Coral Reef Ecology and Management Trip Description and Preparation

Costs

This is an estimate of costs that you will incur if you register for this class. These costs are associated with our class trip to St. John during Spring Break. We stay at Cinnamon Bay campground, and we travel by hired open-air taxis to a different snorkel spot every day.

Fixed

• $100 non-refundable course fee (paid prior to departure)
• $200 for transportation: day trips, arrival/departure (paid prior to departure, does not include ferry tickets or dinner trips to town)
• $350 (estimate) to be paid to Cinnamon Bay Campground upon arrival for tents for duration
• $600 (estimate) to be paid to American Airlines for airfare

Fixed Total: $1250

Variable/Recommended

• $50 - $150 for books, snorkeling equipment (you can share books and borrow equipment, but make sure your snorkeling equipment fits you well, or you'll get blisters on your feet from ill-fitting fins and water in your mask from ill-fitting masks)
• $100 (estimate) for chartered sailboat all-day sail at end of our trip (this is always the highlight of the trip and not to be missed!)
• $100 - $400 spending money for meals, souveniurs, etc. This would include taxi rides to/from town that aren't included in the $200 transportation above. You can save a lot of money by packing enough food for all your meals and not eating out.

Variable Total: $250 - $650

Summary: You can expect to spend around $1500 - $1900 on this trip and for the class.

Flight

• Ensure that you have a valid passport or certified copy of birth certificate
• Provide emergency contact info to Greg prior to departure
• Bring frequent flyer information, if applicable
• Ensure the Insitute has a copy of flight information (departures, dates, times, etc.)
• You pass through US Customs on your return. PEOPLE UNDER 21 ARE NOT ALLOWED TO BRING LIQUOR BACK INTO THE COUNTRY! If you try it, they will force you to pour your bottles down the drain.  For persons over 21, customs allows one bottle of liquor to be brought into the country, free of duty.

Transportation

• Ferry from Charlotte-Amalie to St. John - $10/person plus $2/piece of luggage
• Ferry from Red Hook to St. John - $5/person plus $2/piece of luggage
• Taxi from Cruz Bay to Cinnamon Bay is $5/person for our group (normally $8) (About a 20 minute ride).  We arrange for all our rides with a driver named Kenneth Louis.  He is extremely reliable, easy-going, and friendly.  His cell # is 340-513-2438, and his home number is 340-776-6865.  You should also try a driver named Claxton at 340-626-0573.  If you are arranging this trip on your own, please mention that you got his information from the UNC Institute web site.
• You will need to pay taxis into town as you go, but day trips and arrival/departure will be pre-paid prior to leaving Chapel Hill.
• There are $1/person taxis on St. Thomas that run up and down the main roads, but they are averse to taking people with baggage.
• People effectively hitchhike on St. John, but students are strong discouraged
• There is a public bus (Vitran) that goes across the island on St. John

Camping

• We stay at the Cinnamon Bay Campground
• Drunkenness/binge drinking is not acceptable
• Group sites come with bedding, towel, pots/pans, silverware, propane cooking stove and lantern, cot, cooler, food storage, pillow, grills, water spigot, picnic table
• Campground has cold showers, restaurant (which serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner (price for dinner $12-$20, breakfast $8-$15), soda machines, grocery, kayak rentals, short hiking trail, and amphitheater
• Campground headquarters number - 340-776-6330
• There are payphones next to the main office, but many of these will steal your quarters.
• Make sure your calling card/minutes work in the US Virgin Islands
• Take advantage of campground programs like plays, talks, etc.
• Linen exchange Tuesday/Thursday, towels on Sundays
• 10 PM quiet time is strictly enforced. This includes normal talking.  Use your "library voice"!
• Beware of donkeys and mongoose! They will open your cooler if left out and eat any food left outside of your tent
• $17/night for extra cot
• Tents sleep 4 people

Activities

• Good snorkeling spots
  • Salt Pond - Nice hike, reefs on left side
  • Brown Bay - Eelgrass beds, turtles, conchs, reefs on left, strong current  around the point
  • Hawksnest Bay - Popular spot, shallow snorkeling, picnic structure
  • Water Lemon Cay - Beautiful reefs, easy snorkel around the Cay, Ranger recommends swimming counter-clockwise
  • Past Mary Creek, Mary Point, is a great snorkel spot, but is a long swim with a strong current around the bend
  • Haulover Bay - Both sides good, especially the south side.
  • Reef Bay - Can hike from Cinnamon Bay ~ 5 miles total, one way.  Has petroglyphs, plantation ruins, and informative signs.  Deep water surrounds the reef. 
  • Newfound Bay - Only accessible by boat, but excellent coral around the left side and westward
  • Lameshur Bay - Little Lameshur Bay and Great Lameshur Bay have great snorkeling
  • Tektite - former underwater observatory, near Great Lameshur Bay
• Maho Bay - Has many other organized activities, a restaurant, and good campstore. Great for sunsets.
• Bird watching - Francis Bay
• Story telling with Lois Habtes
• Scuba diving - Low Key Dive Shop
• Sailing trip on the Island Spirit. http://www.divestjohn.com
• You can get sunburned easily while snorkeling! Reapply sunblock frequently or wear protective clothing when in the water
  - There is a 24-hour Community Health Center on St. John, in case of a medical emergency

Food, shopping, etc.

• Dolphin Gourmet Grocery across street from Texaco. Has a good variety of food, fruits, and fresh veggies
• ATM's are available in Cruz Bay.
• Good restaurants - Banana Deck, Mongoose Junction, Morgan's Mango, Sogo's (the last locally owned restauarant in Cruz Bay), and Skinny Legs (Coral Bay)
• NO place on the island takes state-side checks!! Most places take credit cards
• Expect to pay $5-$10 for breakfast, $10-$15 for lunch, and $15-$25 for dinner
• No one in our group has gotten sick from drinking the water.
• Expect to spend between $300 and $500 in addition to airfare
• Use the buddy system - Someone should always know where you are

Things to Bring

• Snorkeling gear
• Skin suit or rash guard - doubles as protection against the sun and offers some protection against scraping coral or urchins
• Batteries - they are expensive to purchase on the island
• Beach towel, water bottle, sunblock, sunglasses, book(s), and hat
• Matches or lighter, pocket knife (don't pack in carry-on luggage!), some rope to hang out your wet clothes, food seasonings, dried fruit and other light, packable food, a frisbee, fishing gear, and a flashlight
• Summer clothing, light pants, shoes to hike in, and bathing suit(s)