Exploring Sandy Spit & Sandy Cay

^Sandy Cay which is where the famous shot of Gilligan’s Island comes from!! Super neat to see this in person.

^Got in some much needed doggy time with Sandy!

She’s just the best

Breakfast!

Details

Tortola

^Sandy Spit. Where many Corona commercials have been filmed!

^literally breathtaking to be there

^this hunk <3

Earrings: Rocksbox (get a month free with the code “mackenzienoelmxoxo” | Sunglasses: Urban Outfitters (in the color tortoise) | Swimsuit: American Eagle (sold out; will link when available) | Romper: Asos (low in stock) |

So excited to share with you guys a couple of the prettiest places that I’ve ever seen in my life! This time, exploring Sandy Spit & Sandy Cay, two uninhabited islands off the coast of St. John. One of the highlights of St. John has always been when my family rents a private catamaran for the day and explores quaint little islands off the coast of St. John that can only be accessed by boat. This was the third time we’ve rented a private catamaran on St. John, and the third time we’ve done it through Singing Dog Sailing. They’re that amazing, and are truly the best of the best. Kelly and Stephen are husband and wife who met in St. John fifteen or so years ago, fell in love, quit their jobs and moved to St. John to sail catamaran charters together. I mean, isn’t that just everyone’s ultimate dream when they grow up? The difference is that they’re living it! If they don’t already sound like #goals to you, their catamaran is complete with two little pups, Jake, and their newest addition, Sandy! The name of their boat comes from the “singing” (barks) that Jake can do on demand! Kelly even got the two of them to do it this year before we were done sailing and it was the cutest thing ever.

Kelly and Stephen immediately make you feel comfortable to the point where we now feel like family or old friends; are super easy-going and laidback, yet at the same time are completely professional, take-charge people, and you know you’re in safe hands! One of my favorite things about Singing Dog Sailing is that you can make up your own itinerary. If you’re lost on what to do, they are also great at providing suggestions. Some of my favorites that we’ve been to are Foxy’s, Soggy Dollar Bar (a must!), and this year we went to Sandy Spit, The Bubbly Pool in Jost Van Dyke, and got to see Sandy Cay (the island from Gilligan’s Island)! Fun fact: They sailed a couple of the girls (and crew) for the 2015 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Magazine to their shoot locations! I can’t say enough good things about these two, so if you’ll be in St. John next year, definitely look into booking them and make sure to do it early, because spaces book up early!

Our day started by grabbing iced coffees and then making our way to the marina in Cruz Bay to catch our boat. Kelly and Stephen gave us big waves and smiles, we removed our sandals, threw them in the bin, and made our way onto the beautiful Catamaran that is “Off Cay: Singing Dog Sailing.” After stepping upon the boat a wave of relaxation always hits me and then excitement when I see the beautiful breakfast of breads and fruits that they always prepare. Aside from the fact that there’s food, and who doesn’t love that – doesn’t life just feel better without shoes? Don’t get me wrong, I love shoes (especially buying them), but to me there’s nothing better or more comfortable than having no barrier between your feet and the sand or your feet and the boat. We caught up with Kelly and Stephen, met their newest pup, Sandy, had some quality cuddle time with her and their other pup, Jake, and enjoyed painkillers (recipe here) as we made our way to the most beautiful places my eyes have ever seen. Once we really started moving, Geoff, my mom, and my little brother Carson made our way to the front of the boat to lay in the nets and take in the view as well as the sunshine and amazing breeze off the water. There was a good amount of wind which is actually perfect for sailing, and once we started really moving, there was so much water that flew underneath the net and soaked us. We couldn’t stop laughing, and I held Geoff’s hand and squealed in anticipation of each wave. We started liking getting hit by the waves because the ocean actually felt warmer than the air. We had so many laughs about who was going to be next to have their mouth filled completely with water. So much fun. We made our way to Tortola to have our passports checked by customs, and then were on our way to the islands. We sailed by Sandy Cay and I saw multiple people frolicking in the sand and water, and then not long after, arrived at Sandy Spit. We explored the small island and took in the view from all sides, and then made our way into the water. If you’re at all familiar with Sandy Spit and have seen pictures of it, the iconic palm tree that so many people take pictures of has fallen down, and is no longer standing. After sunbathing and playing in the ocean, we made our way back to our catamaran and were able to jump off the top of the boat. Kelly and Stephen just added a platform in the past year, and it’s awesome. I was scared because I’m a wimp about those kinds of things (no idea how I was such a risk taker in gymnastics and cheerleading for so long), but I just told myself over and over, “you’re going to regret it if you don’t jump!!!’ So glad I did because it was so thrilling, and was worth it. We made our way to Foxy’s Taboo for lunch which is located in Diamond Cay of Jost Van Dyke (British Virgin Islands, which is why you need your passport). We ordered and then took a ten minute or so walk to The Bubbly Pool which is sort of like a small cove, where when the current is just right, the waves crash in and make bubbles that look like a hot tub. At first it seems like nothing, and then when enough waves roll in you begin to realize how it got its name! If you’ve ever been the The Baths in Virgin Gorda (A MUST), it sort of reminded me of that. I’m in the process of putting together a St. John Travel Guide which will hopefully be up next week. I’m sharing all my favorite restaurants, beaches, and must do’s/sees in the area. Let me know in the comments (or you can email me or comment on any of my social media platforms) if there’s any questions you have or something you definitely want covered in the travel guide!

ALSO– This duo is currently on route up the East Coast and will be in the New England area, off the coast of Cape Cod & Nantucket after Memorial Day if anyone is interested in booking them for a charter (if they aren’t completely booked already!)

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