Cancel

    Open app

    Search

    Sail Independence

    5.0 (9 reviews)
    Open 9:00 am - 3:00 pm

    Sail Independence Photos

    You might also consider

    Recommended Reviews - Sail Independence

    Your trust is our priority, so businesses can't pay to alter or remove their reviews. Learn more about reviews.
    Yelp app icon
    Browse more easily on the app
    Review Feed Illustration

    Reviews With Photos

    the Independence
    Michael F.

    My wife and I were in St. Thomas in November, 2019. Our day trip on the Independence with Captain Pat was the highlight of the trip! The sailing was fun, lunch was delicious, snorkeling was awesome... an overall great day! We saw turtles, lots of reef fish, and Eagle Rays! Snorkeling gear is provided if you don't have your own gear. The Independence holds 6 guests plus Captain Pat and the first mate. It was a great day in St. Thomas!

    beautiful views the whole day
    Tarah D.

    We were in the US Virgin Islands for a glorious week and had a blast, but our absolute best day was our day sail with Captain Pat and first mate Travis. Highlights: -beautiful sailing on the boat -snorkeling with sea turtles, rarely seen spotted eagle ray (!!) and stingrays, and all the sea creatures -best meal we had in Virgin Islands -great rum punch -history of all the islands and answers to all my Virgin Island questions! Our adventure started with a sail to a great place to snorkel-- and the sail itself was fun! The Independence is a beautiful ship, which Captain Pat and her husband build themselves, and Captain Pat pointed out all the islands, flora, fauna, etc., and knew all the history and stories about the islands (including pirate stories!). Then we got to our first snorkel spot. Captain Pat has everything you need for snorkeling, including all the snorkeling gear AND extra swim shirts (UV protective long-sleeves shirts, which saved my sun-burnt life), so you're set. We had scheduled our sail closer to the end of our visit and had snorkeled already quite a bit, so I didn't think this would be anything new. But it was SO much better than all our other snorkels! Obviously Captain Pat knew the best place to take us-- and First Mate Travis led us to just the right places. And we saw loads of sea turtles doing all sorts of sea turtle things, AND we saw a spotted eagle ray, which is not a common find-- it was incredible!, and more stingrays and a flounder and many other sea-life. After snorkeling, back up on the deck where we had a quick warm rinse off (this was surprisingly relaxing) and then some snacks and drinks. Captain Pat has thought of everything, because I get a wee bit seasick in the water (and on boats), and she has snacks for you to settle your stomach if needed (or just to nosh) that really did help. Ginger-ale also helped. I don't know if the ru punches I had did, but they were worth it! Then we had a bit of sailing and then lunch-- and it was delicious. This was literally the best meal we had while in the Virgin Islands! It wasn't super fancy (pasta, salad, bread), but MAN it was really good. And then an INCREDIBLE chocolate brownie dessert (on cutie fish plates) with a coconut rum sauce. And this is a small thing, but it really spoke to how hospitable Captain Pat is: my partner doesn't drink alcohol, so when she would ask what drinks we wanted, he would always get a soda or water (I stuck to ginger-ale or rum punch myself), and she obviously paid attention to this and so made sure to specifically ask about the coconut rum sauce to be sure-- which was really considerate (and something easy to miss). But if you do drink alcohol, I fully recommend that coconut rum! ;) Then we sailed again, gabbed, and enjoyed life at sea until we got to our NEXT snorkel spot. The other couple didn't want a second snorkel, so they stayed and had drinks and took a nap, which they were excited about (you can lay down under the sails on the front of the boat, which I also did at one point- loved it). We, however, dove in with First Mate Travis and snorkeled among this reef where Travis pointed out all these crazy undersea critters-- even bringing many of them to the surface for us to look at and hear more about-- it was SO amazing. We saw spiny sea urchins, a type of sea anemone that looks like a fan and -poof- disappears when you wiggle your fingers at it, sea slugs, star fishes, this star-fish-thing-that-I-think-was-an-alien, and basically the entire cast of Finding Nemo (minus Nemo). It was absolutely incredible. Then back to the ship for more sailing, snacks, drinks, and relaxing. The day ended far too soon, and it really was the best day on what was already an incredible vacation. I'd recommend Captain Pat's sail to EVERYONE!

    Janelle H.

    If you're looking for a private sail boat charter for 6 people or less this is one for you! Captain Pat and her crewman Travis were fantastic . We had an amazing day out at sea. We sailed over to St John and did some snorkeling. Travis was great at pointing out sea creatures and teaching us a little bit about them. Next was a wonderful home cooked meal with the best rum punch we've had on the island. Following that was another short boat ride around the island to get to another snorkel spot. Here we got to swim with sea turtles and see other cool marine life. Finally we lazily headed back to St. Thomas.

    See all

    5 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    8 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    7 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    6 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    9 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    9 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    6 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    12 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    8 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    Verify this business for free

    Get access to customer & competitor insights.

    Verify this business

    New Horizons & Breakaway Charters - A wonderful assortment of appetizers!

    New Horizons & Breakaway Charters

    (263 reviews)

    Snorkeling Day Trip from 9am-3pm. While the crew was genuinely hospitable, the vessel was…read morewell-maintained, the snorkeling equipment was adequate, and the meals served were enjoyable against the breathtaking island backdrop, I do believe there are several operational refinements that could elevate this excursion from good to exceptional. My primary observation centers on time management. A significant portion of our itinerary--approximately 40 to 50 minutes--was dedicated to extensive on-site briefings and detailed contextual talks about marine life and beach preferences. Additionally, the liability paperwork was quite lengthy, which further reduced our active water time. While I fully appreciate that educational commentary enriches the experience, I respectfully noted that a substantial amount of this information could have been effectively shared during transit (such as the 20-minute ride out) or consolidated into concise visual aids and summary boards upon arrival. Regarding the itinerary, our group had specifically requested a few nearby beaches located only 5 to 10 minutes further along. Although we understood that ours was a smaller group of eight on a partial-day charter, we were instead taken to alternative locations. When we inquired about visiting the requested spots, we were advised that time did not permit it. With all due respect, it seemed that the time allocated to the extended dockside presentations could have been reallocated to accommodate those short transits, allowing us to experience the more desirable locations without compromising the overall schedule. To optimize the guest experience, I would respectfully suggest that operators consider the following adjustments: deliver essential safety and educational briefings while the boat is en route, or in a pre-made video during their liability waiver signing, post succinct instructional boards for quick reference, and prioritize the top two or three premier snorkeling spots at St Johns from the outset of the trip, reserving secondary stops for the return leg. These small but meaningful changes would not only maximize time in the water but also ensure that all guests feel their preferences are genuinely heard and respected. Ultimately, streamlining the logistics and trusting that guests can absorb information efficiently would go a long way toward making an already pleasant charter a truly outstanding and memorable one.

    This snorkeling trip was fabulous and exciting. We had a wonderful time onboard and in the water…read more Jeff and Nick were great hosts and brought us to several good spots to see the wildlife. Turtles, rays and a variety of fish. It was like looking at National Geographic but in real life and up close. I would highly recommend this trip. I had a blast.

    Sonic Charters St. Thomas

    Sonic Charters St. Thomas

    (35 reviews)

    Everything! Best day ever!! Captain Kevin was great! Visited BVI's Jost and Norman... just a…read moreperfect day.

    We booked a private charter for a group of 7 and Sonic charters gave us the best day on the island…read more The captain gave us some suggestions for a snorkeling excursion and took us to some of his hidden gems. We stopped by a beach for lunch and did some sight seeing with caves where he told us some stories about the attractions. The level of accommodation was also stellar as he was able to be flexible with our needs. Some of our friends were sea sick and requested to be dropped off a beach to relax and picked up later. The captain planned our day around that and helped to keep time of when we would go pick up our friends. The coral reefs were so vibrant and we saw so many fishes in the ocean. The captain made us feel safe that he has our back in case we swayed too far from the boat or needed help. I am not a swimmer but the boat had noodles and life jackets that he did not mind taking out and putting away as we went about our day. I appreciated how respectful the captain was about the island and the rules implemented such as reef safe sunscreens, no touching the turtles and so on. We had a great time and learned a thing or two! Towards the end of the trip a friend realized he had forgotten something on the boat and sonic charters helped us locate the boat and captain to retrieve it. Coming from nyc, it would have been long gone but glad we got it back. We had a great time, I would recommend them for anyone visiting and want their own boat to get away from the crowds.

    Stormy Pirates Boat Charters - Jackson was the best bartender ever! We love our stormy pirate merch :)

    Stormy Pirates Boat Charters

    (183 reviews)

    We had an awesome day with Stormy Pirates. We took the trip from St. Thomas to Virgin Gorda to…read moreexplore The Baths, then headed over to White Sand Beach on Jost Van Dyke for lunch and some time to relax. From start to finish, everything was well organized and ran smoothly. We ended up with Kevin as our guide through The Baths, and he was outstanding. He knew the history of the islands, pointed out landmarks along the way, and explained how the giant granite boulders at The Baths were formed. You could tell he really enjoys what he does, and it made the experience so much more interesting. The rest of the crew--Brendan, Brian, and Robin (with a Y)--were just as great. Everyone was friendly, helpful, and always making sure guests had what they needed. The boat was clean and comfortable, the open bar was a nice bonus, and the whole day felt relaxed without ever feeling unorganized. This trip was absolutely worth the money. If you're visiting St. Thomas and want to see the British Virgin Islands, I wouldn't hesitate to book with Stormy Pirates again.

    These guys and gals rocked it, are not tip-motivated, nice clean well kept boat, accommodating to…read moreall parties and children. Had a nice selection of free on-board snacks and beverages. Made the trip to BVI easy, were great with the off boat excursion and recommendations. Didn't rush when delayed kept the schedule as promised! Will use them again when in the islands. Also made customs a breeze!

    Sail Independence - boating - Updated September 2026

    Loading...
    Loading...
    Loading...