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Who loves a day on the water? I know I do! I am super excited to tell you all about an amazing new boat that’s available for boat trips both here in US waters and over in the British Virgin Islands too.

Picaroon’s Parlay is a brand-new, dual-console World Cat that splashed down into our waters just last month. It’s the newest boat in Flyaway Charters’ fleet, and she is an absolute beauty. Flyaway Charters is one of the longest-running charter boat companies in St. John, and its owners Colin and Leah Hanson happen to be good friends of mine. Flyaway Charters is based out of Coral Bay. Their fleet also includes three 27-foot Glacier Bay power catamarans, which are available for both US and BVI charters, and a Molly Cove Harbor Tender, which is used as its Lime Out shuttle boat.

At 32-feet long, Picaroon’s Parlay can comfortably accommodate up to 12 guests. I’ve been on a lot of charter boats over the years, and I have to say, this one is designed perfectly! It’s not only spacious, but it’s extremely comfortable too. I took a quick trip on it a few weeks ago, and I was beyond impressed!

From the moment you step onto Picaroon’s Parlay, you can immediately see how it was designed with comfort in mind. Its deck is made by SeaDek, which is a non-slip, skid-resistant, padded floor. It’s cushy and comfy, and I just loved it. When it comes to seating, there is a ton. There is a comfortable and shaded, l-shaped seating area across from the captain in addition to two comfortable bench seats up in the bow. You can add a third cushion up front to make one large comfy seat too. It’s a pretty nice touch.

For those of you looking to get into the water, there is a door on the side of the boat, as well as a large deck on the stern which makes getting into and out of the water that much easier. It even has a freshwater rinse for people like me who don’t enjoy the stickiness of the salt water after a dip in the ocean. And lastly, there is even a sink, refrigerator, and a small restroom on board.

Picaroon’s Parlay is available for half-day and full-day USVI trips, as well as trips to the British Virgin Islands. Because it’s a faster boat, you can easily take it up to Virgin Gorda for the day. If you are unfamiliar with this island in the BVI, it’s home to the Baths, which are very cool rock formations that you can climb up, over, and around. The Baths are a beautiful spot and even hosted a Sports Illustrated swimsuit photo shoot years ago. You can even visit Necker Island, which is Richard Branson’s private island. This is an amazing spot where you can take a private nature tour that allows you to interact with lemurs, large tortoises, and more.

Half-day USVI trips on Picaroon’s Parlay are $945 and a full-day USVI trip is $1,495. A full-day BVI Jost trip is $2,2025 and a BVI trip to Virgin Gorda is $2,215. The Necker Island trip costs $2,875, plus the cost of the Necker Island tour which is paid directly to Gumption, the tour operator. All of Flyaway Charters’ prices include fuel. BVI trip prices do not include BVI customs fees, which is $85 per person. Customs is paid directly to the BVI government.

Now who is ready to book a trip on St. John’s newest charter boat? You know you are! Please visit www.flyawaychartersvi.com to learn more and to book. You can also see what they’re up to by following them on social media. Click here to follow them on Instagram and click here to like them on Facebook.

Looking to take a St. John island tour?

Learn more here –> www.explorestj.com/tour Full & half days available. Rated “Excellent” on TripAdvisor.

Follow Explore STJ on Social Media

–> www.facebook.com/explorestj

–> www.instagram.com/explorestj

Hello everyone, and happy Monday! I hope you all had a wonderful weekend. There’s a lot that’s new on St. John, so I thought I would share a little update today.

First, let’s start with restaurants. Unfortunately, Salty Mongoose closed out in Coral Bay last month, but a new spot is working to open in its place. According to a Facebook post, the new restaurant will be called Sharky’s By the Water, and it is expected to open sometime in mid-February. (Click here to follow them on Instagram.) According to the Coconut Telegraph, Salty Mongoose was working to open at the old mini golf spot near Cruz Bay, but I haven’t heard anything definitive on that. If I hear anything, you’ll all be the first to know.

Speaking of restaurants, Quiet Mon Pub was another one that was somewhat forced to closed last month. Well if you’ve been in Cruz Bay over the past week, you’ve probably noticed some work going on up there. Something new is set to take its place, and I will share all of the details on that soon.

Looking for somewhere new to watch a game? Our friends over at the Sweet Shack on Centerline Road now have a projector screen at its rooftop bar. You can watch the game outdoors – with sound – while enjoying a nice view, drinks, and even some ice cream if you’d like! You can even bring over to-go food from Shambles, which happens to be its sister restaurant directly across the street. I have been meaning to tell you more about this new spot for a while now. I promise that I will get over there this week, so I can share more details and pics!

Click here to see where The Sweet Shack and all of our restaurants are located – Explore STJ’s Restaurant Map. 

Now onto the island itself… We are definitely busy. It’s not crazy busy where it’s unbearable, but the island is full. It seems that the colder you all are, the busier we are. And my goodness, it sure looks chilly up there! Parking at the beaches is somewhat easy in the mornings – say up to about 10:30 a.m. or so – but it’s definitely more problematic in the afternoons from what I’ve been seeing as I cruise around during my Explore STJ Island Tours. And I know I have said this multiple times, but it is worth repeating: No parking really does mean no parking. I see tickets at the North Shore beaches on almost a daily basis. Let’s use that cash at the restaurants or the shops, not on parking tickets.

(Click here to read a recent article about where you can and cannot park in order to avoid pricey parking tickets.)

And lastly, the Animal Care Center is hosting its largest fundraising event this Saturday. Please consider attending the gala, which will be held at The Last Resort in Chocolate Hole. Think party, not gala. It’s island-fancy, not formal. Tickets are $175 in advance. You can buy them at the Animal Care Center, Connections, or St. John Hardware. Or you can email me at jenn@explorestj.com and I will help you purchase them.

Not on island this weekend? No problem! You can still support the Animal Care Center by bidding on one of 24 auction items. Click here to learn more. 

Explore STJ would like to thank our newest advertiser – The Tap Room & St. John Brewers! I don’t know about you, but I love every moment I spend over at The Tap Room in Mongoose Junctions. They make their own beers, sodas, hard seltzers and more. And even better? Pizzas are $5 off during happy hour seven days a week! And lastly, they have arcade games and a photo booth for the kids, plus air conditioning. You really can’t beat that.

Want to advertise on ExploreSTJ.com, St. John’s most-read blog? Just contact me at jenn@explorestj.com & I can share all of the details. 🙂

Looking to take a St. John island tour?

Learn more here –> www.explorestj.com/tour Full & half days available. Rated “Excellent” on TripAdvisor.

Follow Explore STJ on Social Media

–> www.facebook.com/explorestj

–> www.instagram.com/explorestj

Who needs a little warm-up? Take a walk with me along the beach in Cruz Bay. You’ll hear the waves slowly roll in and tunes coming out of The Beach Bar too! Enjoy!

Looking to take a St. John island tour?

Learn more here –> www.explorestj.com/tour Full & half days available. Rated “Excellent” on TripAdvisor.

Follow Explore STJ on Social Media

–> www.facebook.com/explorestj

–> www.instagram.com/explorestj