excursions Archives | Rum Therapy

December 2, 2015June 6, 2019

Our Day with Wreck Life Adventure Center, St. Thomas

In the past, we’ve visited Jost Van Dyke while on a sail trip or via ferry, and during our recent stay in the USVI, we had a hankering to jet over to Jost Van Dyke to check out the new Ivan’s and enjoy a Painkiller – or two, on White Bay. Instead of taking the ferry over, we thought we’d see if we could hook up with a company that offered day excursions to JVD. A friend suggested Wreck Life Adventure Center, and owners John & Laurel Webb were able to squeeze us in for the day.

The Wreck Life Headquarters are located in Compass Point Marina which is on the east end of St. Thomas not far from Red Hook. We got there early, anticipating a fun day on the water and were greeted by John who goes by “Big Country”. Now, you just can’t help but smile when you meet Big Country. He’s a tall guy with a huge smile who loves joke around and tell stories, and we instantly felt part of the Wreck Life family.

John Webb (aka Big Country)

Our full day excursion started at about 8:30 am and we grabbed our gear and headed to the dock. Their brand new 31′ Island Runner with a center console is arriving any day now, so we boarded the boat normally used for their dive excursions for our day on the water.

What we thought would be just a trip over to Jost turned into an excellent day of exploration – topped off with plenty of time to enjoy White Bay and a few Painkillers… Wreck Life does an excellent job of finding out what your interests are and matching it with an perfect adventure on, and in the water.

Here are just a few highlights of our day with Wreck Life!

Peter Bay, St John

Driving by the North Shore St John beaches for some photo ops, a different way of seeing the gorgeous beaches and learning more about the area (like where’s Kenny Chesney’s house?)

Waterlemon Cay, St. John

Excellent snorkeling at Waterlemon Cay (snorkel equipment was provided), where we spotted the usual snorkeling suspects (such as Sergeant Majors and Parrotfish), and other rather uncommon snorkeling sights for us (nurse shark, sand diver, an eel and living coral!)

Nurse Shark

Sand Diver

Colorful “living coral!

Entering the British Virgin Islands at Great Harbour, Jost Van Dyke (John took care of all of the entry paperwork while we enjoyed the view)

Lunch at Foxy’s (Roti and Rum – yum), and a chat with Foxy!

And then to top off the day – a short boat ride over to White Bay where we spent the rest of the afternoon walking from Ivan’s to One Love and enjoying time in the beautiful White Bay water.

Ivan’s New Building

One Love

An afternoon enjoying the water of White Bay

The day was great and we loved the fact that the trip was catered to exactly what we wanted to do. Big Country would have accommodated most anything else we would have liked to pack into the fun day such as a stop at Sandy Spit or Sandy Cay – but we thought our personalized excursion was perfect just the way it was…

Have you done a Scuba Trip or Excursion with Wreck Life Adventure Center? Tell us about it!

To get more info on chartering a scuba trip or one of their personalized day excursions, contact Wreck Life by email at [email protected], check out their website and be sure to follow them on Facebook!

Find Wreck Life on our St. Thomas Map

To see more St. Thomas and other island posts, check out our Island Blog Directory

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

March 15, 2015April 19, 2021

A Day of Fun in the Sun with Bahama Boat Excursions

Imagine being picked up at the dock next to your hotel and whisked away over the crystal clear water of the Bahamas where you spend the day snorkeling over gorgeous reefs, zipping along on a tube in the warm water, walking in the sugar soft white sand on a deserted beach and being treated to some delicious fresh conch salad and rum punch.

Before leaving last month on our much anticipated trip to the Bahamas, we received an email from Team BBE that said “Will you be traveling to Nassau for the RumBahamas Festival? If so, would you be interested in meeting up for an afternoon of fun in the sun on an excursion to our private beach on Rose Island?” We quickly googled Bahama Boat Excursions and emailed back YES!

(Note – this excursion is no longer available)

copyright Rum Therapy — Capt. Aztec King and Chris Vykouthlas, owners of Bahama Boat Excursions

Bahamas Boat Excursions is the brainchild of long time friends Chris Vykouthlas and Capt. Aztec King who are incredibly lucky to have turned what most people dream of experiencing on vacation into a way of life, and gives them the opportunity to share their love of their islands. They, along with Creative Director, Casey Wray, make up Team BBE.

The day of our excursion, we were picked up at the dock of our hotel by Chris and Capt. Aztec and were immediately struck by their friendliness and excellent customer service. They went out of their way to make sure we had an experience like no other.

Our day began with an exhilarating ride out to private Rose Island on Mary Jane, one of 3 (soon to be 4) boats in their fleet. What did our afternoon of fun in the sun with Bahama Boat Excursions include?

Plenty of warm Bahamian sunshine while skimming over the incredibly clear blue water.

Great snorkeling

Stingray sightings

Swimming with the turtles

A thrilling ride on the tube!

Time to ourselves on a beautiful, private, pristine beach

Amazingly crystal clear water

A quiet beach oasis with chairs and umbrellas for total relaxation…

Rum punch and a delicious conch salad

Plenty of time to walk the white sand beach

And a stop on the way home at Sandy Cay to have our picture taken in front of the island used in the opening credits of Gilligan’s Island.

That, and more, made for a excellent day of fun in the sun. Water-logged and sun-kissed from our day of exploring the waters and beaches around Nassau, we headed back totally relaxed and full of new memories from our time with Team BBE. To say we had a blast is an understatement. It was truly one of the best days we’ve had on (and in!) the water.

If you are planning to travel to Nassau and would like more information on Bahama Boat Excursions, email Team BBE at [email protected], check out their website and follow them on Facebook. Voted a top activity in the Bahamas by travelers on Trip Advisor, they tend to book up quickly, so be sure to plan ahead!

Team BBE offers a variety of excursions ranging from an afternoon of relaxation on private Rose Island for up to 6 people, watersport excursions, fishing charters and an excursion to the Exuma Cays. They can also arrange to take larger groups of up to 120 passengers for 4, 6 or 8 hour private excursions over to Rose Island where they offer groups a live grilling station with a professional chef, full bar, music, water sports, kayaks, snorkeling, hammocks, volleyball… and more! Their services can be fully customized to fit the wants and wishes of their visitors from corporate groups, field trips, wedding parties, bachelor or bachelorette parties, family reunions, you name it – they look forward to exceeding your expectations!

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

January 5, 2014September 25, 2019

Sandy Spit, British Virgin Islands

Update: Sandy Spit survived the hurricanes of 2017, but lost the little vegetation it had to begin with! Local residents have been planting a few small trees that we hope will eventually take and re-vegetate Sandy Spit. Here’s a photo of a recent visit (post Irma).

I don’t know what it is about small, uninhabited tropical islands that gets us all excited. Maybe we watched a few too many episodes of Gilligan’s Island, or maybe it’s just the allure of complete, peace, quiet and solitude…

Whatever it is, our first visit in 2010 to Sandy Spit in the British Virgin Islands ranked right up there with visits to other favorite uninhabited tropical island such as Mopion and Petit Tabac in the Grenadines and Sandy Island, Carriacou. We had Sandy Spit all to ourselves for a few wonderful hours and spent the time wandering around, lounging in the sun, enjoying a wee bit of rum punch and enjoying the sound of the gentle waves lapping the shore.

It can take all of 10 minutes to walk around Sandy Spit – if you walk slowly! From Sandy Spit, it’s just a short distance to Green Cay, and on calm days this area can be a great place to snorkel. There are some great diving areas around Green Cay as well.

Green Cay as seen from Sandy Spit

Sandy Spit is rumored to have gotten it’s name because it’s just “spitting distance” from Jost Van Dyke. It’s also quite close to it’s slightly larger sister island, Sandy Cay and many people try to spend time at both while in the area.

The island is sand all the way around with just a bit of foliage in the middle. To the east you can see Tortola, and to the west you can see Little Jost Van Dyke and Jost Van Dyke.

Tortola on the east

The first time we visited Sandy Spit, we arrived via a cat during a week-long sail in the BVI. The second time, we rented a dinghy in Great Harbour, Jost Van Dyke. Just a word of advice – if taking a dinghy over, be sure to check weather conditions before embarking on the journey. When there is a strong north swell, it can be difficult – if not dangerous to beach your dinghy on Sandy Spit. We know this now…

On calm days, the snorkeling is excellent and the surf is calm and great for swimming, floating and pure relaxation.

Jost Van Dyke in the distance

Ahhh…Sandy Spit. A Gilligan-esque slice of paradise!

Have you spent time on Sandy Spit?

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

December 10, 2013December 10, 2013

YS Falls, Jamaica

We enjoyed a fun visit and a hike up the falls at Dunn’s River in Jamaica during a stop there years ago and when we heard there was a set of falls equally or even more beautiful than Dunn’s River and a LOT less crowded, we decided we really wanted to see them! Actually, there were 3 things on our list of things we really wanted to see in that area and were able to find a tour operator that could personalize a day of exploring for us. Carlton, of Turner Taxis and Tours, was an excellent, knowledgeable and fun guide that made our day of touring one that we won’t forget.

We left our resort at about 8a.m. that day to tour the SW side of Jamaica. First stop of the day was YS Falls. The journey to YS from Negril was about 2.5 hours and may be a little shorter most times, but there was a bit of road construction that slowed us up down around the Sandals Whitehouse Resort (remote and on a gorgeous quiet beach by the way!)

We passed by fields and fields of sugar cane, many fresh fruit and vegetable stands with offerings of ackee, breadfruit and peanuts and as we got closer to the coast again, fresh fish stands. We passed the Peter Tosh Memorial, which we wish we would have made time to visit, then on to Black River (where they have alligator tours???) and up into the hills towards the falls.

Apparently no one really knows the exact origin of the name YS, but most think it was either a combination of the first letters of the original founders surnames (John Yates and Richard Scott) or was taken from the Gaelic word “wyess”, which means winding.

Upon arrival, we paid an entry fee of $15 per adult (the credit card machine was down, so we paid with cash) and caught a 10 minute ride on the tractor up to the falls.

The number of visitors at one time are apparently limited to minimize the impact on the area, but it also created a serene and peaceful experience.

YS consists of seven falls and there are areas to climb or just sit and enjoy. If you don’t want to get wet, there are wooden stairs next to the falls that will take you to the top. The water was flowing fast and hard the day we visited, and the water was a churned up and a bit murky, but from what we hear, the pools are quite clear.

In one pool there are two rope swings – one that glides out over the pool,

and one for the more adventurous!

In addition to the swings, you can also take a zipline down the falls! Unfortunately it wasn’t running at the time we were there but it looked like it would have been a blast! You can see the line over the falls in the picture below.

At the bottom of the falls there is a freshwater pool to swim in and numerous places to sit, relax and enjoy the scenery.

Near the pool there are changing rooms and a small gift shop with lockers and tube rental.

Beautiful, relaxing and refreshing. We think YS Falls are well worth a visit while if you find yourself on the south or southwest side of Jamaica.

Find out more on their website: YS Falls

Find YS Falls on our Jamaica Map

Copyright©Rum Therapy Beaches, Bars & More, Tropical Travel Guide, 2013
Pictures and other content may not be re-used without written consent from Rum Therapy, LLC

November 17, 2013June 6, 2019

Mystic Mountain, Ocho Rios, Jamaica

The thought of zipping through the jungle on a Jamaican Bobsled hooked us into booking an excursion at Mystic Mountain near Ocho Rios during our recent trip to Jamaica. Apparently inspired by the movie Cool Runnings, Mystic Mountain offers not only a ride that hurtles you down the mountain in bobsled shaped cars, but a zipline, swimming pool with slide and a restaurant that offers a terrific view of Ocho Rios below.

We opted for the “Tranopy” ticket which covered the cost of the skyride through the jungle to get to the top, the zipline adventure and one ride on the bobsled.

Just past the ticket office, we boarded the skyride for a scenic 15 minute ride up the mountain.

Slow and smooth, the skyride gives an excellent view of lush foliage and as it moves higher, the cruise ship port of Ocho Rios.

After a relaxing, sunny and scenic ride, we reached the top, got off the skyride and made our way to our next attraction – a zipline through the jungle!

Stay tuned for pictures and info on the Mystic Mountain Zipline & Bobsled!

Have you taken the skyride to the top of Mystic Mountain?

Find Mystic Mountain on our Jamaica Map

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

Copyright©Rum Therapy Beaches, Bars & More, Tropical Travel Guide, 2013
Pictures and other content may not be re-used without written consent from Rum Therapy, LLC

October 30, 2013June 1, 2015

Palm Island, The Grenadines

Palm Island, a private island resort in the southern Grenadines makes today’s entry for our ever growing Caribbean Destination Wish List.

Although we were fortunate enough to spend an afternoon on Palm Island during a week long sail on a Lagoon 440 in the Grenadines in 2008, the short visit made us wish we had a week or more to explore, enjoy and relax on the gorgeous private island with 5 spectacular white sand beaches.

Palm Island offers just 43 accommodations, ranging from guest rooms and suites to villas and the all-inclusive price includes three wonderful meals a day at two restaurants, lounges and bars and beach barbeques.

Palm Island is accessible only by boat and, as they say on their website, getting to Palm Island is just part of the adventure! Guests fly to Barbados and then take an inter-island flight to nearby Union Island.

In contrast to the striking white sand beaches, the water is some sort of magical blue hue that’s hard to look away from. Palm Island makes getting out on the water easy with a wide variety of excursions such as a sail to beautiful Mopion Island, Mayreau or the Tobago Cays, or take a Hobie Cat ride over to Happy Island.

So, what would we do if we had a week to spend on Palm Island? Well, in addition to spending a LOT of time on those gorgeous beaches and in the almost too blue to be true water, we’d love to explore the hiking trails on foot and bike, check out every one of the many hammocks on the island, golf, sail a Hobie Cat, enjoy some private beach dining and definitely find out what the Palm Island specialty rum drinks are!

Have you been to Palm Island yet? Tell us about it!

To find out more about Palm Island Resort, check out their website.

Find Palm Island on our St. Vincent and the Grenadines Map

To see more posts on The Grenadines and other islands, check out our Island Blog Directory

May 31, 2013July 25, 2019

Prickly Pear Cays, Anguilla

About six miles from Road Bay, Anguilla lies a set of uninhabited islands called Prickly Pear Cays.

During a recent sail trip, our Captain suggested we make a stop there to enjoy some time in the sun on a gorgeous, quiet beach. The backside of the Cays were rocky with little vegetation.

But…as soon as we rounded the corner….wow. A beautiful cove of clear vibrant blue water fringed by a long stretch of very white sand.

We could hardly wait to dive in an swim ashore. The Captain anchored close to the picturesque point.

After lounging in the water and enjoying the floating bar, we took our time kicking and floating our way in to the beach.

And enjoyed exploring the small cay. There’s a small beach bar called Prickly Pear Bar & Restaurant where you can grab some food and drink, watch the sugar birds and lizards and lounge in the beach chairs.

We spent most of our time that day walking the sugar sand beach and floating in the calm water.

Excursions to Prickly Pear are available either from Road Bay, Anguilla or neighboring St. Maarten/St. Martin. Snorkeling was good out a little farther at the reef, but we had a hard time keeping our head under water when the view was so beautiful above….

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