August 2015 | Rum Therapy

August 30, 2015June 6, 2019

Sunday Serenity: A Boat Nap

We recently were going through some photos of past travels and ran across a pic we had taken of a young man thoroughly enjoying an afternoon nap on a boat in Anegada.

That got us to thinking about one of our favorite things to do during a sailing vacation.
Take a nap.

The gentle rock of the sea, the warm sun on your skin and a fresh sea breeze all combine to make a perfect recipe for some zzzz’s, and we try to enjoy that as often as possible while on a boat.

Can’t wait to go sailing again and take a nap…

What about you? Would you enjoy a little boat nap?

Find more Sunday Serenity posts here:
Tropical Tips & More

To see more island posts, check out our Island Blog Directory

Copyright©Rum Therapy
Pictures and other content may not be re-used without written consent from Rum Therapy, LLC

August 29, 2015June 6, 2019

Exploring Gillam Bay, Green Turtle Cay, Abaco

We had just a short time on Green Turtle Cay during our Abaco sail trip and were determined to make the most of it. After thoroughly enjoying our Goombay Smashes and conversation with Smitty at Miss Emily’s Blue Bee Bar, Smitty mentioned that we really should go and visit the “beach”. That way, he said, pointing somewhere to the east.

Thanking Smitty and buying a jug of Goombay Smash to go, we hopped in our golf carts and headed in the suggested direction.

Coming to a fork in the road, a sign indicated beach in either direction, so we decided to veer left. Just a few yards away the brush opened up to reveal Gillam Bay.

It was obviously low tide and gasp! – the bay was filled with sandbars dotting the shallow, beautiful, clear water.

It was getting late in the afternoon and we knew our sunlight hours were limited, so we immediately went wading in the shallow water on our way out to explore some of the sandbars.

We began to see signs of sea life on the sandbars; much of it the usual suspects, such as mini starfish,

and live sand dollars making their way through the soft sand.

But then there was this…

The odd looking creature writhed its way out of the hole and laid down in the sand.

We later found out that the strange creature was most likely a sea cucumber. Sea cucumbers are echinoderms—like starfish and sea urchins, and have very interesting defense systems, such as excreting a sticky stream of goo to ensnare their enemies or expelling internal organs and then regenerating new ones!

Interesting. Anyway, we explored the sandbars until dusk, then made our way back to the boat. Smitty was so right. We certainly enjoyed beautiful Gillam Bay, it’s sandbars and it’s interesting creatures.

Have you spent time on Gillam Bay? Tell us about it!

Find the Gillam Bay, Green Turtle Cay on our Bahamas Map

To see more island posts, check out our Island Blog Directory

copyright©Rum Therapy
Pictures and other content may not be re-used without written consent from Rum Therapy, LLC

August 22, 2015August 24, 2015

Scavenger Hunt for FREE Rum Therapy Bucks!

Aye mateys! Are you ready for a scavenger hunt to win FREE Rum Therapy Bucks?

There are 8 questions listed below. The answer(s) for each of these questions can be found somewhere on our website. Once you feel you have as many answers as you can find, email us the answers (only one email per email address) at [email protected]. Do not post the answers on the website or on FB – those entries will be disqualified. Must be 21 or older to play. Deadline is 5:00pm EST on Monday, August, 24.

Prizes (Rum Therapy Bucks for use in our online shop!)
First two people with the most correct answers = $40 in FREE Rum Therapy Bucks
Second two people with the most correct answers = $20 in FREE Rum Therapy Bucks
Third two people with the most correct answers = $5 in FREE Rum Therapy Bucks
(credit given as a coupon code)

Ready? Here are the questions!

1. What ingredients do you need to make this drink?

2. What eight posts have we published about our trips to Puerto Rico, Culebra and Vieques so far?

4. How many bars are listed in our Barhopping on Jost Van Dyke post?

5. What is the price for this shirt in a 2XL?

6. What year did we start the company Rum Therapy®?

7. How many individual maps are featured under our Island Maps dropdown menu?

8. How may drink recipes are listed under our Tropical Rum Drinks category?

Good luck!

Rum Therapy®

Rum Therapy Scavenger Hunt Answers:

1. Drink pictured: Dirty Banana (find drink pictures here)
Ingredients for the Dirty Banana: 2 oz. Tia Maria, 2 oz. dark rum, 2 oz. rum cream liqueur, 4 oz. milk, 1 oz. simple syrup, 3/4 banana, Ice

2. What 8 posts have we published so far about our trips to Puerto Rico, Culebra and Vieques so far? (listed under Blog Directory by Island)
A Day Trip to Culebra
A Day Trip to Vieques
Al’s Mar Azul Bar, Vieques
Bacardi Rum Factory Tour
Culinary Walking Tour of Old San Juan
El Morro, Old San Juan, Puerto Rico
El Yunque Rain Forest
Flamenco Beach, Culebra

3. What Tropical Tips & More post says, “The blues and greens of the ocean and the tropics are cool and relaxing colors. It is even said that certain hues of blue (especially light blues) can cause physical reactions such as a decrease in respiration and blood pressure.”? (listed under Tropical Tips & More)
Health Benefits of Spending Time In or Near the Ocean

4. How many bars are listed in our Barhopping on Jost Van Dyke post? (find under Blog Directory by Island)
12

5. What is the price for this shirt in a 2XL? (find under Shop)
$21.95

6. What year did we start the company Rum Therapy®? (find under About)
2010

7. How many individual maps are featured under our Island Maps dropdown menu? (find under our Island Maps – see tool bar on our front page)
20

8. How many drink recipes are listed under our Tropical Rum Drinks category? (find under our Rum Recipes by Category)
32

AND THE RUM BUCKS WINNERS ARE:

1. Cathy K. = $40 (Correctly answered all questions!)
2. TJ O. = $40
3. Wayne P. = $20
4. Alex L. = $20
5. Alyssa L. = $5
6. Margie T. = $5

Thanks for playing! We’ll contact the winners by the email used to submit their entries.

Cheers!

August 20, 2015November 7, 2020

Coconut Rum Punch

We’re big fans of rum punch – all kinds, made with fruit juices or fruit and different rums. Such an easy drink to change up and play with different combinations of flavors. We ran across this Coconut Rum Punch recipe by Kimberly of A Night Owl on Pinterest, and were initially attracted by the delicious looking picture, but after putting it together, the taste is equally delicious! We made a smaller version of the recipe than originally posted (we didn’t want to waste any!), but you can easily double it for adult get-togethers!

*We love bringing you amazing rum recipes! Our recipes may contain affiliate links to products that we use. If you click the link and make a purchase, we may receive a small commission (at no additional cost to you). Thank you for your support in helping us to continue providing rumlicious, tropical recipes!

Print Recipe

Coconut Rum Punch

Course: Drinks

Servings:

Author: Night Owl, presented by Rum Therapy

Ingredients

1/2 c. Coconut Rum
1 c. Orange Juice
1 c. Pineapple Juice
1 c. Ginger Ale
1/2 c. Grenadine
Maraschino Cherries (for garnish)

Instructions

Mix together the coconut rum, orange juice, pineapple juice and ginger ale.
Pour over ice in tall glasses.
Slowly add equal parts grenadine to each glass.
The grenadine will sink to the bottom creating a beautiful looking drink. Garnish with a skewer of maraschinos add a biodegradable straw and enjoy!

You might also like:
Authentic Rum Punch Recipe
Caribbean Rum Punch

Copyright©Rum Therapy
Pictures and other content may not be re-used without written consent from Rum Therapy, LLC

August 19, 2015June 6, 2019

Best of USVI Survey Results

Thanks to all who took our survey on the “Best-Of St. Thomas, St. John and St. Croix”. We hope the results of our Readers Choice survey will give people planning to visit one of these beautiful islands in the near future some ideas of what to do during that well deserved vacation. The results below are simply a compilation of the answers given by our readers based on what they’ve enjoyed while vacationing in the USVI and we do not endorse, nor discount any of the properties, restaurants, shops or attractions listed or not listed. We encourage you to continue to do your own research prior to your trip.

Some of the answers were eye-opening to us and after reading this, we’ve added a few things to our list to see and do during our next visit! Enjoy!

St. Thomas

Best Beach on St. Thomas:
1. Magens Bay
2. Sapphire Beach
3. Coki Point
4. Bolongo Bay

Best Beach Bar/Island Bar on St. John:
1. Duffy’s Love Shack
2. Iggies
3. Big Kahuna Rum Shack
4. Island Time Pub

Best Rum Drink on St. Thomas:
1. Painkiller
2. Bushwacker
3. Banana Daiquiri
4. VooDoo Juice

Best Restaurant on St. Thomas:
1. Sunset Grille
2. Fish Tails
3. Banana Tree Grille
4. Mafolie

Best Hotel/Resort on St. Thomas:
1. Bolongo Bay Beach Resort
2. Marriot’s Frenchman’s Reef & Morning Star Beach Resort
3. The Ritz-Carlton
4. Dreams Sugar Bay
Write ins with multiple votes: Mafolie Hotel, Bluebeards Castle

Best Villa/Condo Rental in St. Thomas:
1. Slice of Heaven, Magens Bay
2. Sapphire Beach Condos – write ins
3. Point Pleasant – write ins
4. Brigadoon – Red Hook

Best Shop or Boutique on St. Thomas:
1. Pirates in Paradise
2. Bones Rum
3. Native Arts & Crafts Cooperative
Write ins with multiple votes: Fish Face, Caribbean Surf Co.

Best Souvenir to bring home from St. Thomas:
1. Bones Rum
2. Larimar Jewelry
Write ins with multiple votes: Hook Bracelet, Cruzan Rum

Best attraction to experience in St. Thomas:
1. Coral World Ocean Park & Undersea Observatory
2. Skyride to Paradise Point
3. Mountain Top
4. Tree Limin’ Extreme
Write ins with multiple votes: Great House Botanical Gardens, Drake’s Seat, Magens Bay

St. John

Best Beach on St. John:
1. Trunk Bay
2. Cinnamon Bay
3. Maho Bay
4. Salomon and Honeymoon
Write in with multiple votes: Gibney

Best Beach Bar/Island Bar on St. John:
1. The Beach Bar
2. Skinny Legs
3. Woody’s
4. Joe’s Rum Hut

Best Rum Drink on St. John:
1. Painkiller
2. Bushwhacker
3. Rum Punch
Write ins with multiple votes: Mojito and Island Girl from Joe’s Rum Hut, Lime in de Coconut

Best Restaurant on St. John:
1. The Lime Inn
2. Cruz Bay Landing
3. The Banana Deck
4. The Terrace Restaurant
Write in with multiple votes: The Fish Trap

Best Place to Stay on St. John:
1. Private Villa: There were more write ins on this one than votes on the entries posted. Most of the write ins were for private villas with no specific name mentioned with the exception of Villa Mar de Amores and Villa St. John.
2. Westin St. John Resort & Villas
3. Caneel Bay Resort
4. Gallow’s Point Resort

Best Shop or Boutique on St. John:
1. St. John Spice
2. Bougainvillea
3. Coconut Coast Studios
Write ins with multiple votes: Sloop Jones, Caravan, Freebird, Bamboo Studio

Best Souvenir to bring home from St. John:
1. St. John Hook Bracelet
2. Cruz Bay Grill Rub from St. John Spice
3. A Hand Painted Shirt from Sloop Jones
Write ins with multiple votes: T-shirt from The Beach Bar, Larimar Jewelry, rum, a good suntan

Best Attraction to Experience on St. John:
1. Snorkeling the trail at Trunk Bay
2. Snorkeling at Waterlemon Cay
3. Hiking anywhere in the VI National Park
Write ins with multiple votes: Drunk Bay, Exploring the town of Cruz Bay

St Croix

Best Beach on St. Croix:
1. Sandy Point Beach
2. Rainbow Beach
3. Cane Bay Beach
4. Sandcastle Beach
Write ins with multiple votes: Buck Island Beach

Best Beach Bar/Island Bar on St. Croix:
1. Rhythms at Rainbow Beach
2. Rum Runners
3. eat @ cane bay
4. Off the Wall
Write ins with multiple votes: Beachside Café

Best Rum Drink on St. Croix
1. Painkiller
2. Cruzan Confusion
3. Green Flash
Write ins with multiple votes: Lime in de Coconut

Best restaurant on St Croix:
1. Polly’s On the Pier
2. Rowdy Joes
3. The Waves at Cane Bay
4. Galangal
Write ins with multiple votes: Duggans Reef, Rum Runners, LeReine Chicken Shack, eat @ cane bay

Best place to stay on St. Croix:
1. TIE: Renaissance St. Croix Carambola Beach Resort & Spa and Sand Castle on the Beach
2. The Buccaneer
3. Divi Carina Bay Beach Resort
Write ins with multiple votes: Cottages by the Sea, Condo Rental

Best shop or boutique on St. Croix:
1. Sonya Ltd
2. Purple Papaya
3. ib designs
4. From the Gecko Boutique
Write ins with multiple votes: Franklins on the Waterfront

Best Souvenir to bring home from St. Croix:
1. St. Croix Hook Bracelet
2. Cruzan Rum
3. Chaney Jewelry

Best attraction to experience on St. Croix:
1. Catamaran Sail to Buck Island
2. Kayaking at night in a bioluminescent bay
3. Point Udall
4. Beer drinking pigs at Montpellier Domino Club
5. Cruzan Rum Factory Tour
Write ins with multiple votes: dive the wall, dive or snorkel the pier, Jump Up Festival, St. George Village Botanical Gardens

To read more about these and other islands, be sure to check our Blog Directory by Island

Copyright©Rum Therapy
Pictures and other content may not be re-used without written consent from Rum Therapy, LLC

August 17, 2015June 6, 2019

5 Days on Staniel Cay, Part 3 – Off the Cay

In 5 Days on Staniel Cay, Part 1, we talked about the beaches on Staniel Cay and in Part 2, we highlighted some of the other attractions on island that we were lucky enough to experience. In this last part, we’re going to feature the area surrounding Staniel Cay – which are just a short boat ride from Staniel Cay and definitely worth exploring!

Exuma, a long chain of stunningly beautiful islands, or cays – 365 of them, that start about 35 miles south of Nassau, Bahamas. The Exuma Cays are the northernmost part of this chain and much of it is easily accessible from Staniel Cay.

If you have boating experience, you can rent a boat for the day or the week from Coral at Staniel Rentals, or 1/2 day and daily rentals from Nicole at 3N’s Vacation Services. If you’re not comfortable navigating your own boat, Nicole can also arrange a guided tour of the surrounding cays for you.

During our all too short stay, we first took a guided tour of the surrounding area, which included snorkeling at Thunderball Grotto,

Swimming with the pigs at Big Major Cay,

Swimming with the nurse sharks on Compass Cay,

And a fun afternoon playing on the sandbar near Little Pipe Cay.

We enjoyed the day so much that several days later, we decided to rent a boat of our own to explore more of the incredible area. We swam with the pigs again, then headed north for more time on Compass Cay, where we spent time chatting with Tucker, the proprietor of Compass Cay Marina,

Exploring the stunning Crescent Beach on Compass Cay,

Boating through some of the clearest, bluest water we’ve ever seen,

Then spending the last several hours of our day on Sandy Cay, exploring the tiny uninhabited island and the long arc of white sand sandbar that appears during low tide.

Have you spent time on Staniel Cay or in the Exuma Cays? Tell us about it!

To see more posts on the Bahamas and other islands, check out our Island Blog Directory

Copyright©Rum Therapy
Pictures and other content may not be re-used without written consent from Rum Therapy, LLC

August 12, 2015June 22, 2021

Dark ‘N Stormy Ice Cream

If you’re on a diet, you might as well just close this page right now. We could practically feel our clothes getting tighter just reading the list of ingredients, but we forged ahead. You know this job requires some sacrifices in the name of “rum research”.

Anyway, we saw this recipe posted by Gosling’s Rum the other day, and being big fans on their Dark ‘N Stormy Drink, we knew we had to give it a whirl.

Jump to Recipe

There are a few steps to it, and we modified the steps just slightly to make it a bit easier (and to use a few less pots and pans) and the results were still, well, rumlicious. And, as if the ice cream isn’t rich enough by itself, we decided to make a rum sauce (find our rum sauce recipe after the ice cream recipe) and drizzle it over the ice cream before serving…seriously yum.

Oh, and if you don’t want to go through all the steps to make the ice cream from scratch, Goslings recommends “buying some of the best vanilla ice cream you can find to soften. Add chopped crystalized ginger and Gosling’s Black Seal Rum and blend it all in. Re-freeze and serve when ready.” Hmmm. Maybe we’ll try it that way too!

Print Recipe

Dark 'N Stormy Ice Cream

Delicious, creamy and spiked! Not diet friendly, but SUPER rumlicious!

Course: Dessert

Servings: quart

Ingredients

For the Ice Cream

1 c. Sugar
2 c. Milk
2 c. Heavy Cream
8 Egg Yolks (Large)
1/2 c. Gosling's Black Seal Rum
1/2 c. Crystalized Ginger (chopped fine)

For the Rum Sauce

1/2 c. Brown Sugar
1/3 c. Butter
1/8 tsp. Vanilla
3 Tbs. Dark Rum (we used Goslings)

Instructions

To make the Ice Cream:

In a saucepan combine the sugar, the milk, and the cream and scald the mixture over moderate heat, stirring.
In a large bowl beat the egg yolks until they are light and thick and pour in the milk mixture through a fine sieve in a stream, stirring.
Cook the mixture moderate heat, stirring, until it coats the spoon. Transfer the custard to a metal bowl set in a bowl of ice and stir until it is cool.
In a small stainless steel or enameled saucepan reduce the Black Seal Rum over moderately high heat by half, taking care it does not ignite. Allow it to cool.
Stir the Black Seal Rum and the crystalized ginger into the custard and chill the mixture, covered, for 2 hours.
Pour into an ice cream maker to finish chilling and mixing.

To make the Rum Sauce:

Melt butter in a saucepan over low heat. Add brown sugar and stir until dissolved.
Turn off the heat, but leave the saucepan on the stove. Slowly and carefully pour in the rum, stir until it thickens slightly.
Using a small spoon, drizzle over a bowl of ice cream.

Notes

(recipe by Goslings Rum – with slight variations)

Find more delicious rum recipes here!

Copyright ©Rum Therapy
Pictures and other content may not be re-used without written consent from Rum Therapy, LLC

August 11, 2015April 20, 2021

Perfect Vacation Memory – Virgin Gorda

What’s a perfect vacation memory? You know the one your mind wanders to when your day gets a little too stressful? Well, of course it’s different for everyone, but ours usually has something to do with a beautiful beach…and rum…

A few years ago, while staying on-island in this beautiful villa on Virgin Gorda in the BVI, we packed our beach bags and set off for the day to beautiful Spring Bay, a next door neighbor to The Baths. We spent the day lounging in the crystal clear water, exploring the massive boulders and simply soaking in the sun.

And, as if that weren’t perfect enough, after getting our beach fill for the day, we made our way to CocoMaya, where we ordered a Zacapa 23 on ice and a Pinot Grigio, sat with our toes in the sand around a fire pit at the waters edge,

and watched a gorgeous sunset over Tortola.

Great memory of a great day on a beautiful island.

Do you have any great vacation memories from Virgin Gorda? Share them with us!

To see more posts on Virgin Gorda and other islands, check out our Island Blog Directory

All information is correct to our knowledge at the time of writing, but be sure to verify current information before your visit.

August 8, 2015June 24, 2021

Shell-O Shots

Are they Jell-O? Are they shots? They’re Shell-O Shots! A beachy version of the adult party treat! We found a shell shaped ice cube mold Shell Shaped Ice Cube Mold, purchased two of them, and put together several different flavors for a colorful party tray. The recipes can also be used in regular 2 oz. Plastic Jello Shot Cups with Lids. Find the recipes for 3 different flavors below!

Print Recipe

Shell-O Shots

Strawberry banana flavored jello shots in cute shapes

Course: Drinks

Keyword: jello shot, party drink, rum drink

Servings:

Ingredients

1 box strawberry banana jello 3 oz
1 pouch gelatin
1 c hot water
1 c banana rum

Instructions

Pour the gelatin into a medium bowl with 1 c. boiling water. Stir until dissolved.
Add the Strawberry Banana Jell-O and stir until dissolved.
Pour in 1 c. of banana rum.
Spray the shell molds lightly with a cooking spray. Using a small measuring cup, fill each shell mold with the mixture.
Put the mold in the refrigerator until the shells become firm. The firmer they are, the easier they will come out of the mold.
Turn the mold over and gently squeeze each shell out onto a plate.

Notes

Other flavor combos to try:

Lemon Cheesecake Jello Shots
(Makes at least 22 individual shells)

1 - 3oz. box Lemon Jell-O
1 pouch gelatin
1 c. boiling water
1 c. vanilla rum (we used Cruzan)

Blueberry Coconut Jello Shots
(Makes at least 22 individual shells)

1 - 3oz. box Berry Blue Jell-O
1 pouch gelatin
1 c. boiling water
1 c. coconut rum (we used Blue Chair Bay)

Find more rum recipes here:

Rum Recipe Picture Directory

Rum Recipes by Category

August 5, 2015June 6, 2019

5 Days on Staniel Cay, Part 2 – The Island

In 5 Days on Staniel Cay, Part 1 – we covered the beaches of Staniel Cay, and although we spent a lot of time on those beaches, there are other things to enjoy on Staniel Cay and here are some of them. You can locate these attractions on the map below.

Sign on the back of Club Thunderball

On a cliff overlooking Thunderball Grotto, this closed down bar called Club Thunderball must have been a happening place in its day! Regardless, we enjoyed exploring the exterior and imagining sipping a cold rum punch with fellow island lovers while looking out at the gorgeous blue water.

Moving down toward the “town” of Staniel Cay, we spent several fun evenings at the Staniel Cay Yacht Club – the place to be at night on Staniel Cay.

Cold drinks and lots of great conversation with other happy sailors, vacationers and islanders alike make for a great place to hang out.

Hungry? We had several delicious lunches at Staniel Cay and one absolutely delicious lobster dinner. Reservations are required for dinner and the dinner bell rings promptly at 6:30 and 8 – don’t be late. Our dinner was pricey, but worth it.

We also enjoyed hanging out on the dock at the marina during the day.

You never know what you’ll see swimming around in the incredibly clear water.

To the south of the SCYC there are two other dining options.

Taste & Sea Café, casual food with a nice view of the water,

And Big Dog’s.

Just down from Big Dog’s is Emil’s Bakery.

The selection varies with the time of day you stop by, but this is the place to get fresh bread and baked goods while on-island.

There are three grocery stores on Staniel Cay and two are in this area.

Burke’s Convenience Store

And Pink Pearl. Don’t expect the type of grocery store you may find at home, but do expect fantastic and friendly service. We asked the owner of Pink Pearl, Eleanor, if she had any plastic containers that might be suitable for microwaving and she said she didn’t have any in stock, but proceeded to go next door to her house and bring us two of her own bowls to use for the week!

Continuing down the road you will find the oldest house on Staniel Cay/Museum/Library. Sadly, it never appeared open when we passed it as it would have been fun to check out.

There is one church on Staniel Cay and it stands prominently on a “busy” corner.

Mount Olivet Baptist Church sits right on the edge of the water and must offer quite the view for parishioners during service.

Isles General it the 3rd of the 3 grocery stores and is located farther south on the island.

Need a golf cart or boat, or want to plan a wedding on Staniel Cay?

Nicole can help you arrange a golf cart or boat rental and many other services you may need and also runs Embrace Resort.

Heading up the northeast part of the island again, we found a trail along the cliffs heading north.

This was a beautiful hike with great views, just pick your footwear carefully. We did not and the volcanic rock can get pretty painful in sandals.

Do as little or as much as you want on your Staniel Cay vacation, but as the sign on the beach next to SCYC says,

While you are here: Stop awhile Sit awhile Observe awhile Listen awhile Relax awhile Meditate awhile Live awhile longer…

Coming up in the Part 3 – what to see in the area around Staniel Cay!

Find Staniel Cay on our Bahamas Map

To see more posts on the Bahamas and other islands, check out our Island Blog Directory