Snorkelling
Jan 28th, 2006, 02:10 AM
#1
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Snorkelling
My husband and I would like to travel to the Caribbean soon, and would like to stay somewheres with great snorkelling. All of the websites I have seen refer to scuba diving, and often mention snorkelling as a secondary thing. I have tried the various island websites, and they all say "great snorkelling" but don't offer locations, reviews, etc. My past experience with the Caribbean is that many companies offer snorkelling trips that are sadly, sadly, SADLY disappointing.
What we want is a good island, with snorkel locations accessible from a beach or from a public area, as I really hate paying for a tour that is far below par.
Suggestions?
What we want is a good island, with snorkel locations accessible from a beach or from a public area, as I really hate paying for a tour that is far below par.
Suggestions?
Jan 28th, 2006, 02:55 AM
#2
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st. thomas is not the most popular island on this forum but offers a ton to do and numerous beach snorkeling opportunties. coki beach, sugar bay beach, secret harbour beach to name a few.
st. john is much quieter and has even better beach snorkel.
st. john is much quieter and has even better beach snorkel.
Jan 28th, 2006, 06:49 AM
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Our best snorkeling has been St John, St Thomas,
BVI and Cozumel. Going to TCI and understand they have great snorkeling and beautiful beaches.
USVI you can do snorkeling from the shore. Many great beaches to explore. Took a boat excursion over to BVI and it was great snorkeling.
Cozumel has good shore snorkeling also. Cozumel got hit very hard with hurricane Wilma but is coming back very quickly.
Can't comment on TCI yet but I hear it's as good as St John.
Have fun researching. I'm sure other posters have done good shore snorkeling and will have other suggestions.
BVI and Cozumel. Going to TCI and understand they have great snorkeling and beautiful beaches.
USVI you can do snorkeling from the shore. Many great beaches to explore. Took a boat excursion over to BVI and it was great snorkeling.
Cozumel has good shore snorkeling also. Cozumel got hit very hard with hurricane Wilma but is coming back very quickly.
Can't comment on TCI yet but I hear it's as good as St John.
Have fun researching. I'm sure other posters have done good shore snorkeling and will have other suggestions.
Jan 28th, 2006, 07:00 AM
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I enjoy the beach snorkelling at Sapphire Beach on St. Thomas, and Hawksnest Beach on St. John.
Many people rave about the snorkelling at Trunk Bay, St. John, but I was very disappointed.
Huge crowds brought in by boat from cruise ships have knocked to tops off of every single large coral in the area, and unless you are there before or after the crowds, you'll be fully engaged in flipper to head combat. Not my idea of a good time.
Many people rave about the snorkelling at Trunk Bay, St. John, but I was very disappointed.
Huge crowds brought in by boat from cruise ships have knocked to tops off of every single large coral in the area, and unless you are there before or after the crowds, you'll be fully engaged in flipper to head combat. Not my idea of a good time.
Jan 28th, 2006, 09:23 AM
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St. John is excellent for shore snorkeling and you can take boat trips to some of the small cays to the NE.
Provo (T&C) has limited shore snorkeling but the corals (from shore and from a boat) were the prettiest I've ever seen.
I read an article last week that said it will take Cozumel's reef 100 years to recover - also that the shallower areas were hit the worst, so the damage was worse for snorkelers than for divers.
Bonaire is supposed to be excellent - maybe my next trip?
Provo (T&C) has limited shore snorkeling but the corals (from shore and from a boat) were the prettiest I've ever seen.
I read an article last week that said it will take Cozumel's reef 100 years to recover - also that the shallower areas were hit the worst, so the damage was worse for snorkelers than for divers.
Bonaire is supposed to be excellent - maybe my next trip?
Jan 31st, 2006, 04:09 AM
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The first place I snorkeled was at the base of the Pitons in St. Lucia. It was my first time, so keep in mind that my memories are going to be colored by the new wondrous world that had opened up to me. The water was beautiful and clear, the corals were vibrantly colored, and the fish were plentiful and varied. The base around the Pitons has been a marine reserve for awhile, but I don't know how long. That, coupled with the fact that the water gets deep in a hurry and thus it's too deep for inexperienced snorkelers to stand on the coral if they panic, made it seem one of the healthiest spots I've snorkeled.
Now that I've sampled half a dozen other islands, St. Lucia falls behind parts of the BVI in my experience, but ahead of other parts of it. The snorkeling I did off Guana Island in 2003 and off Cooper Island in 2005 were superior to my St. Lucia experience. The snorkeling I did from the shore on Tortola in 2005, however, has to rank just behind my St. Lucia snorkeling. Around Tortola in the best snorkeling spots (Brewer's Bay, Smuggler's Cove, Long Bay East) had coral that looked dead or dying, but the fish and other animal life was certainly abundant.
Now that I've sampled half a dozen other islands, St. Lucia falls behind parts of the BVI in my experience, but ahead of other parts of it. The snorkeling I did off Guana Island in 2003 and off Cooper Island in 2005 were superior to my St. Lucia experience. The snorkeling I did from the shore on Tortola in 2005, however, has to rank just behind my St. Lucia snorkeling. Around Tortola in the best snorkeling spots (Brewer's Bay, Smuggler's Cove, Long Bay East) had coral that looked dead or dying, but the fish and other animal life was certainly abundant.
