provisioning for USVI trip

[cubdadinnj]

Hello All --

 

Our troop will be camping in the USVI this spring. In the past, its been *relatively* easy to provision, by bringing along our food & supplies on the plane as luggage (with dry ice for perishables).

 

With the latest airline costs and rules -- this begins to get both more difficult & more costly.

 

Anyone provisioned locally on the USVI -- and not spent a fortune?

 

Other ideas for shipping/ etc at least relatively economically?

 

Thanks

 

Pete

[scottteng]

Why bring groceries to the USVI? Having lived on St Croix for three years many moons ago I did not starve and most items are little more than stateside cost. The groceries come in on a container ship not piece by piece. Some items coming from south america were even cheaper than the mainland. Maybe you could hook up with a local troop for help with transport and the best place to purchase supplies. The major super market used to be Pueblo. It is just possible that they boys might enjoy trying local specialties fish, plantains, local goat, and others.

[scottteng]

Virgin Islands Council P.O. Box 7175 St. Thomas VI 00801-0175 Phone: (809) 774-2752

 

This is the council's number on further reflection making a local contact where you are going would make a lot of sense. Like any small community there are farmers type markets that a local can guide you to as well as larger food outlets. Which island are you visiting? Even on ST john you can pick up a loaf of bread etc for little more than you pay in a convenience store here.

[Beavah]

Yah, not sure it's even kosher to bring dry ice on a commercial plane, eh?

 

I'm with scotteng. Havin' traveled with youth to far more remote places than USVI, I can't imagine why you'd want to haul food with yeh. The local folks do eat without goin' broke, eh?

 

Plus shoppin' and interactin' with the locals and tryin' out local foods is part of the experience of the trip for the lads.

 

I expect what's goin' on is you're gettin' provisioning prices from a charter boat operation because you're goin' sailing? Yah, sure, those prices are goin' to be nuts. They'd be nuts here on the mainland, too, like buyin' a gourmet hot dog at a resort. Just do what all da rest of the sailors do and walk into the regular grocery store!

 

B

(This message has been edited by Beavah)

[Stosh]

Non-parishables can be mailed down there through UPS/USPS and picked up when you arrive, parishables you can purchase while down there. Like it has been said, most towns have a grocery store. Worse case scenerio, make up your menus, shopping lists, and.... well, you know the routine. :^D

 

Stosh

[mmhardy]

Sound like you will have a blast.

 

You can almost always provision in any port town. Ask any sailor about the best places to provision. Also I suggest using Google Earth to check out the lay of land and turn on Grocery Stores in your view.

 

Which of the 3 islands will you be?

[GernBlansten]

We bareboat charter in the BVI and found that provisioning there was easy and not too expensive. I expect the USVI even cheaper as they have Walmart. Last trip we did bring steaks down since beef was expensive and not very good there. Chicken and fish were readily available. We froze the steaks and packed them in disposable styro coolers wrapped in duct tape. Checked them as baggage. I fully expected to arrive and find just pieces of styro (assuming that the baggage handlers and customs guys would have a nice BBQ), but they made it just fine. They lasted three or four days on the boat without refrigeration.

[cubdadinnj]

Thanks all -- we are looking to see what we can provision from the local "Costco" type store -- starting work on the menu this week!

 

/p