Dan Boyd’s Seabiscuit, above, offers day sails around St. John with fantastic snorkeling stops.
Instead of gazing out at the Caribbean Sea from one of the island’s overlooks, get out on the water and see the island from a new perspective.
Dan Boyd’s Lovango Charters is ready to take passengers on full and half day cruises aboard his 40-foot Liberty dive boat Seabiscuit, which features a fresh water shower and easy boarding swim ladder.
Boyd, who grew up on the water in Massachusetts, has had his captain’s license since he was 18 years old. He’s called St. John, and now Lovango Cay, home for 24 years and is excited to be back out on the sea.
“I used to fish and do charters, but I stopped for a while and I always missed it,” said Boyd. “I grew up on the water and all of my family are fishermen in Nova Scotia. I love the water.”
Trying to phase out of the construction business which has kept him busy for the past few years, Boyd is ready to get back out on the water. Lovango Charters offers twice weekly circumnavigations of St. John or can tailor a special trip, but Boyd is determined to keep his charters in U.S. Virgin Islands waters, he explained.
“For starters we will be doing circumnavigations of St. John on Tuesdays and Thursdays and Seabiscuit is available for private charters any other days,” said Boyd. “We will be doing only US Virgin Islands charters. To be truthfully honest the boat has all the gear to do BVI trips but I am getting sick of spending money, clearing in, to go spend more money at their bars and restaurants and boutiques.”
“I would like to see more money spent here in the US Virgin Islands,” Boyd said. “The money that goes to the BVI never comes back here. If we support our local businesses — restaurants, bars, T-shirt shops and boutiques — we are supporting our island.”
The boat captain might be a bit biased, but he has another reason for wanting to remain in local waters.
“Also I believe we have much nicer beaches here on St. John, much more undisturbed land and much less over-development,” said Boyd. “St. John is gorgeous from the water. We are also available to do trips to Big and Little Hans Lollick, Water Island, Hassel Island and most all of the out lying cays.”
Boyd’s St. John circumnavigation trips depart from the V.I. National Park Visitors Center in Cruz Bay at 9 a.m. and head along the island’s North Shore where the captain shares his knowledge of local sights and history.
The captain makes one snorkeling stop along the way, usually at Flanagan Island, an off-shore cay with impressive corals and fish populations. Then it’s time for lunch at Miss Lucy’s, perched right on Friis Bay in Coral Bay harbor.
“Miss Lucy’s is awesome,” said Boyd. “There is a big sandy spot where we are able to anchor right there and then dinghy in to shore and have lunch. We usually sit outside under the big sea grape tree.”
After lunch, guests cruise along the island’s south shore and take one more snorkel stop before returning to Cruz Bay around 4 p.m. Seabiscuit can carry a maximum of 24 guests, but Boyd likes to keep the head count for the circumnavigation trips to about 18 people.
The trip costs $100, which includes complimentary soda, water and beer and use of snorkel equipment, but not lunch at Miss Lucy’s. Seabiscuit is also available for private charters. For more information, call Boyd at 340-626-9685.