US Virgin Islands power boat circle of St. John

Our second boating excursion in the USVI was on a power boat, circumnavigating the island of Saint John, including a couple of snorkeling stops, and lunch at Lime Out, a floating taco bar.

Jenn’s Tripadvisor review:

Fantastic day in the USVI

This was a fantastic way to see St John, including snorkeling in the national park (sea turtles & stingrays!) and a unique lunch experience at Lime Out (shrimp tacos!). Our crew of Captain Brandon & Mate Lacey took great care of us and made it a highlight of our trip to the USVI. They were so accommodating and even had ways for non-snorkelers to enjoy the warm water, such as a floating mat attached to the boat, allowing everyone to get in on the fun.

The boat (first on the right) in the marina:

Marina

Lacey made sure our beverages remained full:

Open bar

Captain Brandon:

Captain

The first snorkeling stop:

Snorkeling

Snorkeling

An interesting rock:

Interesting rock

Spray:

Spray

Spray

Rocks

Flag

We stopped for lunch at Lime Out. a floating taco bar. Jenn’s Tripadvisor review:

It’s the experience

This was one of the most unique and memorable dining experiences I’ve ever had. We took a day cruise around St. John specifically because it had a stop here for lunch. It’s expensive, but how many times are you going to be able to eat a taco on a floating pad while fish swim around your feet, eating any scraps you might drop? The drinks are strong and the tacos are pretty good, but it’s all about the experience.

Lime Out

Lime Out

Our boat:

Boat

Swag for purchase:

Lime Out

We sat on a floating circular seating, with a floating table ferried between the restaurant and seating to deliver the menus, drinks, food, and swag:

Floating table

The menu:

Menu

Nobody was allowed on board; our server called out across the water:

Server

Selfie:

Selfie

Tacos:

Tacos

Taco

There were lots of fish swimming below us, waiting for dropped crumbs:

Fish

Fish

Fish

A glimpse of the bar along the edge of the floating restaurant, and more floating seating:

Swag

Lacey in a fish taco costume:

Taco costume

On the way to the next spot:

Spray

An interesting house; something simple and isolated like that would suit us nicely:

Interesting house

The second snorkeling spot:

Snorkeling

I wasn’t into snorkeling, so Lacey kindly put out a tethered float for me:

Float

Float

An underwater video I recorded of the fish under me:

Jenn:

Jenn

She took my phone and captured some great shots, including this stingray:

Stingray

Stingray

Fish:

Fish

Cool looking thing

Fish

Fish

Fish

Fish

Fish

Fish

Fish

Fish

Fish

Fish

Fish

A turtle:

Turtle

Turtle

Turtle

Turtle

Fish

Fish

Fish

Fish

Fish

Continuing on, past the Annaberg sugar plantation (where we visited the previous day):

Annaberg sugar plantation

A nice catamaran:

Catamaran

Customs office ruins:

Customs office ruins

Yacht:

Yacht

Nice houses:

Nice houses

Nice houses

National park mooring pay station:

Mooring pay station

A very enjoyable excursion.

US Virgin Islands National Park

As previously mentioned, the US Virgin Islands consists of three main islands, and a bunch of minor ones. We were staying on Saint Thomas, but another highlight of this trip was to cross off another national park, in our goal to visit all of them. The nearby island of Saint John mostly consists of the Virgin Islands National Park.

It is possible to take a passenger ferry over to the island, and walk to the park visitor center, and explore the town of Cruz Bay (where the ferry docks), but we wanted to explore more of the park, which is best done by car. So we headed to the car ferry dock.

Here’s a car ferry loading; the cars all back on, to make it easier to drive off at the other side:

Car ferry

Car ferry

Car ferry

The departing ferry, and another arriving:

Car ferries

Car ferry

Car ferry

We made it onto this ferry, the Big Red Barge:

Car ferry

Car ferry

The cars are packed rather tightly:

Car ferry

Car ferry

Car ferry

Arriving at Saint John:

Car ferry

Driving off:

Car ferry

Why did the chicken cross the road? They’re all over the place:

Chickens

Jenn got her National Park passport stamps:

National Park passport stamp

Info in the visitor center:

Info

Visitor center gift store:

Visitor center

Selfie:

Jenn and David

The visitor center was undergoing some renovations:

Visitor center

Virgin Islands National Park sign:

Virgin Islands National Park sign

Trunk Bay is one of the most popular parts of the park; we hoped to be able to stop here, but they have very limited parking, so we skipped it:

Trunk Bay

Maho Bay is another (too) popular beach:

Maho Bay

But we were able to find parking at Francis Bay, a less popular but still very nice beach:

Francis Bay

We had a picnic lunch on the beach:

Picnic lunch

Parts of the beach were a little rocky, but the sand was very soft:

A little rocky

Underwater photos:

Underwater

Jenn swimming:

Jenn swimming

Video of fish:

Fish

Jenn

Looking like a merman:

David looking like a merman

Fish

Fish

Fish

Fish

Fish

Fish

Fish

Fish

Fish

Fish

Fish

Continuing on, we visited the historic windmill of the Annaberg sugar plantation:

Annaberg Sugar Mill

Annaberg Sugar Mill

Annaberg Sugar Mill

Annaberg Sugar Mill

Annaberg Sugar Mill

Annaberg Sugar Mill

Annaberg Sugar Mill

Annaberg Sugar Mill

A turtle:

Turtle

Nice view

Annaberg Sugar Mill

Annaberg Sugar Mill

Annaberg Sugar Mill

Annaberg Sugar Mill

Annaberg Sugar Mill

Annaberg Sugar Mill

Annaberg Sugar Mill

Goat:

Goat

Donkeys:

Donkeys

Nice view

Lots of steep roads:

Steep road

Back to the car ferry:

Car ferry

Car ferry

Car ferry

A nice swim, fascinating history, and great to visit one of the more difficult to reach national parks.