"Baby" Snorkeling

[mitsugirly]

I didn't read everyone's replies...but in St Thomas there is an EXCELLENT place to snorkel right off the beach and we found the water was calm. You could go WAY out and still not be in deep water at all. We had fish following us around and we seen so many different types of fish. We never wanted to leave.

 

Anyhow, it is called Sapphire Beach. There are areas that if you just want to be in the water with sand under your feet you can...or walk along the side of the coral. You have to be careful because if you are snorkeling over the reefs and headed toward the shore, the coral comes almost up to the top of the water and before you know it, you may scratch your belly and can't stand up. So this basically tells you that you could actually just be right at the shore standing beside the coral and poke your head down under water and see everything. It's a great place.

 

Here is a review I did on it last year:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1280889

[CaribQween]

While on a marine biology research assignment in Baja (Bahia de Los Angeles) during my last year in college, I stepped onto a tiny stingray very early in the morning that was under the sand near the shore - it's barb went all the way into the middle (fleshy part) of my foot and came back out. Being we were not near any medical facility, I was treated locally by a nurse and it took months to get better. At the time my professor, a well known marine biologist explained that seldom will stingrays sting while they are swimming - their barb is exposed in a downward angle while they are actively swimming. Their anatomy is such that the barb is ready to react when something is coming at it from above when it's under the sand like a foot- not usually when it's swimming.

 

Years ago when I was swimming off Coronado Island (near San Diego), I was in water about waist deep and stepped down on a stingray that had burrowed under the sand. It felt like I had stepped on broken glass and I immediately went down. I couldn't get back up to get out of the water because it was so painful. A lifeguard came over and got me out of the water and took me in a dune buggy to the lifeguard shack. He knew immediately what had happened because they have so much experience with it. They soaked my foot in warm water for a while to see if I would have a really bad reaction. Of course, I did and ended up going to the nearest emerency room. There were several other people in there that had also stepped on them. They had to shoot my foot up with Novacaine. My foot was swollen to about twice its normal size and I was on crutches for several days. It was one of the most painful experiences I've ever had. However, I'm not afraid now to dive or snorkel with them. I just don't step on them anymore :p.

[Snorkel Dawg]

Hey Bob,

 

I'll second someones pick of Secret Harbor in St. Thomas. We were there with our two DDs & the water is very calm & not very deep unless you swim quite a ways out. It is in a very protected bay. I am a good swimmer but always wear a vest as well.

 

Welcome to snorkeling, you're gonna love it!