last bit of info needed for Grenadines trip. Sunnyboy, curiousx???
 

As I have posted before, we are going to St Lucia and a day trip to the Grenadines, now just ten days away. A question about the day sail. I am assuming that bathing suits and a snorkel mask are all one will need in the Tobago Cays. If we stop at Mayreau or wherever for lunch do we need to have a change of clothes or is a bathing suit with shorts and T shirt or tank over it OK?

Also, curiousx, took your advice and bought a new snorkel and mask today for the occasion. We have a dive shop right near our home. (hubby already had one) Also got an underwater camera. Hope to get some good pictures.

Any idea how the weather is now? Heard it was rather rainy still. Thanks in advance.

Brenda

There's quite a lot of current if you want to snorkel the horseshoe reef so I would definitely want flippers for that part, and it is where you see the greatest variety of fish and coral.

On Mayreau, you will be fine with shorts and T over a swimsuit.

Have a wonderful trip !

I tried to respond to this post last night, but it must be lost somewhere in cyberland. Do any of the sailing excursions supply flippers? I wouldn't mind using their flippers. Just not the masks. Yuck. any other advice for snorkeling the horseshoe reef? Thanks. Just previewed my post and found the one from last night, so they may both come up.

Most snorkel tour operators have equipment for you to use, including fins so that shouldn't be a problem for you.

Mayreau is a very laid back island so putting on a cover-up over your bathing suit will be just fine for lunch.

There has been a tropical front stalled over most of the Casribbean for the past ten days so many of the islands have seen lots of clouds and "off and on" rain. Predicting the what the weather will be like 10 days from now is like, well, predicting the weather. It's difficult enough figuring out what will happen tomorrow let alone 10 days from now. Much to early to tell any definite. Besides there's nothing you can do to control it so way waste time worrying about it.

Sunnyboy is right that the cat operator should have lots of fins on board...however, women with smaller feet (7 1/2 or less) often have trouble finding a pair in their size.

So if your feet are really small, you might want to pack a pair of neoprene beach shoes so you can wear a larger size flip.

The current on the reef moves from north to south, so the best way to do it is to swim north against the current and drift back. The best snorkelling is at high tide when the water is higher above the coral - I've snorkelled there at lower tide and found the coral very close beneath me (so another tip...wear a T shirt - it can protect from more than sun !).

I'll also reiterate now what the cat captain will no doubt tell you...don't stand on the coral or take any souvenirs (you know that already, I am sure !).

Also, on one of my trips, a couple of hot dog snorkellers went out to the far side of the reef...not recommended as there are only a couple of passages through, they are hard to find and the current gets fierce. Our skipper was out of his mind with worry but they did get back OK.

Re cover-ups - occasionally the store at the resort hotel in Saltwhistle Bay sells some nice ones and they are not expensive. I normally recommend pareos as cover-ups since they pack easily, dry quickly, and can double as beach blankets (those Mayreau ants can bite!).

Thanks for your responses. I had the feeling that it would be pretty laid back on the islands since there are mostly boaters. However, did not want to dress incorrectly as I know some of the islands are pickier about how you dress in public.

A question about the beach ants. Are those the same thing as the "no see ums" that I often read about? Are they on most of the beaches?

I also will not stress about the weather. I will pretty much do the same things anyway, maybe just less beach time. Hubby feels same way, at least we are out of here and don't have to work!! We were so lucky last year. Only one day of rain the whole trip. Talk about being spoiled by that experience. You have been really helpful to me. Thanks again for your time.

The Mayreau ants are just that - ants. Little ones but you will have no trouble seeing them. I haven't seen them anyplace else.