St. Thomas for a week

[mwhities]

My family and I are heading to St. Thomas for a week in October (Oct 11-18). I was wondering if anyone had any recommendations for dive ops there. We will be staying at the Wyndham Sugar Bay resort.

I talked with Allana at St Thomas Diving Club and she gave me packages that I could purchase and that she was only about 15 minutes away from Wyndham via car. She stated they only carried al80s and that's about all one will find on the island. I'm still a gas hog somewhat so, I'd like to know if there is any al100s or better around.

Are there any other dive ops that anyone might recommend? Again, looking for bigger tanks if at all possible.

What are your experiences with renting cars? There should be about (at least right now, maybe more) 12 or so of us going. Is there a bigger van for rent on the islands? My wife checked out the ferry rides and they seem to be reasonably priced. (Plan to do some island hopping.

Any information, tips, suggestion or comments will be appreciated.

Thanks,

Michael

 

[DivingPrincessE]

I just posted a trip review, the first one is on St. Thomas http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/lesser-antilles/228144-trip-review-st-thomas-dominica-st-kitts.html

 

[mwhities]

I just posted a trip review, the first one is on St. Thomas http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/lesser-antilles/228144-trip-review-st-thomas-dominica-st-kitts.html

Yeah, I read that too. Hopefully I'll have a better experience diving than what you did. I'll see about staying away from Blue Island Divers.

Thanks,

Michael

 

[Tim Ingersoll]

Check out Chris Sawyer. They run out of Red Hook and have a great op. They get high marks on this board. I can personally attest that they do great work.

 

[pir8]

I used St Thomas Dive Club back in January and had a great time.

 

[terrillja]

I dove with St. Thomas Diving Club last June, going back again this summer to dive with them again this June.

Andre runs a great shop, and is great to deal with. I had a lot of fun doing my AOW and rescue with him last summer, can't wait to go back. I never saw anything larger than an 80 when I was there, only saw 80s and 63s

 

[mike_s]

My family and I are heading to St. Thomas for a week in October (Oct 11-18). I was wondering if anyone had any recommendations for dive ops there. We will be staying at the Wyndham Sugar Bay resort.

where is that? over near RedHook?

What are your experiences with renting cars? There should be about (at least right now, maybe more) 12 or so of us going. Is there a bigger van for rent on the islands? My wife checked out the ferry rides and they seem to be reasonably priced. (Plan to do some island hopping.

When you take the airport shuttle to the hotel, you'll notice about every car on the island is wrecked..... it's because they drive crazy in the islands and this island is no excpetion. You drive in a left hand seat driver, but drive also on the left side of the road. Actually you're supposed to drive on the left side of the road. most of the locals drive all over the road or in the middle of the road.

with the crowd you have a car might be good because you could swap it out who needed it for running whereever.... otherwise for just two people I'd just suggest taxis as they are much eaiser there. Check your home car insurance to see if it will cover a temp replacment vehicle out of the country. otherwise get insurance. like I said, ever car there is wrecked!.

other suggestions... skip St THomas and take the ferry to Tortola or St John for the week. St Thomas is the "ghetto of the virgin islands".

 

[terrillja]

We haver had any problems with people driving, the roads are narrow and windy, and having a car for a family of 4 worked well. As for all the cars being wrecked, we never saw that, in fact their taxi trucks were some of the nicest taxis I had ever seen. St. John is more quiet, since it's a nature preserve, but there is far less to do. As for St. Thomas being the ghetto of the virgin islands, sure, there were run down areas, but everywhere has them! Go into parts of any major city and you will find the more run down areas. We never felt unsafe at any time while we were there.

Added bonus of having a car vs a taxi- you aren't as obvious as a tourist, and people leave you alone.

At typical taxi, tho most had far more elaborate paint jobs:

 

[mike_s]

We haver had any problems with people driving, the roads are narrow and windy, and having a car for a family of 4 worked well. As for all the cars being wrecked, we never saw that, in fact their taxi trucks were some of the nicest taxis I had ever seen. St. John is more quiet, since it's a nature preserve, but there is far less to do. As for St. Thomas being the ghetto of the virgin islands, sure, there were run down areas, but everywhere has them! Go into parts of any major city and you will find the more run down areas. We never felt unsafe at any time while we were there.

Added bonus of having a car vs a taxi- you aren't as obvious as a tourist, and people leave you alone.

At typical taxi, tho most had far more elaborate paint jobs:]

you gotta resize that HUGE pic!

I didn't find anything wrong with their taxies... Just lots of "bump drafting" type damage on lots of the cars...

You're right that any major city has a run down area, but ST Thomas reminded me of "America Jamacia" where all the resorts were in walled compounds to keep the locals out.

Lots of crime there too.... (or there was, maybe it's improved).


MWhities, here's in interesting thread to read http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/le...thomas-good-diving-but-overpriced-ghetto.html

Now I'm not saying "cancel your trip".

You should have a great time there. It's just that I wasn't impressed with the island as a whole and it's not on my list to go back to. Would I go back? yes... I'd just stay in the resort like I do in Jamacia. No reason to leave except to dive and if I need to hit the "cruise boat shopping areas" for a few tourist t-shirts.

 

[Gesekee19]

i just booked travel out to St. Thomas for August 9 and i'm staying at the Wyndham Sugar Bay as well...reading these posts makes me want to just cancel and take the ferry over to St. John and stay there....how long of a ferry ride is that? Will it be a pain to go from airport to ferry to st. john? Is it honestly worth it for me to cancel Wyndham and book something in St. John?