Caneel Bay Report
Apr 1st, 2006, 08:14 PM
#21
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Rex,
We just returned from STJ today. Trip report to follow after I decompress. I will talk more about this in my report. There are several places to rent dinghys in Cruz Bay. Low Key Watersports, Calypso, Noahs Little Arks. This is the one day of our trip that nothing seemed to go right during the daytime hours. We rented a dinghy, and it was a larger one. I would just like to say that you have to have optimal conditions to get any distance in a dinghy, ie the farther North Shore Beaches. We were told that many clients were making it all the way to Leinster Bay the day we rented. It was just personally too rough for me. DH would have perservered, but I was not comfortable. This is a heavily boated area, all sizes, and when one passes and you get some of their wake, even from a distance, you are gonna rock and roll.
We just returned from STJ today. Trip report to follow after I decompress. I will talk more about this in my report. There are several places to rent dinghys in Cruz Bay. Low Key Watersports, Calypso, Noahs Little Arks. This is the one day of our trip that nothing seemed to go right during the daytime hours. We rented a dinghy, and it was a larger one. I would just like to say that you have to have optimal conditions to get any distance in a dinghy, ie the farther North Shore Beaches. We were told that many clients were making it all the way to Leinster Bay the day we rented. It was just personally too rough for me. DH would have perservered, but I was not comfortable. This is a heavily boated area, all sizes, and when one passes and you get some of their wake, even from a distance, you are gonna rock and roll.
Apr 2nd, 2006, 05:21 AM
#22
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Rex,
Upon looking at the map to which you refer, Turtle Bay is what appears as that tiny cove. It is probbly several hundred yards in width. The white area to the left is Scott Beach, and the area to the right is Hawksnest. Within Hawksnest is a Turtle Bay size cove which produces Caneel's private beach, and to the left of that is the larger public Hawksnest Beach.
In my opinion, to swim/dingy from Ramgoat Cay would place you in very boat traffic, many of which are vey large, and would be dangerous.
I have a friend who snorkled from Turtle Bay Beach to Caneel's Hawksnest Beach by staying close to the rocks that lined the shore. He was proud of his feat, but that it was very tiring. Water outside of the coves is much rougher.
Again, a good resource for advise on the best place for your swim adventure, would be US National Park Service in Cruz Bay. They would be able to put you in contact with experts in the best and safest area of your swim.
Upon looking at the map to which you refer, Turtle Bay is what appears as that tiny cove. It is probbly several hundred yards in width. The white area to the left is Scott Beach, and the area to the right is Hawksnest. Within Hawksnest is a Turtle Bay size cove which produces Caneel's private beach, and to the left of that is the larger public Hawksnest Beach.
In my opinion, to swim/dingy from Ramgoat Cay would place you in very boat traffic, many of which are vey large, and would be dangerous.
I have a friend who snorkled from Turtle Bay Beach to Caneel's Hawksnest Beach by staying close to the rocks that lined the shore. He was proud of his feat, but that it was very tiring. Water outside of the coves is much rougher.
Again, a good resource for advise on the best place for your swim adventure, would be US National Park Service in Cruz Bay. They would be able to put you in contact with experts in the best and safest area of your swim.
Apr 2nd, 2006, 06:28 AM
#24
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Hmmm... trying to reconcile wha I assume are simply different perspectives. The posting from bren... indicates that "many clents" were able to travel by dinghy all the way from Cruz Bay to Leinster Bay - - looks like 10-15 iles (or more?) to me. And inherently having to travel either inside Ramgoat Cay or outside these three (Henley, Ramgoat, Rata - - collectively known as the "Durloe Cays"?) and presumably up and around Marys Pint by way of the Fungi Passage? and yet Diane, you sugest that there would be "very [heavy] boat traffic" in the narrow passage that separates Ramgoat Cay?
The ferries that travel to the BVI apparently go outside the Durloe Cays... what other "heavy boat traffic" would go inside? Preumably private craft (which, I understand, could still include some very sizable "yachts"
...
I know I need to seek info from the NPS and NOAA navigational charts, but I have not been able to find any such (free) info on the internet. Maybe some weekday phone calling will direct me to info from such sources. In the meantime, figuring some things out from fragments of info from other Fodorites is as enjoyable as complete definitive answers!
The ferries that travel to the BVI apparently go outside the Durloe Cays... what other "heavy boat traffic" would go inside? Preumably private craft (which, I understand, could still include some very sizable "yachts"
...I know I need to seek info from the NPS and NOAA navigational charts, but I have not been able to find any such (free) info on the internet. Maybe some weekday phone calling will direct me to info from such sources. In the meantime, figuring some things out from fragments of info from other Fodorites is as enjoyable as complete definitive answers!
Apr 2nd, 2006, 07:44 AM
#25
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I don't think it would be 10-15 miles, the island isn't that big. They told us it would take approx 45min if we went directly there without stopping at beaches in between. The coves are somewhat protected til you get to Mary's Point, then you have a short but very rough unprotected area to get past this to Leinster Bay. We did go past this on our New Horizons boat trip. The people that we rented from recommended tying off at the mooring balls and swimming in to the beaches if you go this route. And yes, there is TONS of boat traffic and the wakes can be extremely rough in a dinghy. Make sure you pick a day with calm seas or you will get the you know what beat out of you. Agree with Dianebridles that you should be able to get all the info you need at the National Park Center. Good luck, maybe you will make it all the way the and tell us about it when you return.
Apr 2nd, 2006, 10:17 AM
#26
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Maybe 15 miles is an overestimate, but I really do think it must be close to 10 miles (and maybe the dinghy top speed is, in fact, close to 8-12 mph? particularly the larger 14 feet ones with a 30 hph motor - - obviously depends on the passenger load).
I am basing my estimate on trying to extract (slightly contradictory?) estimates from two sources:
...first, the map at http://www.nps.gov/carto/PDF/VIISmap1.pdf does have a one mile scale on it...
but secondly, the map for the Beach-to-Beach Power Swim - - http://www.friendsvinp.org/swim/photomap.htm - - reportedly has these two reference distances: Maho to Cinnamon is "about" one mile, and Maho to Hawksnest is about 3 and 1/2 miles.
Based on these two sources, I think it must be about 2 to 3 miles from Cruz Bay to (the middle of the mouth of) Hawksnest, and going "full round" Marys Point to get from Maho to (the middle of the mouth of) Leinster Bay as well above 3, probably closer to 4 miles. Thus 9 to 11 miles seems like a reasonable guess.
I do hope this seems within our practical grasp, to be able to report back here (and/or... even better... to be able to read info from someone who is able to report back here to me before we go!)
I'll also be trying to see what info I can get, by way of some telephone calls this coming week.
I am basing my estimate on trying to extract (slightly contradictory?) estimates from two sources:
...first, the map at http://www.nps.gov/carto/PDF/VIISmap1.pdf does have a one mile scale on it...
but secondly, the map for the Beach-to-Beach Power Swim - - http://www.friendsvinp.org/swim/photomap.htm - - reportedly has these two reference distances: Maho to Cinnamon is "about" one mile, and Maho to Hawksnest is about 3 and 1/2 miles.
Based on these two sources, I think it must be about 2 to 3 miles from Cruz Bay to (the middle of the mouth of) Hawksnest, and going "full round" Marys Point to get from Maho to (the middle of the mouth of) Leinster Bay as well above 3, probably closer to 4 miles. Thus 9 to 11 miles seems like a reasonable guess.
I do hope this seems within our practical grasp, to be able to report back here (and/or... even better... to be able to read info from someone who is able to report back here to me before we go!)
I'll also be trying to see what info I can get, by way of some telephone calls this coming week.
Apr 24th, 2006, 05:30 PM
#30
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My Caneel Bay report: Absolutely amazing. We had the most wonderful time in our huge courtside room! Walking through the sugar mill ruins each day down to completely private beaches to wonderful food, service, and gorgeous sunsets. I've never been anywhere so private, so lush, so quiet, and so relaxing. It was well worth my $395 per night!!! Cannot wait to go back... 
Apr 25th, 2006, 02:27 AM
#31
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Here is another map of St. John. Shows more features and the park boundary. Also, I think you can swim most any where in the park but you can't take anything. Also, I don't think they want you to anchor any where over coral. The boat anchors rip up the coral roots and branches.
www.cccarto.com/wmaps/virginis/index.html
www.cccarto.com/wmaps/virginis/index.html
