Secret Harbor?

Has anyone been here lately, I am a family of 5 and want too relax on the beach and snorkle and enjoy the water, I do not want to waste time going over to St John. Is this the best beach for my needs, I want a clean beautiful beach that the family can enjoy for most of the day!

Its a beautiful beach, small with lots of palm trees, good snorkeling, good restaurant on the beach for lunch, beach bar for drinks, clean restrooms, taxis usually available outside the resort lobby or you can ask them to call one - its a nice beach.

--Islander

http://www.*****

Are there watersports at this beach? I'm traveling with 2 other couples & we are really looking for a relaxing beach that's not too croweded with watersports, food & restrooms.

I will be at Secret Harbor Beach on July 27. I too am seeking a nice beach with good snorkeling and not a huge crowd. I was told by a 1st mate on a Charter I took last year to St John that Secret Harbor was just what I was looking for.

I will leave a report when I come back. Hopefully we dont have to divert any ports due to storms. :eek:

Islander - how does the snorkeling compare to Sapphire and Coki? Considering doing the Air Force 1 Tour that goes to Coki & Sapphire. Are you familiar with the Air Force tours? Many thanks.

Peggy

Hello,

Jen - what types of watersports? There is snorkeling, diving, might have kayaks. There is food, bar, restrooms.

Peggy - Snorkeling at Coki is better. I know of Air Force 1, heard good things.

--Islander

http://www.*****

Thanks, Islander!

Peggy

Secret Harbor is wonderful! Picturesque beach with white sand and palm trees with hammocks. There is an Inn there with small beach front restaurant/bar and snorkle rentals.

Not very crowded, very laid back, no music or water sports. Great snorkeling off to the left, a lot of big parrot fish, turtles to the right. The iguanas seem happy to share their beach. There were a few roaming around, but never bothered anyone.

How do you get to Secret Harbour? we are will be there in january.

thanks for the help!!

I was looking for water sports along the lines of jet skiing & parasailing. However I think that Sapphire beach would be our best bet.

Hello,

PrincessJen - no jet skis or parasailing at Secret Harbor. Yes at Sapphire.

Fastbysean - you can take a taxi to Secret Harbor. Or if you rent a car you can drive there on your own, its past Sapphire/Red Hook area - out towards the Ritz Carlton on the east end of the island.

--Islander

http://www.*****

Hello "The Islander"

We will be in St. Thomas in early November and would like any recommendations of must things to do. We were there a few years ago and did an island tour and went to Coki Beach.

Thank You,

I would recommend Sapphire Beach - see link below..

http://www.virginislandsdailynews.com/index.pl/article_home?id=7046405

Hello love2cruiseseattle,

It very much depends on what you are interested in. If you like to hike then a visit to St. John would be a must. If you have interest in diving then thats another must. What do you think you'd be interested in - beach time, boating, fishing, hiking, parasailing?

--Islander

http://www.*****

I think we would be interested in beach time. I have heard that St. John has wonderful beaches. What are your recommendations and also for St. Thomas.

Thanks for the help,

Hello love2cruiseseattle,

St. John does have beautiful beaches - you can't go wrong with any of them. So if you plan to head there, just pick - LOL. Take a look at http://www.*****/stjohn/beaches_stj/ you will see lots of great beach options on St. John. Some of them have amentities and many don't, so that might affect your decision. Also the less traveled ones you will have to arrange a taxi pick up or rent a car because taxis don't readily wait there for passengers like they do at the popular ones like Trunk Bay and Cinnamon Bay or the ones with hotels like Caneel Bay.

On St. Thomas you also have some great options; I like Magens Bay, Sapphire Beach, Emerald Beach, Morningstar (if swimming isn't as important as laying out and having drinks beachside - the water area is a little rocky there). On the same site mentioned there is a St. Thomas Beach guide too - so you could try it for pics and info.

Hope that helps.

--Islander

http://www.*****

Yes it does help. Thank you very much.

Can you rent chairs and umbrellas at Secret Harbor? How about floats? I will be there on 8/15/05 duing a honeymoon cruise. We are hoping for a relaxing beach day. Is Secret Harbor our best bet?

Hello Phantomtales,

No umbrellas, most beaches in the VI don't have them. There are chairs. No floats that I have ever noticed, but there is a square wooden float anchored in the center of the bay you can swim out to and lay on.

--Islander

http://www.*****

Thanks!

We stopped at Secret Harbor when we were in St. Thomas this past April to just take a peek at it. You will have plenty of shade there. No need to worry about umbrellas. It's cute beach and I would not hesitate to spend the day there.

ST. THOMAS - The Department of Planning and Natural Resources on Friday advised people not to fish or swim at Secret Harbour beach because the water does not meet quality standards.

Aaron Hutchins, director of the DPNR Division of Environmental Protection, said Friday that heavy rains had inundated the holding tank at the Secret Harbour Beach Resort sewage treatment plant Thursday. As a result, raw sewage was released into the water, he said.

Water-quality testing showed an increased concentration of bacteria in the water, according to a DPNR advisory.

The advisory urges parents to instruct their children to stay away from the beach.

Ernest Halliday, general manager of Secret Harbour Beach Resort, said Friday afternoon that warning signs had been posted at the beach.

Hutchins said the Environmental Protection Division will conduct follow-up testing and will lift the advisory when bacteria counts return to a safe level.

I was at Secret Harbor last Thursday. The signs were still posted. I did see Marine Biologists there and I spoke to them about it. They told me the run off dissapates soon after it hits the water, but they must post the sign nevertheless. I asked them if I would get sick and they told me no because the runnoff was days ago. I watched them checking the water.

I live in Brooklyn and swim at the beaches here and Im sure Im swimming with tons of bacteria all the time. They should come here and check our beach, Im sure they would close it down, lol.

I went swimming and so did my son and BF. We did not get ill. For that matter, it looked like it didnt stop anyone else. Perhaps on the day it happened they didnt go in. The water was crystal clear.

FYI, many beaches in the USA have run off. Los Angeles has many street sewers go directly into the ocean. Malibu is always high in bacteria. Mrytle Beach, SC goes directly into the ocean. I watched it with my own eyes. So its not uncommon.

Secret Harbor was an absolutely gorgeous beach, with nice shade. It is a marine sanctuary and the snorkeling was great. I saw sea turtles, starfish, parrotfish, squid, octupus, many tropical fish I cant identify and a sting ray. Lots of tame iguanas running around,..I loved it. It was a wonderful long beach day.

Its a quiet, non touristy beach. I would go back in a heart beat!

Just read about Secret Harbor and it sounds like it just be what we are looking for. Can anyone advise how far it is from the cruise docking area and if there a fee to use the facilities? my wife and I will be arriving there on the Massdam.

Thanks,

Dan and Teri

It depends on where the Maasdam will be docking.

If you are docking at Havensight, then Secret Harbor will be about a 15-20 minute cab ride.

If you are docking at Crown Bay (I think that's the name of the other location) it will be a longer ride and Islander will be able to give you a better estimate on how long it will take to get to Secret Harbour from there than I can.