Getting to Tortola from San Juan, PR

[YACHT TARENTELA]

We have used Cape Air a few times and have been happy with the service. The aircraft are small but it adds to the excitement. The price was around $250 per person round trip from San Juan to Beef I

[Steve W]

We've done the SJU-EIS flights 4 times for bareboat charters SJU is high stress, missing and/or pilfered check luggage, etc. it works, but is no fun. Just hope you are not there when a cruise ship dumps it's passengers. Did the STT to Roadtown ferry last year for another bareboat charter and it was great fun and really easy. Had a couple of beers in the pub at the ferry dock, great view of the busy harbor. Ferry had A/C, was clean, fast and pretty much on time. Much better than dealing with SJU. There is a 9pm ferry to West End, BVI, but that may be seasonal.

Steve W.

[TaoJones]

The first time we went to the BVIs, we left Los Angeles very early in the morning, bound for St. Thomas. It took all day, what with flying east and losing time, then changing planes in Miami and losing more time. By the time we reached Charlotte Amalie, it was about 10 or 11pm.

We already had a cheap room lined up for that night, then got up early the next morning for the short small-plane hop from Charlotte Amalie to Beef Island airport.

What a perfect introduction to the Virgin Islands. That short flight, early in the morning under perfect flying conditions, beautiful early-morning light, puffy clouds, never above about 1500' MSL, and being allowed to fly right seat (it was just the pilot, my wife and myself) was one of my most memorable moments of the two-week trip.

I would definitely recommend flying into St. Thomas instead of San Juan, PR.

TaoJones

[Down2TheC]

Great tales folks. I'm sold. Searching for STT flights.

[Down2TheC]

Well, I'm booked. For those that know the territory, HoneyCat is being sold as of December. We're "getting by" with their Lagoon 38. Sounds nearly as nice. Now the really hard part... waiting 7 months!

For the record, I ended up connecting in SJU. STT prices jumped up and only saved me $100 per ticket. With 6PM arrivals we'd have to get a hotel and the round trip ferry, which eradicates any savings. So $623 is just going to have to do. Had I not seen the $450 tix weeks before I wouldn't have questioned.

[CalebD]

American airlines has a kind of stranglehold on the traffic from PR to wherever in the Caribbean. I used them to get to Beef Island via San Juan, PR last June and even though the plane was delayed in NYC (Kennedy Apt) I got there before sundown. We took a 50' monohull from Tortolla to the TCI the next day; there were only 2 of us on board,
The worst airline delays I had were coming back from TCI (Turks & Caicos) on my connection from Miami to NY. Expect delays and relax like the natives do.
Schtuff happens.
> 400 nm from Tortolla to TCI over open ocean in the Atlantic..
Hurry up and wait.

[Fotoman]

I agree: avoid San Juan. Stop in STT and get on the ferry. Simple, pleasant and cheap.