Private Sail in St. Thomas

[warf]

I have emailed JollyMon twice with no response.

 

I was trying to book as well, and I just received a response, and it appears that the Jollymon is under new ownership, Gayle sold it to someone named Jon Hall.

[snoozncruzn]

Has anyone sailed with High Pockets recently? There doesn't seem to be any new postings. Thanks for any info.

[Host Faith]

Has anyone sailed with High Pockets recently? There doesn't seem to be any new postings. Thanks for any info.

 

I was looking for these as well. Here are some recent reviews from Tripadvisor: http://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g147407-d550566-Reviews-Daysail_High_Pockets_Adventure-East_End_St_Thomas_U_S_Virgin_Islands.html

[cruzncrazy]

How would a private sail like this be with a couple of 13 yr old girls? Will they enjoy?

[stlrboo]

We did Rumbaba several years ago (2008). While we had an overall enjoyable time I cannot recommend them for everyone. I am 'fluffy' and have arthritis in my knee and hip, yet active. I have gone on many snorkeling boat excursions over the years without difficulty. On the Rumbaba, when we went, we had to access the boat via a small, inflatable tender. Once we arrived at the boat he only had a rope type ladder for access that did not give much support. It was very difficult for me. When we returned to the dock at the end of the excursion the tide had gone out and we had to climb up the side of the stationary dock using the supports under the dock as a ladder. Bobby showed me how to put my foot on the supports and then took off in the tender leaving me hanging on the side of the dock alone! Thankfully two of our friends had already climbed up the dock and were able to hoist me up and over the side. There was nothing to hang onto at the top so I needed a lot of assistance. Believe me, more than my pride was bruised! I would never go with them again!:mad:

 

If you have any mobility issues do not go with Captain Bobby! He said he has had "grannies with walkers" on his boat. Maybe......but then they are better than I! BTW - I did ask him about his ladder and access prior to the daysail and he said I would have no problem, so now I am much more specific and want to see a picture of the ladder prior to committing to a sail & snorkel excursion. Also, I do not see why he could not have gone over to a floating dock to allow easier access from his tender to the dock. That was horrible. I have never, in many sailing trips, ever had to do anything like that before. No one with ANY mobility issues would have been able to do that climb, especially with bad knees.

 

 

 

The Rumbaba did do a full sail except for motoring in and out of harbor. The sailing part of our charter was very enjoyable.

I can second this entire ordeal, and altho' the "sail" itself was quite nice, the getting on and off was atrocious..!! Never again..!!!! :eek:

 

The wife and I, as well as my sister-in-law, and her "NEW" husband were also on this sailing... The food was great, but 'Bobby' didn't seem to care much about the ambulatory issues..! We had been informed 'originally' that the Rumbaba 'docked' at a pier which is why we booked..! It doesn't!!! A dingy, and a very trecherous 'boarding' to the dingy! YUK! Not again... :(

[Lsimon]

I can second this entire ordeal, and altho' the "sail" itself was quite nice, the getting on and off was atrocious..!! Never again..!!!! :eek:

 

The wife and I, as well as my sister-in-law, and her "NEW" husband were also on this sailing... The food was great, but 'Bobby' didn't seem to care much about the ambulatory issues..! We had been informed 'originally' that the Rumbaba 'docked' at a pier which is why we booked..! It doesn't!!! A dingy, and a very treacherous 'boarding' to the dingy! YUK! Not again... :(

 

I've been on both the Rumbuba and the Winifred. The access, boarding, and disembarking was identical on the two and from what I saw it was the same for the other day sail trips leaving from the Yacht Harbor at Red Hook. Both of them required one to navigate off the dock and down a ladder to a dingy and after a short ride to the boat, onto it - and the reverse at the end of the day. At times the climb up the ladder at the docks was more than a couple steps depending on the tides. The only thing I recall differently was that the Rumbaba had a metal ladder for getting onto and off of the boat - but it could be that that was used for snorkeling and swimming and there was a different way of getting on/off the dinghy.

 

While it wasn't as easy as stopping off the dock onto a ramp to a boat, it wasn't what I'd call treacherous. But then again while we're not in tip top shape we don't have mobility issues. I can see why this type of excursion would not be right for someone who does have mobility issues. Not only might the boarding be difficult but the seating area is very small and I would think that to best enjoy the trip one might want to walk around the sailboat and sit up on deck a bit and either do some swimming or snorkeling, something that could be difficult if one has mobility issues.

 

Keep in mind these are single hulled sail boats and the whole experiance is very different from a day-sail on a large catamaran of the type used for larger group excursions.

 

Has anyone every had a different experiance with any of the other day-sails operating out of Red Hook?

[mizLORInj]

I've sailed on Independence out of Red Hook and yes these sailboats are all moored in the harbor and you are picked up in the dinghy.

We have had seniors with us who navigated the ladder and truly enjoyed their day, though to get on and off the dock with the ladder was not their favorite part.

[GlassFincer]

We have been on 11 cruises and our favorite shore excursion of all time was our "Day Sail" on Simplicity last week from St Thomas to St John. Captain Charlie and first mate Josh are old college buddies who are now "Livin the Dream". These guys are educated, knowledgeable, funny and focused on customer service. Charlie’s boat is a restored 42' Sloop that takes a maximum of six and these guys pamper the heck out of you. The guided snorkel tour with Josh was great as he described the sea life in detail. Charlie cooked an outrageous lunch of BBQ chicken, Caesar salad and rice pilaf. Large variety of drinks just kept coming. And his dog Hinckley is a crack up "helping" sail the boat. Google "Simplicity Charters" you will not regret it...............

[stlrboo]

I've been on both the Rumbuba and the Winifred. The access, boarding, and disembarking was identical on the two and from what I saw it was the same for the other day sail trips leaving from the Yacht Harbor at Red Hook.

Again, I am not implying that the tours on either of these crafts is anything but great! :)

However, 'fluffy' people or those with any mobility issues should be aware of what it takes to get to the boat charter!

 

I've been boating in Erie, Pa on Lake Erie or the area, since I was 10 years old, and I know a convenient boarding and also the opposite..! For those vendors who chose to say they 'dock at a pier', and they don't, I feel that is inappropriate!

 

Most of the tours from Red Hook are on vessels "moored" from a bouy, so access must be made via a dingy off a non-floating pier, which may be "questionable" to some! It was to us, so I posted my opinion..! :p

[joycefnp]

We had a group of 22 and chartered the Coconut in February 2011. While I thought the boat itself looked a little shabby, the crew of 2 were great. They broke out the drinks before they usually do because it was a private charter, and continued to make sure that we all got plenty to drink and eat all day. We were supposed to go to St John, but the weather was rough, so we discussed our options with the captain, and chose to go to calmer destinations. It was a really relaxing and enjoyable day. Some of our group members booked a snorkel trip later in Tortola through Princess, and felt like they were being herded and rushed the whole day. If you have a larger group I would recommend the Coconut for a very laid back day in St Thomas.

[Oceans4]

We sailed Rumbaba on February 1, 2011.

 

We have been to St. Thomas many times on cruise port stops. This year, we wanted to do something different and book a private excursion. After reading great reviews about Rumbaba’s day sail, I exchanged several emails with Captain Bobby and his “behind-the-scenes” first rate first mate, Karen. The description of the day sounded great, and although we had ten people on our cruise that wanted to do this trip, the boat can only accommodate six people, so we booked our private excursion for six of us. There is no doubt that we were the “lucky six”, as this day was incredible from start to finish.

 

As planned, we disembarked from the Explorer of the Seas, where taxis were waiting for us. Captain Bobby had already told us we would be paying $10 per person each way to get to Red Hook, so we were prepared for that. The large open-air taxis were lined up, and we easily got a taxi to the marina in Red Hook. As we got out of the taxi, there was Captain Bobby waiting for us. He then took us, three at a time, in his dinghy, to the beautiful Rumbaba. As each of us climbed the ladder into the sailboat, we were introduced to Lori, the first mate. Lori’s first words to us were , “would you like to try one of Bobby’s special dirty bloody mary’s and some homemade banana blueberry bread”? (with bananas grown in Lori’s backyard)…….and that pretty much set the tone for what was in store for us for the next six hours. None of us had any trouble getting in and out of the sailboat, and we felt as though our safety was considered throughout the day.

 

While Captain Bobby aptly sailed us into the beautiful Caribbean with sails billowing, Lori catered to our every need. Lori took our bags below after having us remove the sunscreen and towels we might need. There was a bathroom (head) below, and other than using the bathroom, there was no need to go below. Lori was right on hand to get anyone what they needed.

 

During our sailing, we were offered bloody mary’s, rum punch, a drink called painkiller (my absolute favorite – a pina colada type drink on the rocks with nutmeg on top), beer, water, soda, and any other variety of mixed drink you might want. There was no limit to the refreshments.

 

When we got to a snorkel spot, all of the equipment was included, and while we snorkeled, Karen and Bobby started preparing lunch. However, first, there was an appetizer tray set before us. We all boarded back onto the boat, got into our seats, and then Bobby lowered the fold-down table. Lori brought up the most gorgeous tray of snacks, which included spiced shrimp, fresh veggies, cheddar mango dip, homemade bagel chips…..you get the picture. The presentation was lovely, and we did a great job of cleaning that large plate.

 

Next came the best meal ever. We had pre-ordered from a choice of four entrees. Four of us had the ahi tuna and absolutely are still raving about it. Two of us had the grilled chicken, and if you, like me, are not a fish eater, this chicken is incredible. It was absolute heaven. We were each given a plate containing a variety of items – our entrée, which Bobby grilled right on the boat, pasta salad, green salad, and marinated asparagus. As we devoured this meal in the shade under a canopy that Bobby put up, there was nothing but turquoise water surrounding us and great music playing on the boat’s speakers. I am sure Bobby could see we were in heaven, and he jokingly said “sorry about the view folks”. I am pretty sure that unless you have had lunch on the Rumbaba like we did, there are not too many people that can say they have had this experience.

 

After lunch we had the choice of going to a second snorkel spot or taking a long, lazy scenic sail back. We unanimously chose the scenic route, and as we listened to Kenny Chesney, Jimmy Buffett, and other music, we slowly sailed along some of the most beautiful scenery ever. We could sit wherever we wanted – and it was easy to sit up on the top on our towels, feeling the sun and the wind. Throughout the sailing, Lori was giving us tidbits of St. Thomas history and Captain Bobby regaled us with some funny stories. Did I mention he is extremely laid back? I am thinking there is not too much that bothers our Captain, and he was so easygoing and easy to be with all day long. He told us it was “our day” and we would tell him what we wanted to do. We pretty much let him decide (what do we know?). Lori kept the beverages going the entire time, offering different concoctions as the day went on. And did I forget to mention the homemade cookies on the ride back? Yes, to say we were spoiled that day would be an understatement. (and we were even given a laminated paper with the recipes for some of the great food we had on board).

 

If you are thinking of a day sail in St. Thomas, you cannot go wrong booking with Rumbaba. Sometimes on a trip like this, people will say “there was just this one problem”….. six of us for six hours…. not one complaint. In fact, on the last night of our cruise at dinner, we were all saying the best part of our cruise, and 5 of us said it was this day sail. The other one said that she wanted to say this was the best part of her cruise, but since her husband had not been able to join, all she could think of was how much he would have loved it, so I am going to venture to say that all six of us pretty much chose this as the best part of a 10-day cruise.

 

I go on a cruise every year, and often St. Thomas is on the itinerary. After the day with had with Captain Bobby, Lori, and the amazing Karen (whom we never met but made most of our food and drinks in advance), there is no way I wouldn’t book this trip again and again. I don’t think you have to have a group of 6, but if you do, you can charter the whole sailboat for a custom day. You would have to contact Bobby for information on smaller groups. Either way, you will find it to be worth every penny.

 

Bobby, Karen, and Lori - Thanks for making St. Thomas the best day! We will remember this always…..See you next time! Donna, Ed, Mary, Bill, Patti, and Bettyanne.

[Host Faith]

We have been on 11 cruises and our favorite shore excursion of all time was our "Day Sail" on Simplicity last week from St Thomas to St John. Captain Charlie and first mate Josh are old college buddies who are now "Livin the Dream". These guys are educated, knowledgeable, funny and focused on customer service. Charlie’s boat is a restored 42' Sloop that takes a maximum of six and these guys pamper the heck out of you. The guided snorkel tour with Josh was great as he described the sea life in detail. Charlie cooked an outrageous lunch of BBQ chicken, Caesar salad and rice pilaf. Large variety of drinks just kept coming. And his dog Hinckley is a crack up "helping" sail the boat. Google "Simplicity Charters" you will not regret it...............

 

Thank you for posting! We're sailing with Simplicity in a few months. I'm a dog lover, can't wait to see Hinkley too :)

[Buffettfan 225]

We booked thru Island Marketing, full day sail/snorkel to St. John. They dubed it the VIP and the description of the boat and service provided was totally different. Even though it was pouring rain, lightning everywhere they would not give us our money back. We only snorkled one spot, and since the Captain was late, and the weather was bad, the full dy sail turned in a half day with no money refunded. Plus the cabin area below was a filthy mess.

 

We too used Island Marketing but in Grand Caymen and they "lost" our deposit,thankfully I had my paperwork. Then they were then short number of waverunners for Stingray excursion. We had to pay full amount in order to go -couldn't argue as I had no leverage. It was not staff fault, but Island Marketings communication -would not rebook with them for a tour.

[michelle1836]

can anyone tell me how much Rumbaba costs per person? and how do they compare to similar trips?

 

thanks!

[Lsimon]

can anyone tell me how much Rumbaba costs per person? and how do they compare to similar trips?

 

thanks!

 

I don't remember the exact cost but it was something over $100/pp - Maybe 125? They give a discount for cash.

 

Overall the experiance is similar on these small sail boats sailing from Red Hook except for the food. One person might like one captain more and another a different one - they are all pretty nice. With that said we really did like the Rumbaba and there was one HUGE difference that makes Rumbaba really great - the food!! If food is at all important to you then Rumbaba is absolutely #1. They offer fresh tuna, mahi-mahi, beef fillet or chicken. They also have a nice spread which includes some grilled shrimp and other appetizers. The mahi we had both trips wasn't just good it was fantastic. Our friends loved their food too. Capt. Bobby grills the food on a grill right on the boat for you!

[bighamlin]

Looks like you had a fantastic time. Do you remember where you went? Also, how was the water temperature?

Thanks

[Lsimon]

Looks like you had a fantastic time. Do you remember where you went? Also, how was the water temperature?

Thanks

 

The first time we sailed with Rumbaba we stopped at Hawks Nest bay for snorkeling, swimming and lunch. Like the poster above we were given the option of staying there all afternoon, going to another snorkeling spot or doing some scenic sailing - we opted for the sailing.

 

The second time we sailed with them we headed towards St. John but Captain Bobby noted that the currents were not favorable for snorkeling there that day and we ended up going to Christmas Cove, off of Great St. James Island - a smaller out island closer to St. Thomas.

 

Both trips Captain Bobby asked first if there was any place in particular we wanted to go. They are very willing to customize the day for your preferences and sail to wherever you'd like, within the time and weather constraints of the day. Both times the group just indicated we wanted him to pick a nice place for snorkeling and he did. One of the benefits of these small sailboat excursions is that they are very flexible and will change destinations depending on current conditions.

[jtmurph7]

can anyone tell me how much Rumbaba costs per person? and how do they compare to similar trips?

 

thanks!

I have been intouch with Capt. Bobby and we are going with him In August...He does give a cash discount he quoted me 125PP. He was very quick to reply to my email...

[bulldogmommy]

Thank you so much for this recommendation! I have booked them for our celebratory college graduation (stepson) cruise in May! We are so excited!

 

Happy Sailin'

[gracie65]

I researched these a few years ago & ended up booking with Kathleen of Highpockets. I do think she take August off though. We've sailed with her twice now & each time was amazing. This has been my favorite excursion in 17 cruises. Food is awesome, open bar, secluded coves & beaches, what more could you ask for???!!!