Where exactly are the wrecks & turtles off Carlisle?

[Spike2000]

Hello all,

I am very excited to finally get down to Barbados. I believe we are going to try Carlisle due to the sea turtles that appear to commonly reside there.

 

Where exactly are the reefs/wrecks/turtles located from the beach? (yes I know, in the water -haha) For instance, "Most Wrecks are straight out in the water behind XX Bar".

 

What I am getting at is where I should set up my stuff? (behind which restaurant/bar?)

 

Can these locations be swam out to from beach or must I hire a boat? (Is it reasonable to snorkel out? My wife and I are both divers so we feel comfortable in the water unless there is too much boat traffic etc)

 

Would you recommend we spend the whole day here or should we (hopefully) get a turtle/wreck snorkel in and explore other beaches later for some 'cock-tailing' in the afternoon.

 

Again, we are looking forward to seeing Barbados since we have very much enjoyed Curacao and Aruba in the past.

 

Thank you

[lah66]

I hope you get an answer!

We will be in Barbados in three short weeks. From my scouring of CC and Trip Advisor, the answer as to what bar is closest to the turtles may be Harbour Lights. There is very conflicting info about your ability to swim to the turtles. Some say you have to be an Olympic swimmer, others say you do not even need fins! Can someone clarify? I think the wrecks may be further out, too far to snorkel to, but if you only want to see turtles, you may be fine on your own. I was going to wait to get there and see for myself!

Answers, anyone?

Lauri

[Spike2000]

I actually have been talking with someone on Trip Ad-visor and she said that getting out there is no big deal. She said to consider setting up by the yellow lifeguard post and swim out toward that left. Supposedly the spots will be obvious to me. Will give you my opinion when I get back.:)

Edited January 28, 2015 by Spike2000
spelling

[lah66]

I actually have been talking with someone on Trip Ad-visor and she said that getting out there is no big deal. She said to consider setting up by the yellow lifeguard post and swim out toward that left. Supposedly the spots will be obvious to me. Will give you my opinion when I get back.:)

 

Thanks Spike! I will look forward to your return! Have a great cruise!

18 more days for me....

Lauri

[clarky213]

Just look out for the Catamarans gathering and you will see groups of people Snorkelling at both the Turtles and the shipwrecks.

[CMM]

Here is my two cents.

We went to Lobster Alive with another couple around Oct 1st I think it was $15 for two chairs and a free drink and a big beach umbrella. It was a nice quite area right on the water with a single row of chairs. I thought that was reasonable. The other couple was not intersted in the turtles.

I wanted to go on a boat snorkel tour. Hubby said "looks like we can swim to it". I said I would feel more comfortable with a group. We got a boat snorkel tour to the turtles and the shipwreck right on the beach for just $20pp. This was the time of my life LOVED the turtles. My husband on the other hand really struggled. He had a heck of a time fighting the current and almost had a panic attack out there.

So while I highly recommend the whole thing, it is kind of funny he had originally wanted to just swim out. My thought is if you are on vacation why not do it right, safe, and relaxing.

 

Depends on what your looking for when you only have a few hours at a cruise stop and want to make the most of it. I was glad we took the tour especially since it was only $20. Maybe if I was younger, in better shape, and more adventurous I would feel different.

[Nebr.cruiser]

We were there in December and took a snorkel tour of the wreck and turtles from Lobster's Alive. It was good.

 

We are good swimmers and could easily have swam to the turtles--not very far out. The shipwreck is farther, but still doable if you are a really good swimmer. I wouldn't be afraid to try it, but I have a lot of swimming experience. I regularly swim that far on our lake.

 

It was very calm that day; more waves might make a difference.

 

Really though, the snorkel trips are so inexpensive here, I think they are the way to go.

[ParRoo]

For those of you that did the tour from lobsters alive, did the boat just go straight out.....did it go off to the right, .....to the left?

 

 

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[OCruisers]

Totally agree with CMM! It's so much better and more enjoyable to take the snorkel tour than to try to swim out.

Also, the snorkel tour will provide you with your snorkel gear. :)

LuLu

[Nebr.cruiser]

From Lobster's Alive I think we got on the boat a little to the right and it also picked up others. Then we went to the shipwreck which was out a ways and to the left--more toward the far end of the hotels. For the turtles we came back in quite a ways and where we snorkeled there it was left of Lobster's Alive.

[CMM]

For those of you that did the tour from lobsters alive, did the boat just go straight out.....did it go off to the right, .....to the left?

 

 

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We picked up another couple at a different spot on the beach first and went to the shipwreck first then the turtles, can't recall what directions we headed out, but we were picked up right on the shore where our chairs were.

 

The guy who met escorted us to the chairs at lobster alive arranged our tour which turned out to be the Bliss Boat. The Bliss was a nice big boat with a slide and glass bottom view area, but if I could do it over I would seek out Neville and his smaller yellow boat. The reason I say this is our tour just said to get in and swim over there and pointed to where the staff was from other tours who had fish bait out and were making sure their people had great opportunities to interact with the turtles. We just mooched off of them. I have read so many good things on cruise critic about Neville and while relaxing on the beach after my tour I saw his boat pull up and realize if I had just asked I could have easily gone with him too.