We then stopped at this tiny little island call Marina Key; the island is so small that there is just a restaurant and a hotel. We had lunch here at Pusser's, which is famous for their rum. The food was delicious and very fresh. Pusser's sits right on the beach, of course, with crystal-clear water surrounding and little tiki huts on the beach. After lunch, we went to this huge reef that had colorful fish (parrot fish and all different kinds), coral, and huge purple sea fans. One of the fellow guests on our boat spotted nurse sharks, which are harmless.

The last stop was off to Jost Van Dyke (which is pronounced Yost); this was absolutely gorgeous water, the color of a pool, and gleaming white-sand beaches. We anchored and swam into the beach because they have no docks there. This leads to the main attraction, the Soggy Dollar Bar, where the Painkiller, a local drink, was invented. The Painkillers are delicious, and they even roast and grind fresh nutmeg and put it on top of the drink. The beaches are lined with hammocks; does it get better than this? I was speaking to the captain, and he hung out with Kate Moss (the model) the week before at the bar. There is another bar on Jost Van Dyke called Foxy's, which we didn't go to, and I read that appearances from the Beach Boys to Jimmy Buffet have stopped to play there. After we had to leave Jost Van Dyke (trust me, I didn't want to leave), we sailed back to St. Thomas and enjoyed the open bar on the boat and shrimp cocktail on the way back. The whole trip was well worth $115, and the Captain Dave and First Mate Lauren were a lot of fun and thought of every last detail, such as big ziplock baggies to put your cameras in when you swim up to Jost Van Dyke.

A buffet lunch is served on the afternoon sail to Grand St. James Island, where once again you can snorkel and see many beautiful fish. The buffet lunch is great and drinks are served by the crew all day. Makes for an outstanding day sail for the entire family. I would highly recommend this trip. Call 1-800-808-7604 to book ahead of time. It can also be booked on the Internet. The cost is $95/person.

Snorkeling around St. John's in the morning (equipment and lessons provided) or just swimming with a "noodle" is a delight. After lunch, more water time at a private beach area. Open bar and party time (or sleep time) throughout the day. Definitely worth the price!

You begin the day with Bloody Marys or Mimosas (or just juice or sodas if you want) and freshly-baked breakfast breads as you sail out over the ocean to your first snorkel spot. Generally, they will sail to a nice spot near St. John for your first snorkel. I bring my own gear, but they have snorkeling equipment available and if you need instruction, they’ll provide that as well. If you don’t swim, they’ll take the dingy out and give you an expedition to a nearby beach.

As you swim through the glorious Caribbean Sea and view the sea life, they are preparing lunch -– hot Italian meat balls, fresh French bread, luncheon meat and cheese, pasta salad, etc., and of course, "Nooners", a delicious frozen drink.

As you eat your lunch, they’ll sail to the next snorkel spot where you can once again enjoy an afternoon swim.

As you board the boat (and they have a ladder down to the sea that is easy to use) again, they will have mixed up your afternoon "Pain Killers." The boat has an open bar all day, with plenty of water, sodas, beer or anything else you might desire.

The cost is $100 a person, but with the Bluebeard’s owner’s card, you’ll get a 20% discount.