Can you swim with turtles on your own.....

[harry0]

or do you need to do a tour? Any input would be great, Thanks in advance.

Harry

[FRANCOIS]

Yes you can, Just take a taxi to Monkey Beach and there you will see few boat on the left side of the beach and people snorking.

I did it last month and i was great.

If you can have a floating vest, it would be easyier.

 

Enjoy

 

Francois

[Julie of the North]

Yes you can, Just take a taxi to Monkey Beach and there you will see few boat on the left side of the beach and people snorking.

I did it last month and i was great.

If you can have a floating vest, it would be easyier.

 

Enjoy

 

Francois

 

How far from the shore are the turtles? Is it a far swim?

 

Julie

[harry0]

I didn't get a response on this thread for a while. Since then I booked the Silver Moon ll. Thanks anyway.

Harry

[FRANCOIS]

I would say about 50 to 70 feet! quiet far!

I did it with a friend,both in the 40's and first you are not use to it so you are a bit nervous and it ask quiet a good physical condition.

 

I did it last year with a tour (Glory tours; Best of Barbados)

and this year on my own, I would definitively recomment with a tour!

 

Why? if you get a cramp, or anything you just get back on the boat, if you dont have a boat ...

 

Enjoy!

 

Francois

[MAGNUM PI]

We snorkeled with the turtles, while on a Silver Moon excursion.

We saw many turtles, just inches from us.

 

I have read reviews from some excursions, complaining about not seeing many turtles.

 

The difference: the staff on the Silver Moon fed the turtles.

 

Like they explained, the turtles do not stay in one particular area or in shallower depths. In order to try and bring them into view, you have to feed them. I had an inexpensive Kodak waterproof camera; took wonderful photos of the turtles!

 

I would go with a tour, IMO.

[Pianogrl]

Random question.....do the turtles bite or snap at you? I'm sure they don't cause I've never heard anything here that they do...but just wanted to ask.

[wrp96]

We snorkeled with the turtles, while on a Silver Moon excursion.

We saw many turtles, just inches from us.

 

I have read reviews from some excursions, complaining about not seeing many turtles.

 

The difference: the staff on the Silver Moon fed the turtles.

 

Like they explained, the turtles do not stay in one particular area or in shallower depths. In order to try and bring them into view, you have to feed them. I had an inexpensive Kodak waterproof camera; took wonderful photos of the turtles!

 

I would go with a tour, IMO.

 

I am so glad to hear this about the Silver Moon. We are taking this tour next month, and seeing the turtles is the only thing my best friend really wants to do on this cruise.

[Sunniebgi]

I just want to bring something up I presented a short while ago.

 

Please don't make swimming with the turtles the be all and end all of you day in Barbados. and don't get your expectations of seeing dozens of swimming turtles cause it might not happen.

 

I know.. it's been a while since I actually did this (about 2 years or so with a local group), and at that time we only saw maybe 3 total. You may also end up with 2 or 3 or 4 other boats/catamarans doing the same thing, so you are all fighting to see the same 3 or 4 turtles..

 

I had a conversation yesterday with someone I call "the turtle lady" in Barbados. She is in charge of the Belairs Turtle Research Facility in Barbados and is a Professer at the University of the West Indies. Shes the one who goes out at night to steer the hatchlings away from the bright lights that the beach hotels have placed along the beach fronts and she is the one you call when you find dead or dying turtles on the beach. These turtles are indangered and need to be protected..

 

Unfortunately the Govt of Barbados hasn't ruled against swimming with these turtles (but that might be soon), but just remember .. don't feed them or try to hurt them. They are wild animals and the more we domesticate them, the worse off they will be.

 

sorry for my rant.. but thats how I feel.

[FRANCOIS]

Last year on a tour I saw about 3 turtles and this year without a tour, I saw 1 turtle and the water a fuggy, not very clear.

Last year some people got advice to stop running after the turtle.

You got to stay on top and just look when they pass, without touching them.

 

francois

[vlnovak]

We were on the silvermoon in jan, and the water was cloudy due to big waves the days before saw about 4 turtles.