STX Trip Report Aug. 12-19, 2006

Won’t bore you with details of how our 6-hour, one stop trip on Delta turned into a 12-hour, two-stop ordeal being rerouted through San Juan and losing our luggage all due to Delta’s incompetence but suffice to say we arrived in St Croix on Aug. 12 too late to do anything except head to our hotel the Carambola Resort and eat dinner.

We stayed at the Carambola for the entire week. We loved this resort. Driving in each day after our activities was equally stunning every time. Carambola suited us perfectly – isolated, quiet, uncrowded, empty beach, good snorkeling, great and surprisingly reasonably priced food. Would stay here again. Nothing on STX compares to its beauty and tropical atmosphere. Yes, it has some maintenance issues that were frustrating and not all the rooms have been remodeled, including ours, but who cares? Just look at the view out the window and that wonderful setting. That’s all that really matters.

(real) Day 1 – Ate breakfast at Full Moon Bar, best breakfast we had on the island. Then went to the airport and found our luggage, yeah! It was too late for my husband to start the first of his three planned dive trips so we went snorkeling on the west side, first at Rainbow Beach just to get our feet wet. We weren’t expecting much but were pleasantly surprised. It has a sandy bottom but we saw tons of juvenile colorful fish and an uncrowded beach. We apparently were early enough to beat the crowds, but wouldn’t recommend going here on a weekend.

Next we went up the road near Ham’s Bay and that was our only big mistake of the trip. Our car got broken into while we were gone only 15 minutes and they stole our digital camera, some cash, credit card and ID. (If interested read the longer, angrier trip report on the crime on the relocation board) So we spent the rest of that day filing a police report, insurance claim and generally bitching about how sh*tty it was that we got robbed and vowing never to return to STX.

Dinner at Lobster Reef on the north shore where we commiserated with some locals who also once experienced the official STX welcome. Dinner was excellent though and we even went back another night.

Day 2 – After many beers the previous night and waking to beautiful sunshine from our spectacular beachfront porch at the Carambola we vowed to make the best of it and not let our experience ruin our vacation. We already had bought a point and shoot underwater camera at Kmart and shot what we could the rest of the trip.

This day we went to Buck Island with Caribbean Sea Adventures out of Christiansted and this was truly one of the highlights of our trip. The owner Whiz and his captain J.P. couldn’t have been more friendly and accommodating about our plight the day before. J.P. even let us use his digital camera while at Buck. We highly recommend Caribbean Sea Adventures to anyone going to Buck Island. We took the full day sail option and there were only four other people plus the captain and first mate on board. The trip was spectacular, the snorkeling was great and the rum punch flowed freely. We had a helluva great time with Caribbean SA. It was like our own private charter, unlike the other tour operators we saw with their cattle boats packed with people.

Dinner at Fort Christiansted Brewery. Mondays are free beer with a steak night, so it was worth our while and really good too.

Day 3 – I kicked back at the Carambola while my husband went diving with Anchor Dive Center out of Salt River (they are a joint operation with Caribbean Sea Adventures). My husband said the diving was excellent and Anchor was top notch. Highly recommend their operation for great wall diving right at the mouth of the Salt River.

In the p.m. we took the Salt River kayak tour also with Caribbean Sea Adventures. It rained hard while we were paddling but we still had a good time. The guide was knowledgeable and pointed out things of interest. This is a good side trip for anyone looking for a little something different.

Good breakfast and lunch at Columbus Cove next to Anchor Dive and another good dinner at Carambola.

Day 4 – It took some convincing but I got Wave to take me on one of his Tan Tan Tours while my husband dived again. Usually Wave doesn’t take just one person and he rarely drives anymore so I got a real treat. It cost more for just me and it was a much shorter trip than normal but it was well worth it. Tan Tan takes you to inaccessible parts of the island, including the Tide Pools, and parts of the trip were like being on a rollercoaster through the weeds. Absolutely a blast!! Highly recommend Tan Tan Tours. You won't be disappointed.

Husband had another great dive and saw a manta ray! Again Anchor came through superbly!!

Snorkeled at Cane Bay on the way back to Carambola. It was good but we snorkeled better spots elsewhere on the island.

Back to the Lobster Reef for dinner. Yummy again!

Day 5 – Husband had last dive while I went back for my second trip to Buck Island again with Caribbean SA (return trips in same week are 1/2 off). This time I took the half-day on the powerboat and again the trip was well worth it. I saw way more snorkeling the second time than the first because I took my time and was self paced -- a school (6) barracudas swam right in front of me, a 2-pound lobster I missed the first time, a family of Schoolmasters hiding behind a secret ledge. Highly recommend going back in the same week if you can. This trip to my surprise even stopped for 45 minutes at the Buck beach. Again Caribbean SA was awesome. Can’t say enough about how great their operation was.

Also toured Fort Christiansted in the a.m. The self-guided tour is well done with informative placards. Great history lesson and short side trip.

Lunch at the Buccaneer. Great food and good view. Then we snorkeled next door at Shoy’s Beach. Not much to see close to shore, lots of sea grass, but out to the northeast corner my husband said there were some nice sea fans and coral. I didn’t go that far and stayed over the sea grass bottom to marvel at the different fish there.

Day 6 – Toured east and south side of the island. It seems as if many people never make this trip and they really are missing out. This side of the island is completely different than the north shore and even near Christiansted. It’s arid and has cactuses and the water rivals Buck Island in beauty and color. Drove through Cramer’s Park, didn’t stay but it had nice picnic tables and looked like a nice beach. Eerily deserted in the few minutes we were there and is probably a nice snorkel but again wouldn’t go there on the weekend.

Stopped at Point Udall for cursory photos. The view back toward the island and of Buck really is all that. It’s absolutely stunning. One of the best we saw. Then we parked at the trailhead entrance just off Udall and hiked to Isaac’s Bay. Intended to continue on to Jak’s Bay since we heard the snorkeling was better but we missed the trail, I landed in some bushes and so we just stayed at Isaac’s. This was actually a good thing. The beach at Isaac’s is so spectacular and the views are incredible. We only saw two other humans walk by while we were snorkeling and met only three others on our way out. The fish were way more curious here than anywhere else we snorkeled and came very near you. They apparently don’t see as many humans as those at Buck or elsewhere we snorkeled. We saw an impressive stingray here playing in the sea grass and a very healthy barracuda and the coral formations I thought were spectacular and unspoiled and right off the beach.

The hike is not too bad if you’re in shape but it does have some up and down rocky paths so wear good hiking shoes and take lots of water if you go. Before we started and left the car we actually saw two security personnel patrolling Udall and the east end, very exciting!! Wish they’d been on the West End when we were getting robbed!

Lunch at Divi Carni. This resort I thought was better than the Buccaneer just on first impressions, modern and hip but still laid back. Lunch of mahi mahi fajitas was spectacular, the best thing I ate on the island except the Carambola pirate’s buffet. We also were pleasantly surprised at the casino, small but very nice. Our main frame of reference is Indian casinos and Divi was better than most and not smoky.

Then we headed along the south part of the island and the water views from the road were really the best we saw the whole week – Great Salt Pond and around Half Penny look like swimming pools.

Then we toured the Cruzan Rum factory. Found it ironic that they asked for ID to get in the gate. Interesting tour but wish the guide had talked more about the factory history. Could be we were the last tour on Friday afternoon and she wanted to go home. The tastings after the tour were the best part! Wahoo!!

Dinner at the Pirate’s Buffet at the Carambola. This was well worth the price. The food is ample and excellent. I would guess 90% of the other diners were locals if that says anything about how good the food was. The show was OK, they only had three mambo jumpers (? guys on stilts) who were really good but not much else. I think the show probably is more extensive and better in the high season.

Day 7 – Last day. Snorkeled extensively at Carambola. We were really impressed by the fish and corals. One of the deeper spots we snorkeled. Breakfast again at Full Moon Bar and again excellent. Then went to airport and home.

Afterthoughts: Even though our trip started out crappy we still had an excellent time. Our advise, take it or leave it, is to not ever leave anything in your rental car including brochures and towels that give you away as a tourist, don’t go to out of the way beaches on weekends, and if you can stand it don’t lock your car.

Yes, there is crime everywhere but it’s a whole different world on STX and the scumbags won’t think twice about robbing you. They’re probably watching your every move and the police don’t care. We were informed and cautious and still became victims.

But it’s a beautiful island and the water is spectacular and there are some great local people who go out of their way to make your stay great. It is worth the trip.