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Smugglers Cove Beach Bar Fitdad 39 minutes ago Hey y’all first time poster, long time lurker! Family and I are heading Tortola next July. Looks like smugglers will be our vibe! We’re a family of 9 with my parents ages 70’s, wife and I in our 40’s and kids ranging from 20 down to 4. Which place should we post up next to Patricia’s or Nigel’s?

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Another armed robbery with one shot SXMScubaman 5 hours ago Is this starting to be a regular thing on the island?
LINK

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Day 2 cruzer 8 hours ago Yesterday’s goal was to do nothing, and we exceeded expectations. Breakfast was followed by me doing my daily 1 hour walk, covering from D’s down to just before the bridge and back. Down towards town, the beach is undergoing a lot of construction but up this way it remains more “natural”. The sand seems softer around Mary’s boon, and more compact down east.

Yesterday I mentioned sargassum wasn’t a problem. We had a bit come in overnight, seemingly doubling the accumulation. As the pictures from yesterday show, down by BSV and D’s it was pretty nasty, with D’s having a lot in the water. This morning there’s more in the water with bigger patches offshore. Still, it’s bearable, unless you’re down by BSV. And, as you get further towards town, it does get stinky.

We stopped next door at Babacool for lunch. A pretty nice place, pricey, but enjoyable. You can rent a tent by the pool for $100 a day, or check into the Boon next door for about the same amount with a bigger pool and friendly cats. Our pictured dishes were scallops tartar, beef carpaccio, and crab cake accompanied by sparkling water and a sauvignon blanc. As for pricey, the beef was $29, whereas at Le Champagne Bistro it’s only $13, not as fancy, but still our island favorite.

Dinner was at Balls and Wine. I like their new, for us, location and atmosphere, and the food is tasty and creative. We shared red snapper ceviche, Peru style, Smoked salmon tacos and ribs, with a couple glasses of Cote du Rhone. I now see why snapper isn’t offered as tartar or ceviche, as it has a stronger taste. I’m not sure exactly what Peruvian style means but I’m gathering it means cooked in lime juice without a common overly acidic, i.e. mild, taste.

Tipping. All places so far have included a 15% service charge. Many ask if you want to put a tip on the credit card, I imagine hoping you’ll blindly leave another 15-20%.

Mrs. Cruzer has been holed up in our room, with the cats laying on her legs, in her arms, and constantly demanding food. Our last 2 sets of cats weren’t of the loving personality--friendly, yes, loving, no--so she is really enjoying their company, and vice versa.

Life is good.

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Proof of Transfer NWA4Sail 18 hours ago This is a notice I received from Sunsail concerning an upcoming charter.

Important: In accordance with new BVI Government regulations, all arriving passengers must show proof of transfer from the airport or ferry terminal to their final destination.

Is this a real thing?

Thanks

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Good Morning from Mary's Boon cruzer Yesterday at 12:02 PM Not being satisfied with spending some 80 days/year at GCBC we decided to return for a week at Mary’s Boon. Despite being here less than a day, I’m developing a greater appreciation for this place, especially the 4 cats, 2 of whom have designated us as their primary care givers and provide security services as well.

Yesterday was a long day. Woke at 11:30 PM, after a 90 minute “nap” to catch our 1:30 pickup for 5 am departure from DFW. The only issue was Mrs. Cruzer thought the TSA scanner had “lost” her phone. Fortunately, I was alert enough to call her number. The phone was in her backpack, not the tray.

Our plane landed as scheduled at 1:11, and we almost made it to the room within an hour. Only disappointment on the flight was the biscuits and chicken sausage gravy from DFW to MIA. Please don’t mess with a perfectly fine dish by trying to make it “healthier”. Major First World problem, I know.

We just hung back and enjoyed ourselves, and I opened up a tab at the bar. Walked the beach a bit, checked out neighbors Baba Coo and K, both of which were closed (for the day?). Dinner became a challenge as the Hotel’s restaurant was closed, and for how long I don’t know. Wanted to re-experience drunken ribs, but Palms was closed too. Ended at up at Jai’s, where we shared an olive paneer, Mrs. C had a very interesting and tasty hummus with fried pita app for her main course and I had a mahi-mahi in a subtle but flavorful curry sauce. Oh, it happened to be Happy Hour with 2 for one drinks so we splurged on Pouilly Fuisse. Sorry, but I forget to take pictures.

Despite having the best intentions today of going to Carrefour, we decided to blow off anything today other than planning our meals.

Here’s a few photos. Saba looks like a pterodactyl rising from the sea with its head in the clouds. I didn’t see any sargassum from the plane, and there is some on the beach, but not really an issue.

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Why can I not ? Kevin_B 09/30/2025 09:02 PM I am not sure which forum this should go in, so here goes. A friend says she was able to read postings even though she was not signed in. Apparently she was able to until recently, and now she cannot. Was there a change in the protocol?

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Beachside Villa question Good Boy Gus 09/30/2025 07:39 PM My wife and I stayed at Beachside Villas earlier this year and had a great experience overall—beautiful location, clean accommodations, and friendly staff. That said, there was one downside I wanted to ask about.
The A/C units for our villa were installed directly overhead on the back patio, which unfortunately created quite a bit of noise and added heat, taking away from what would otherwise be a perfect spot to enjoy dinner or drinks in the evening.

This leads me to my question:
Is this A/C setup specific to certain units, or is it a common configuration across all villas at BSV?
I don’t remember our exact unit number, but it was in the middle section of the property. Since I know Beachside Villas is a favorite among SXM travelers here, I’d love to hear from others...have you experienced the same issue during your stay?

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Call to Action Needed inspectormark 09/30/2025 03:46 PM Tampa Bay Free beaches is close to getting a clothing optional beach on Florida's west coast. Currently there are none. We need help with a letter writing campaign to the Pinellas County commissioners. You DO NOT need to be a Florida resident as we are trying to show that people from all over would come to visit. Below is more information and the contact info for the commissioners. You can visit our Facebook page and or website www.tamapbayfreebeaches.com
Thank you very much .

IMPORTANT CALL TO ACTION

Dear Member, Friend or Ally,

Now is the time to show your support for Tampa Bay Free Beaches by emailing or writing to the Pinellas County Commissioners to show you stand behind TBFB and their mission to create a family-friendly, family-centric safe and legal clothing optional recreational opportunity at East Beach at Ft. De Soto County Park.

They may soon be making their critical vote on the matter which will determine if Tampa Bay Free Beaches’ hard work comes to fruition. It is imperative we flood their offices with as many favorable letters of support as possible. Be they from political constituents, Pinellas County residents, other Florida residents, out of state tourists or even international visitors who would like to visit our area.

Below you will find contact information for all seven of the Pinellas County Board of Commissioners. Use whichever communication mechanism (email, postal, or link directly to their communication portal), you are most comfortable with, but we ask you to contact all Commissioners, if you can, to express your support for TBFB and their mission.

You will also find attached suggested letters of support, in both short and longer format, addressing areas of critical concern and reinforcing positive benefits for the creation of a clothing-optional beach in Pinellas County. Please use these as the basis to create your own individualized letters of support to the County Commissioners.

Send your letters of support to the Commissioners

No later than October 31st, 2025!!

The following link provides access to contact all members of the Pinellas County Board of Commissioners.

TBFB Letter Writing Package

https://cdn.wildapricot.com/443641/resources/Documents/TBFB%20Letter%20Writing%20Campaign%20Package_Generic-rev1.pdf?version=1759064741000&Policy=eyJTdGF0ZW1lbnQiOiBbeyJSZXNvdXJjZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vY2RuLndpbGRhcHJpY290LmNvbS80NDM2NDEvcmVzb3VyY2VzL0RvY3VtZW50cy9UQkZCJTIwTGV0dGVyJTIwV3JpdGluZyUyMENhbXBhaWduJTIwUGFja2FnZV9HZW5lcmljLXJldjEucGRmP3ZlcnNpb249MTc1OTA2NDc0MTAwMCIsIkNvbmRpdGlvbiI6eyJEYXRlTGVzc1RoYW4iOnsiQVdTOkVwb2NoVGltZSI6MTc1OTI0NzE1Mn0sIklwQWRkcmVzcyI6eyJBV1M6U291cmNlSXAiOiIwLjAuMC4wLzAifX19XX0_&Signature=DU2nL3IhhvAhcCxfFoBe7Tj1f7DNVFnDuTMhL51U~5Pqsc8N5A4bHUX0mgzSEahAH0uLqysVl6Xj7sK~VCJTjtNCB0nppQuQ~tJLLx~RHkk3VgQYJ2IFtKjWiBBXtK041-aFOnb2z4fK1JrEaOs7MoftNd9h-jg31YEG5n2RO8glZOFQ9vo16fdMTDliEWWVs2FiWQhkGGlstCC-X7Riyr5CNYl4PrKBpVT5BlBLADIi4ocG5PZaf3FKNhLFTZWjk-YlXjE0K66cF8ik5E2lfPGZ4W6QzeM3nsI4BmDa8qMoO5NbjFPaRJroj0JlLhdTssCJS6UnmOIW557trsl0sA__&Key-Pair-Id=K27MGQSHTHAGGF

Start sending your letters of support TODAY! TBFB needs you and now is the time you can show you support Tampa Bay Free Beaches!

FEEL FREE TO SHARE THIS FAR AND WIDE

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Robbery, Carjacking, Shots fired, car chase and crashes SXMScubaman 09/30/2025 02:41 PM It's the wild wild west straight out of the movies.
LINK

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Barbados trangermom 09/28/2025 10:15 PM Cruising the ABC islands in January 2026 and am interested in Aruba but don"t want to do the excursions offered by Celebrity. Would like the most beautiful beach on the island and a place for lunch. Also is there a place for shopping worth going to? Loved SXM for the jewelry stores and shops of all kinds. Advice welcome!

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