Saturday, March 28, 2007
Selected Pics (83)We arrived in St. Thomas at approximately 7am and departed at approximately 6pm. While the Lloyds and Rhoades slept in and shopped in town, Martha and I did some underwater exploring - submarine style. We caught a bus into Charlotte Amalie and while we were waiting for our shuttle boat, I snapped enough pictures for a 360 degree Photosynth of the port. After a 30 minute ride on our shuttle, the SubQuest, we boarded the Atlantis XV, the world's "newest and most-advanced passenger submarine" to explore the underwater world around St. Thomas. Our depths ranged from 20 feet to 80 feet and we saw lots of fish and coral and even a turtle and a shark. On the way back to shore, we also got to see a bunch of sailboats.
After lunch on the ship, the whole group headed out to the beach. This was when Christy's "take me there!" quote was born. We told the cab driver we wanted to go to Lindquist and they questioned us why. Because we want to go to the beach, Christy told them. After they hassled us a little, Christy asked if they knew where the beach was. When they said yes, she said "well then take us there!" We all had a good laugh. I think I threw the guys off when I mentioned snorkeling, since it was NOT a good snorkeling destination. We also found out that this private beach had been taken over by the government and renamed. Call it Lindquist Beach or Smithbay Beach, but Caribbean Travel+Life was right to call it an "untouched, secluded gem". They also go on to say that the "Reefs on both ends of the beach overflow with tropical fish, and the clear, protected waters of the bay offer excellent snorkeling." If that is truly the case, the roped off area prevented us from finding out. There was a lifeguard on the beach enforcing the swimming/snorkeling area. Still, ThreeBestBeaches reports it to be the "Caribbean" backdrop to many TV commercials and we could see why. The beach really was tranquil and fantastic and we had a great time.
On the taxi ride home, the cab driver took the standard scenic route and stopped at the scenic overlook. If they do it to boost their tips, it works. Even though we had been up there before, we enjoyed the breathtaking views again. Back near the dock we still had an hour or so left until the departure, so we stopped at a local bar for some drinks. It was the perfect end to a beautiful day in St. Thomas.
Other excursions we considered are...
Magens Bay Beach Getaway ($34, 12:30-3:30)
All Islands ( USVI Tourism, Lonely Planet Review, Frommers Reviews, ScubaDiving.com, Map )
St. Thomas ( St. Thomas Tourism, Destination360 Review Cruise Critic Review, Princess.com, Island Map )
St. John ( Destination360 Review Cruise Critic Review, St. John Map, Trunk Bay Map, TB Sat1, TB Sat2, TB Sat3 )
