Many of you may know the story of how our business was started and how CatZilla was the epitome of the third times a charm but for those who don’t here is our little backstory! 

After living on St John and St Thomas and working on boats, Joe and I had relocated and were living in Charleston, SC when we received a call to purchase an existing business.  We had been wanting to move back anyways so Joe and I made the decision, sold our belongings and got back here right away and started the process of doing an SBA 7A  loan from a local bank.  As many of you know, things in the VI move…at a different pace.  So fast forward a few months and mountains of paperwork, and ultimately the owner had to go with a different buyer who could close fast, and we fully understood.  Disappointed didnt even cover it, but at that point we were inches away from the SBA loan coming together and were told we could move it to forming a new business.  Joe and I worked on the business name, I got started forming the LLC and dealing with paperwork and lawyers all while he was trying to find us a boat.  Joe and a good friend of ours who happens to be a boat broker found us a great option on St Thomas; well the seller pulled the contract on us after someone else offered him more money and we were back to the search.  The guys had, I think, one week to find a boat and they came through with CatZilla out of Fort Macon marina in North Carolina!  Joe and I actually thought she was named Godzilla for the longest time but when we found out it was CatZilla, we ran with it.  The SBA loan finally came through and we were on our way to Love City Excursions becoming a reality; at the same time as planning our wedding.  After delay after delay, and a tropical storm she weathered in North Carolina, CatZilla shipped the same day as our wedding, ten years ago today.  One of my bridesmaids had to take a call from the trucker at our rehearsal, (while we were standing on the altar with the priest) because the trailer had three blown tires on it’s way to the port in Miami.  I handed her my cc and just said please tell him to fix it.  He did and Catzilla shipped the next day, making it to St John a week or so later and then I ended up running our first charter sent to us from a good friend that same Friday. 

It was an eventful first year in 2015 as we brought one of the first big world cats to St John, followed in 2018 by CatZilla 2 and then expanding into Silver Cat (Silver Coral,) in 2020.  What a ride it’s been, we are so thankful for all of our repeat customers, everyone who leaves us tripadvisor reviews and all of you who come out with us, engage with us and follow us along this journey!  

We look forward to another great season coming up and to celebrate we are going to be offering a great discount for the rest of the season for trips starting July 1st!  

Details below!

Looking forward to seeing everyone back again next season and for years to come

Joe and Katie