snorkeling at Tobacco Bay & Horseshoe Beach

[PTAngel]

My friend & I are cruising to Bermuda in May.  We will be docking at St Georges & Hamilton.  Planning on going to Tobacco Bay Beach & Horseshoe Beach.  I am planning to buy a snorkeling outfit.  Do I need fins in both beaches?  We will just be walking out from the beach.  I am a novice snorkeler & may not go again after this trip (I'm 74 have trouble swimming).  It just seems too expensive to rent equipment when I can buy what I need cheaper than the 2 days rental fees.  I just want to see some fish.  

[Charles4515]

I bring my own snorkel and mask. Fins take up a lot of space so I rent if I need them. Fins help preserve energy. Tobacco Bay I rented them for $9 last August but I have snorkeled at Tobacco without fins. Not a must for snorkeling there because you mainly drift and don’t have to go far, just nice to have fins. They make it easier to swim. You may get tired snorkeling there without fins. It is shallow at Tobacco and no surf inside the rocks. You can see a lot of fish. If you snorkel there without fins just keep it short.  At Horseshoe there can be a lot of surf, conditions vary,  so if you have trouble swimming you would only want to snorkel in the small protected coves. Don’t walk out from the main part of the beach to snorkel, lots of current. Facing the beach near the facilities there is a cove to the right. Easy to snorkel there. Don’t need fins.  At the other end of Horseshoe if you keep walking beyond there are several small coves toward the east. Don’t need fins to snorkel in those. 

Edited February 16, 2020 by Charles4515

[ymncruise]

I only used my snorkel and mask at tobacco bay and it was fine. The water was too rough the day I went to horseshoe bay, so I didn’t snorkel there. 

[PTAngel]

Thanks, guys.  I appreciate your quick responses.  I feel better not buying the fins.  That will save a lot of space in my suitcase & when I pack my bag to the beaches.

[mitsugirly]

A lot of the snorkeling area at Tobacco Bay you can stand up in (to the right when facing the water from the beach). There were some spots if you go along the right that get deeper and I felt that to the left was more shallow and easier to snorkel.

 

I have a few pictures of one of the times we went there located HERE on my website. We did go twice. You're welcome to look at the other time but there wasn't as much to see that time.

 

Horseshoe does not really have snorkeling (it's a sandy area in the water) but Baby Beach had a lot of huge Parrot Fish in it (the area to the right that someone above mentioned).

[Charles4515]

13 hours ago, mitsugirly said:

Horseshoe does not really have snorkeling (it's a sandy area in the water) but Baby Beach had a lot of huge Parrot Fish in it (the area to the right that someone above mentioned).

Horseshoe Bay has some good snorkeling off shore out at the rocks that are sitting alone. However I don’t recommend it except for really good swimmers. Fifteen years ago I could snorkel out there. I was in borderline condition for it then. I personally wouldn’t even consider it now. 

Edited February 20, 2020 by Charles4515

[1bets1]

I use a pool noodle when I snorkel.