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Private Sailing Tour of Pirate Waters and Shipwrecks

4.7 ★ · 25 reviews · from USD175

Private Sailing Tour of Pirate Waters and Shipwrecks

Salt River Bay, St. Croix, was a pirate nest for two and a half centuries, used by Kalinago, Conquistadors, Buccaneers, and Pirates, and appears almost as pristine as when they anchored in the bay, sold their plunder, and partied ashore. Salt River Bay is also an ecological preserve filled with natural tropical beauty, mangroves, sea turtles, large tarpon, palm-covered beaches, and coral reefs.

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What Travelers Say4.7 ★ · 25 reviews
  • Captain Stan (Stanford), a descendant of the pirates he discusses and the author of a book on Caribbean pirate history, leads this private sailing tour of Salt River Bay, often accompanied by his dog Oscar.
  • Reviewers across many years consistently called Stan an exceptional storyteller and historian, weaving detailed, well-researched pirate and buccaneer history into a relaxed sail with time to swim and spot sea turtles.
  • Families with a wide age range, from young kids to grandparents, said the tour worked well for all ages, and several reviewers bought Stan own book after the trip.
  • A 1-star review described feeling overcrowded on what was booked as a private boat, along with the captain making political comments the reviewer found off-putting and a rude remark about his dog.
  • A 3-star reviewer said the captain got the meeting time mixed up and that a promised free drink never materialized, though they still enjoyed the pirate history and the dog.
  • Most reviewers called this one of the highlights of their entire St Croix trip and specifically praised Stan skill handling the boat, including a notably smooth return to the dock.

Reviews collected by Viator and Tripadvisor.

What's Included

✓ Water, Sodas, and Beer are provided, bring anything else you wish.

✕ I can provide names and numbers for trusted taxi drivers, if requested.

Itinerary
1

45 min

Park near the boat ramp in Salt River Marina. FOLLY docks on the wall beside the restaurant--look for the red sloop with the pirate flag. We sail into the bay and relive the battle between Columbus and the Indigenous peoples and learn how Conquistadors used St. Croix. The crew hears about notorious pirates who once lived along the shores of the bay, including Ponce de Leon, Michiel du Ruyter, Henry Morgan, Michelle de Grammont, and Samuel Bellamy, also stories of other famous visitors like Captain Kidd, Blackbeard, and many more. FOLLY takes you into battle with Pirate Captain Jean Martel's 22-gun JOHN AND MARTHA and 8-gun RENOWN against the 32-gun HMS SCARBOROUGH, sailing over cannons, bones, ballast stones, and, somewhere, 1000 pounds of silver.

2

15 min

Pirate Jean Martel's ship RENOWN wreck site.

3

15 min

Site of two Dutch shipwrecks from a failed invasion attempt in 1650, sunk by Fort Flammand just inside the cut into the harbor.

4

15 min

Fort Flammand/Fort Salee/Fort de Sales, site of five battles that changed the course of history on the island of Saint Croix.

5

30 min

Final Resting Place of Martel's Pirate Ship John and Martha, wrecked in battle with HMS Scarborough Nov. 20, 1716.

Meeting Point

I get bookings from hotels too. To find me, Pin Salt River Marina. Upon entering, take the left side, and FOLLY is moored by the restaurant space. Look for the black flag!

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