected too much - we expected to depart on time, (or within a few minutes) being clean, fresh food, and fruition of a certain promised destination. In addition to having a crew member with some couth and underpants. Maybe you expect something different, that is why I passed my experience along. You decide?

As far as personal grudges, Peter was a nice person and very knowledgeable but it didn't translate aboard that day to his crew. I don't carry grudges, too much energy. It's much easier to be nice and work things out. Like this letter.

Just my two cents. One recommendation, when you book your daysail for Breath, ask that the crew be required to wear underwear.

Enjoy

I appreciate your clarification. It is important for people to understand the expectations of one who leaves a poor review. And as the experience has obviously left a deep mark in your memory, the detail about your sailing prerequisites is helpful.