1st time Cruiser looking for Beach Snorkel in Bahamas

[superdairyboy]

Ok all I have been snorkeling before in Jamaica. Looking to save money and find a place in the Bahamas where we can snorkel from the shore, and not have to pay for an excursion. Want to be able to do it at our leasiure.

 

we have 2 ports of call one is Nassau and the other is freeport. Will be traveling with my Very active 75 year old mother and 2 kids, ages 7 and 9.

 

what I'm hoping to find is a nice location to rent equipment for the day and a good beach to go to.

 

I was reading that paradise island is a good place. The kids want to do this too. so an easy swim and calm water would be great too. I would like to be able to rent a floatation device for the kids too.

 

 

On a side note my mother wants to go parasailing. I'm going to assume there will be plenty of places to do this at?

[suezyq50]

I hope you get a response.

[superdairyboy]

Well here is what I have found. most places the beaches are private.

 

so what we are doing is in Freeport going to this place Paradise cove

 

http://www.deadmansreef.com/

 

$35 per person they will pick you up and take you back. $6 more for lunch. the $35 includes snorkel equipment for the day. sounds and looks like a great place. and had lots of great reviews.

The reef here they say is about 150yds from the shore and in 4-5 feet of water.

 

When in Nassau we are going to either go to the Sheraton

http://www.starwoodhotels.com/sheraton/property/overview/index.html?propertyID=3067

 

Or the Wyndham

 

http://www.wyndham.com/hotels/NASBS/main.wnt

 

They both offer day passes that give you access to their pools and private beaches. both include use of kayaks snorkel equipment and more.

 

The sheraton is $25 and the Wyndham is $40 but also includes a buffet lunch.

 

Not sure yet which one we will go to.

[Host Star]

if you want to snorkel in Nassau you will need to take an excursion .. rainbow reef or stuart's cove are good choices

[Stevesan]

if you want to snorkel in Nassau you will need to take an excursion .. rainbow reef or stuart's cove are good choices

 

An excellent recommendation. Extract from my review:

 

Nassau: “Snorkel Bahamas Adventure” is a 5-½ hour trip operated by Stuart’s Cove. On a previous excursion I went on the impressive Athol Island snorkel. This Stuart’s Cove outing surpassed all of my previous experiences, including Athol Island. The boat trip is @ three hours, and visits Schoolhouse Reef, the spectacular Golden Key Reef and finally a “swim with the sharks” at ‘The Wreck of the Bahama Mama’. I have never before witnessed such a number and variety of fish as at Golden Key. There are never-ending fish, large and small, singly and in large schools. The floor is decorated with huge, magnificent coral formations of all shapes and sizes. While there, a shark cruised past our group. He obviously thought this was his ocean and didn’t know, nor care, that we weren’t scheduled for a shark encounter until after Golden Key. Surprisingly, getting in with a dozen or so sharks is not frightening. I suspect we were too caught up with their grace and magnificence to be scared. The crew drops a bait bucket on the bottom, about fifteen to twenty feet deep. We float above them, watching the sharks feed. Best of all is when we return to the boat. A crew member baits the end of a metal pole holding it in the air over the aft end. The sharks leap up to grab the treat. It's amazing how graceful they are. The sharks, not the crew members.

This is a five star, gold medallion trip!