TravelTalkOnline Forums Travel and Vacation Forums British Virgin Islands Picking up passengers in St. Thomas

Are there any caveats, rules or restrictions in tying up to the long large wharf in Charlotte Amalie to pick up passengers?

I am assuming that everyone and the boat has cleared into the USVI.

Then why not pick them up by dingy at the wharf.

It might be preferable to ask CYOA is you can use one of their moorings and dingy to their dock for pickup as the wall you refer to is pretty beaten up and the cleats are very corroded.

Thanks, Warren. Its Steve.
Won't really work for me. I'm taking a Moorings PowerCat to pick them up and drive them back. Time is a bit of a concern as I have 4 boats on charter with 18 family and friends beginning with infants and toddlers. With luggage, that's like 6 dinghy shuttle trips and i still need to clear in and get back to RoadTown before dark.
Crown Bay was an option, but they want USD $300.00 min one night.

The wharf is simple and i have lots of fenders and lines. Just wondering if it is open to the public to tie off on without restrictions etc.

The marina in red hook charges an outrageous per person drop off fee. I wonder what yacht haven grand would charge?

Yacht Haven Grande is definitely the way to go.

Got this from them...

"Good afternoon Steve,

We would be happy to accommodate your vessel for pick up and drop off. We do not make reservations for this, but if you hail us on VHF Ch 10, we can slide you into a slip. The charge is $ .50 per foot for quick drop off and pick up. If you stay for a bit longer the fee is $ 1.00 per foot per hour for first hour and $ .50 for each additional hour, up to 3 hours."

That's $25.00 per trip

I have dropped off/picked up passengers at Red Hook. I also use Kevin Campbell which makes all work even better.
I will get fuel(top off) and drop off passengers... with significant fuel purchase and drop off not taking any additional time, I am still charged drop off sometimes (and sometimes not, since it is occupying dock only for fuel purchase).

If I am also picking up passengers, I will drop anchor and await call from Kevin that they are on the way from airport, at which time, I raise anchor and return to T-dock for pickup (And pay fee).

Would be nice to stay on T-dock or slip and if needed, resupply provisions from grocery store across the street.

If the intent is to go right back to the BVI I would use Redhook. It’s much cheaper and faster to drive them to redhook than go around to Yacht Haven Grande with the boat. In addition you will spare them the initial upwind slog as a trip intro. They will get a nice pleasant ride from Redhook. If you plan on overnighting on STT by all means stay at YHG. Not cheap but a great experience. I would not leave a boat on the wharf unattended after dark.
G

Deepcut, where exactly do you drop them off?
And what is the charge per passenger, if they do charge you?

We also do drop offs and pickups at Red Hook on most of our trips. Fuel dock is about have half into the docks at American Yacht Harbor. I think drop off fee is per boat. Something like $35 if I remember correctly. Much easier than going all the way to Charlotte Amalie. Here is a link to the web site which includes a picture of the fuel dock location. Gas prices in the USVI also seem to be better than most places in the BVI so not a bad idea to top off as well.

https://www.igymarinas.com/marinas/american-yacht-harbor

I am pretty confident that American yacht harbor charges around $40 per person. They were not busy and did not charge us as we also purchased fuel.

Drop off at American Yacht Harbor was about $30-35 for boat (perhaps $40).... Not per person, but for boat. I would call and verify prior to then.

That’s reasonable, but when we were there in July, the sign on the gas dock indicated per person,

That’s a lot of people and luggage, why don’t they take the ferry to West End or Roadtown? It would be a lot less of a hassle.

Are you referring to the seawall in town of Charlotte Amalie? That is administered by Port Authority - a short tie up and pick up is probably not something they will charge for, worth calling if you want.
If you mean the West India Company Wharf - cruise ship dock - not a good plan
The prices at Yacht Haven Grand in the harbor may work for you.