Plan - Lighthouse and then snorkling

[TessM]

I've never been to Grand Turk before (or the Carribean for that matter) so I need some help with logistics please.

 

I know the island is small but I'll be there on Emerald Princess in March which has our stop listed as 1pm - 7pm - so, not much time. I'm travelling with my sister and she HAS to see the lighthouse. I was thinking of the two of us taking a cab there and back.

 

For those of you who have seen the lighthouse, how long should I plan for it to take there and back and time spent touring the lighthouse? Also, how much should I expect for the cab ride -there/back and waiting for us as we explore? My sister LOVE lighthouses and I don't want her to miss seeing this one.

 

I've never snorkled but I want to try. Is there any way I could fit this in? I need instruction so it's not like I could just do it on my own. Also, if I go out with someone on a boat, could my sister tag along? If it's from the beach, I figure she can just chill out on the beach while waiting for me.

 

Is this doable? Is there someone you would recommend for a beginner snorkler?

 

Thanks!

Tess

[iguanaeddie]

I can't answer your lighthouse question but I can make a suggestion if your sister is interested in lighthouses. The Jimmy Buffet book "A Salty Piece of Land" is a fictional tale about searching for a Fresnel lens for a lighthouse in need of restoration. The museum on Grand Turk has one of these lens on display. The book is an easy to read tale and you might want to get a copy for your sister to read on the cruise. It ties nicely to the lens on display on Grand Turk.

One other point is that the title may be a not so veiled reference to Salt Cay which has a personal meaning to Jimmy Buffet.

Ed

[Clipsy01]

We were pretty surprised at Grand Turk. It has not fully got back on its feet from Hurricane Hannah in 04 so prepare yourself. My wife and I plus my buddy and his gf was with us on our stop to GT. We rented a golf cart from Jermaine just outside the gate. We paid $80 for the day. We were there from 7am-3pm. We drove all around the island exploring and taking pics. The lighthouse is at the very other end from where the port is. There are plenty of taxis waiting if you choose to take a taxi. No idea on the cost though. The lighthouse is very run down and in poor condition. You can not go in it, just walk around it. We spent about 15 min there. As far as snorkeling I would say Governor's Beach. We stopped there first when we left on the golf cart. There are signs clearly visible to get you there. Beach looked very clean but I can't say anything about the marine life as we didn't do anything but walk into the water up to our knees. There was a small building selling soda,etc next to where we parked and we were approached about snorkeling but just advised him that we were not staying at the beach. Hope this helps a little. I would post some pics but I have transferred them yet from the camera...I was in GT on Sept. 16th.

[roothy123]

I am a lighthouse nut also. I don't know how long the cab ride is to the lighthouse, or the cost, since I've not been to Grank Turk before. However, I imagine it's not long. I would guess that when I go to the lighthouse (early Jan.) I'll spend about a half hour there to walk around and take pictures. It's not like visiting a major lighthouse in the U.S., where you can frequently climb to the top, browse in a museum, etc.

 

Are you going to Gustavia? I notice there is a small, dinky lighthouse on a hill close to the town of St. Barts. If you're going to St. Barts, let me know, and I'll find a picture of it and send you the link. It's nothing special, but us lighthouse nuts still want to see it!! Apparently you can see it from the main street in St. Barts.