Center Console Fishermen - This is your chance to explore the Virgin Islands and to fish the famous North Drop! We're planning on a mid-July 2015 shipment of 10 vessels from a Florida port, returning them in mid-October. At the time of this writing we are negotiating "group" rates with the shippers.

Our choice of dates has four primary reasons:

1. To max the blue marlin bite + whites, sailfish, wahoo and yellowfin too!
2. To take advantage of our normally calmer later summer/fall weather.
3. To group ship during "off season" times in order to make it affordable.
4. To enable participants to enjoy MarlinFest and our 'Wet N' Wild' CC Tournment!

Picture a round-trip "roll on, roll off" service that will enable boat owners the opportunity to explore the 45 miles of US and British Virgin Islands. There are over 100 islands lying in an east to west chain - each one beautiful and yet very different. The mountainous terrain provides protected cruising waters with tons of white sand beaches to visit and the snorkeling/scuba diving opportunities are endless! The best part for the hard-core fishermen is you'll be accessing some of the best blue marlin fishing in the world!

1. Will my vessel live in the water at a marina or out of the water at a storage center? Your vessel can either live in or out of the water - it's your choice, mostly depending on your budget and how often you'll be down visiting. Naturally "in/out" storage will be more costly than if the vessel were left in the water with an occasional bottom wipe when you come down. Refer to service charges for in/out service verses keeping the vessel at a marina.

2. How will I be able to anticipate the extent of my trip costs? We will provide you with a list of all services and charges. Some of costs will be based on the vessel's size and others will be flat fees. We've owned boats ourselves and we know you are interested in keeping costs down... we've lived on St. Thomas for 50 years and we'll help to eliminate "unknowns" so that you can accurately budget for your adventure!

3. Duty, Taxes, Fishing Licenses, Cost of Gas/Fuel? The good news is there are no US Customs duties or taxes to be paid. You do have to abide by the fishery laws in both the USVI and in the BVI and of course US Coast Guard safety regulations (same as back home). Other than the Federal tuna permit (which you probably already have) there is no license needed to fish in US waters. You'll probably want to fish the famous North Drop so expect to pay $45 monthly for a license to fish in BVI waters. Most boats pay a little more and use the services offered by the local fishing club. Everyone is required to have a passport to go ashore in the BVI and to have it with you even if you don't go ashore. If you go ashore in the BVI you must check back in with US Customs (nominal fee if overtime) upon your return to the US waters. Be prepared... gas, fuel and oil costs are higher than you are paying... expect to meet signs of $5.25+ per gallon at the fuel docks!

4. Is there a good Bait and Tackle Shop on St. Thomas? Neptune Fishing Supplies is probably the best little bait and tackle shop in the Caribbean! The shop's crew will quickly bring you up to speed on how and where to fish these waters. We catch blue marlin year-round, but normally the best fishing is the 10 days of the full moon periods - say 6 days before and 4 days after. Maximize your time... plan your fishing trips around the moon and the family and friends beach trips off the moon! Local tip: When fishing the North Drop... Better stay clear of the big boys!

5. Food and Beverage - Provisioning your Vessel. St. Thomas has a wonderful choice of restaurants and markets! We are the US Virgin Islands and that means we operate under US Public Health Standards. This is a popular visitor destination and you'll probably run out of money before you run out of restaurants to dine in! Expect costs to be a little higher because everything has to be shipped here. Several food stores are located within minutes of the fishing marinas.

6. Normal Weather Conditions - Hurricane Season - What are the Risks? The average daytime temperature in the summer/fall is 87 degrees. Nights drop down into the mid to upper seventies. We are located in the southern trade winds so it can blow 15-20 mph for a week - or it can drop out to nothing lasting more than a week. No telling, but you can pretty much count on the average VI weather being beautiful during your stay! Rainfall is about the same or less than the summertime in Florida.

Hurricanes? We haven't had anything major hit St. Thomas since 1995 when Marylyn came through with a vengeance. It's simple... if your vessel is shipped here - you must make sure that it is insured for this part of the world! Should a hurricane approach the VI, your vessel would be removed from the water (in the order that you booked your reservation) and driven to a storage yard until after the threat or blow passes. The good news is the weather in the late summer and fall months is normally flat calm!

7. Airlines, Hotels, Guest Houses, Car Rentals, Taxi Cabs. There are many choices... naturally where you stay depends on your budget. All major cards are accepted and a few of the higher end resorts include r/t airport shuttle service. St. Thomas is 13 miles long and 4 miles wide - it doesn't take more than 30 minutes to get anywhere on the island. By the way, we drive on the left! We've posted information for car rentals and fishing friendly places to stay, see link: Hotels

Group shipping and local oversight of your vessel must be arranged early. You'll probably have lot's more questions. Call us at: 340-775-9500 or email Capt. Jimmy Loveland: E-Mail Us!

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