Where's the best snorkeling on St. John?

Old Mar 24th, 2002, 09:31 AM
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island_girl
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Where's the best snorkeling on St. John?

Hi! My family and I are considering renting a northside villa on St. John. It is w/in a 10 minute walk to Hawksnest and Oppenheimer Beach or Jumby Bay. A short drive to Trunk Bay and Cinnamon Bay. Would we find excellent snorkeling at any of these sites??
Thanks in advance for any responses!!
 
Old Mar 24th, 2002, 11:15 AM
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info
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Simple answer - yes!
 
Old Mar 24th, 2002, 01:42 PM
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bobcat
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Trunk Bay
 
Old Mar 24th, 2002, 01:53 PM
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jesse
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The best IMHO is Watermelon Cay. It is not easy to get to but you will be rewarded when you begin your underwater adventure.
 
Old Mar 25th, 2002, 05:48 AM
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Winnie
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I second what Jesse said, but wanted to add it's Waterlemon rather than melon. It took me a couple trips to get that straight myself. There used to be a paved road to Waterlemon but a hurricane ate it some years ago. You can get a taxi to deliver you to the head of the road and hike the rest of the way. Make arrangements with the driver to pick you up at a prearranged time.My estimate would be that it's about 3/4 mile in. There are times when the road or path will seem to disappear. Press on! You will see a small island sitting maybe 200 feet off the shore. This is where you want to swim. Prevailing currents make it wise to swim around it in a counterclockwise motion. Also be aware that currents in the channel between the shore and the island can be swift although not unmanagable. This is not an area for younger children.There is no beach to plunk down your things, but some large rocks in the area can be used as your personal deck. Take time out to hike to the top of the hill, provided you can find the path. The ruins at the top are lovely and the view incredible. The snorkeling here is lovely and varied. Once you have gone it will become a traditional part of every trip. Don't forget to take water and toilet paper,(no facilities.)Zip up your backpacks while you're out in the water. The only thieves here are the mongoose.
 
Old Mar 25th, 2002, 10:46 AM
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Karen
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Leinster Bay .... from the Annenberg Ruins hike about 1/2 mile and Waterlemon will be off to the left ... also Lameshur Bay. Not only can Trunk get crowded with tourists on cruise ship days, the snorkling is not that great with most of the flora and fauna gone. At casual spots you may be comfortable in shorts at dinner ... other places a man might be more comfortable in a pair of kackis and a female in a casual summer dress ... (Chateau, Asolare, for example). There is a visitors' center in Charolette Amalie where you could leave your luggage in the past, but I have noticed that it has not been open during my last trips into Town when we were on the island. (March and October). Think about buying your own mask ... usually will fit better ... and I am not wild about putting a snorkle in my mouth that has been in a zillion others and just thrown in clorox, maybe, for cleaning!
 
Old May 25th, 2002, 03:56 PM
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gail
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Spent a week in St. John last year, the best snorkeling is Waterlemon Cay, Hawksnest, and Capt. Bob who perches at the Lowkey watersports bar around 5-6p.m. his boat is called the "SPREE" will take you on a daysail to the area between Lovango Cay and the snorkeling is real shallow but awesome over staghorn coral and huge schools of very small fish. Salt Pond is overated and has storm damage to the coral.
 
Old Apr 9th, 2012, 10:44 AM
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Best places I've experienced -
1. Turtle Bay (amazing coral reef, rays, turtles)
2. Northside of Haulover Bay (more challenging but very rich sealife)
3. Whistling Cay (accessible by boat, huge corals)

Salt Pond Bay is good for warming up, usually see turtles or rays in the seagrasses there.

Waterlemon Cay seems to have faded in the last ten years, but the bay area where the boats are is supposed to be much better than snorkeling around the Waterlemon island.

We were told by the manager of Concordia the best snorkeling was Grootpan Bay. We went there after a tropical storm and there was too many moonfish, we didn't know if they were the stinging variety, but what we did manage to see looked really good.
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Old Apr 9th, 2012, 10:52 AM
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Paul - you are responding to a 10 year old thread. I'm sure OP has been there and back.

Anyway, thanks for an update on the current snorkeling conditions around St. John.
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Old Apr 9th, 2012, 04:48 PM
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appreciate the update. friends going in 2 wks so quite useful.
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