# Help identify beach in US Virgin Islands???



## Numismatist (Jun 16, 2011)

Does anyone know where this is?  I'd like to go when I'm there in two weeks.

I think it's on St. Thomas, but I'd like more info.

tia


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## SpikeMauler (Jun 16, 2011)

Did you ask on the VInow website?


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## Numismatist (Jun 16, 2011)

SpikeMauler said:


> Did you ask on the VInow website?



HA!  That's where I got it from...someone here was talking about I think, I just can't find it.


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## SpikeMauler (Jun 16, 2011)

Numismatist said:


> HA!  That's where I got it from...someone here was talking about I think, I just can't find it.



Yeah, I recognized the photo from that site. I did the same thing a while back and asked a question about a beach picture on the top of the VInow page. Someone there(VInow) answered my question about the photo. I think if you post this on the VInow message board you'll get your answer.


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## caribbean (Jun 16, 2011)

*Sandy Bay*

SandyBay is at the western most tip of STT, just south of Botany Bay. Take the road all way to the end and then walk due west. Suggest looking on google maps


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## jimf41 (Jun 21, 2011)

In the picture you are looking west at the Botany Bay beach. Supposedly it's the only one where the Atlantic and Caribbean meet. Just to the left of the photo but out of view is a big rock called Mermaids Chair. To the right and out of view is Sandy Bay beach. Both are accesible but very difficult to get at. You drive west past the airport 4.8 miles till you come to a gated community on your right. It's right at a 160 left turn in the road so you'll know your there. I think it's called Botany Bay Estates or something like that.

Anyway now the fun begins. You can't drive your vehicle inside the gate but you can park outside and sign in at the gate and walk to Mermaid's Chair or Sandy beach. It's about 1.25 miles to Mermaids Chair and about .9 miles to Sandy beach. The elevation at which you start is about 460' then you walk up to about 520' and then down to sea level. There are no facilities whatsoever at either location and no place to buy water which I highly recommend bringing in good quantity. You walk on well paved roads all the way to Mermaid's Chair but I was told you have to hike through the woods a bit to get to Sandy beach.

Last February we walked to Mermaid's Chair. My wife and I are mid sixties but in reasonable shape. We made it down and back but she was a little embarrassed about having to use the great outdoors as a ladies room. We brought two backpack chairs, sandwiches, water, toilette paper and 1 bottle of wine. We took lots of pics and walked back up to our car.

We're glad we did it but we won't be doing it again. The walk back up was pretty tough. About 1/3 of the way back a resident picked us up and drove us to the gate. We could have walked all the way but we were very grateful for the ride.

One more piece of advice. There are no signs and I couldn't find a local map of the place. I suggest you print out a map from Google Earth so you don't take any wrong turns.

Enjoy the hike!

I forgot to add that this beach is on the western edge of St Thomas.


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## Numismatist (Jun 21, 2011)

jimf41 said:


> In the picture you are looking west at the Botany Bay beach. Supposedly it's the only one where the Atlantic and Caribbean meet. Just to the left of the photo but out of view is a big rock called Mermaids Chair. To the right and out of view is Sandy Bay beach. Both are accesible but very difficult to get at. You drive west past the airport 4.8 miles till you come to a gated community on your right. It's right at a 160 left turn in the road so you'll know your there. I think it's called Botany Bay Estates or something like that.
> 
> Anyway now the fun begins. You can't drive your vehicle inside the gate but you can park outside and sign in at the gate and walk to Mermaid's Chair or Sandy beach. It's about 1.25 miles to Mermaids Chair and about .9 miles to Sandy beach. The elevation at which you start is about 460' then you walk up to about 520' and then down to sea level. There are no facilities whatsoever at either location and no place to buy water which I highly recommend bringing in good quantity. You walk on well paved roads all the way to Mermaid's Chair but I was told you have to hike through the woods a bit to get to Sandy beach.
> 
> ...



Thanks, we're going to give it a try July 4th!, I'll post some pix when I can.

Chris - Numismatist


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## Numismatist (Jul 12, 2011)

Just came back from STT and MFC, visited this beach and will write a full report tomorrow when I'm home in case anyone wants to bookmark this thread.  Review and pix of beach to follow.  thanks to all for the help in this thread, it helped.  STay tuned!


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## Numismatist (Jul 13, 2011)

OK, it takes a 15 minute drive past the airport heading west on 30 to find this guard station at Botany Bay Preserve:











Then you must hike down 1.25 miles - I note hike DOWN all the while knowing you must hike back UP when done!

Here are some pictures of what we saw:











Here the Atlantic is on the right and the Caribbean is on the left:






A brain coral in the sand and some shells we found:











Here is what is called Mermaid's Chair, just a large rock off shore:






The swimming was hard because there are a lot of rocks just on the shore line (no sea urchins though), waves were fine, water was clear.  Beach was rocky.

The Botany Bay Preserve is a housing development, and as such, there are numerous roads throughout...it was difficuly to find the right road to follow to get there.  Any mistake makes you have to hike back up to re-trace.  Fortunately, we had a Google Earth map and that helped immensely.

I'd recommend it if you are looking for an offbeat adventure.  It seems hardly anyone goes there, you should have the beach to yourself - we did.  There are many other much better beaches on STT; however, the adventure and challenge to get here was worth it - for me!

Chris - Numismatist


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