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St. John's Coral Bay
Sadly, we were only able to spend two nights in St. John as Jon’s parents were flying out of St. Thomas in just a couple days. So we just made a pit spot on our way from St. Croix to St. Thomas.
St. John is the smallest of the islands at only 19 sq mi. But, do not be fooled by its small size, as 60% of its land and 9 sq mi are protected by the Virgin Islands National Park. In addition, the Virgin Islands Coral Reef National Monument designation in 2001 extended the underwater protections by almost 20 sq mi. This island is made for adventure both above and below the water!
So, with a couple landlubbers in tow i.e. Jon’s parents, we left St. Croix and made way for St. John. Approximately a 35nm sail and 6 hours later, we arrived in Coral Bay. After searching for just the right anchorage, we dropped the hook in Coral Harbor. While quite the busy anchorage, we were able to snuggle in amongst the other boats. Coral Bay has quite the large liveaboard community, so security is not a problem but make sure to be respectful. Access to land is achieved 2 ways, anchoring or by dinghy dock. If you don’t want to get your feet wet by anchoring your dinghy, the one dinghy dock is easily found on the NE portion of the bay. But, make sure to leave a long mooring line on your dinghy because it’s popular!
Groceries & Restaurants in St. John's Coral Harbor
If you find yourself in St. John, a visit to Lime Out VI is an absolute MUST! Accessible ONLY by boat, this floating restaurant is found in Coral Bay Harbor. Surrounded by floating lily pads and a bar, you can enjoy some delicious tacos at your leisure. Make sure to try some of their signature cocktails, you will not regret it!
If you find yourself in the mood for pizza, the Salty Mongoose is a great option! The dough is made each day, and produce sourced locally, the pizzas are hand tossed and cooked in a brick oven. If the pizza isn’t enough of a draw, they also highlight local businesses! You’ll have your choice of Leatherback, St. John’s Brewers, and Love City Premium Hard Seltzer. Not in the mood for alcohol? Virgin Leaf Kombucha is also available. Cash & Venmo ONLY
After some fantastic food and drinks at Salty Mongoose, we took a quick stroll down the street to Dolphin Market. The largest grocery store on this side of the island, this was a great place to restock our provisions. Its waterfront location made it especially convenient!
That wraps up our visit to St. John! We’ve barely scratched the surface of what the island has to offer. We’ll just have to go back and give St. John the time and exploration it deserves. Now, you at least have some baseline information about St. John to start your Caribbean vacation! This island definitely deserve a place on your Caribbean bucket list!
Is there anything else you want to learn about St. John? What are you most looking forward to?