swim with turtles recommendations?

[MindTheGap1918]

We had a fantastic experience with Shasa last year. Swam with the turtles, went to another snorkel spot, then anchored in a secluded cove where we had an outstanding lunch and time to relax in the water. There were a couple of children on the catamaran that were nervous about getting in the water and after Jason (the owner) showed them how to snorkel, you couldn't get the kids out of the water after that!

[felix9]

Cruisin KLS,

 

I have heard about this company and want to book for my december cruise.

 

I will be in barbados from 9-6, will this be enough time? i will have 2 kids age 7 and 14, . do they pick up from the cruise tour?

 

 

 

Wanted to tell you of our experiences with Calabaza. http://www.calabazasailingcruises.com/

 

We first booked with Gina in February 2011. She is easy to contact and very quick to respond. Easy to book with and answered the millions of questions that I had with ease. This was easily the best catamaran excursion that we have been on in our 10 cruises.

 

Pick up at the cruise port is easy and a short ride to the Calabaza through town is all it takes before you are off on your day to be spoiled. The food is delicious! Coffee/tea and banana bread in the morning. Various offerings for lunch...chicken' date=' fish, cole slaw, plantains, macaroni salad, tomato pie...everything is amazing and abundant. Rum punch is the best I have ever had and flows all day. Water and soda and other drinks are available.

 

Gina and Chad cater to you all day while Danny sails the Calabaza. You snorkel at two spots, once with the turtles and once at a reef. Anchor out from the beach for lunch and have plenty of time to eat and swim.

 

January 2013 will be our 3rd time out with Calabaza and I can't wait. I think the price now is $110pp and it is worth every penny. They only book 12 people on each trip and it is not at all crowded. When we returned home, you receive an email with recipes from your day with Calabaza. This past year, Chad took pictures all day and you are emailed the link with all of the pictures so if you don't have an underwater camera, you can still have pics of the turtles.

 

Definitely take the time to explore all options with the tours. They are similiar but each one is different in it's own way. - Kristi[/quote']

[chismrules]

Has Anyone ever seen or heard from Any tour groups that they have seen any sharks while snorkeling

[PhotogalMB]

Rockley, Paynes or Carlisle are your best bets.

 

Carlisle is closest to the cruise ship port. At Carlisle and Paynes, you have to swim out a few hundred yards to get to them. At Rockley, there's a small reef about 150 yards out from the Side Shore Bar. We would see turtles most mornings there also.

 

Cheers, P:)

 

We will be at Carslile Beach and would like to see/ swim with the turtles. I am not a good swimmer so swimming out is not an option. Is there a boat that takes you out from the beach, does it have life jackets or can i stay on board and just take pics of DH with the turtles.

[prekcruiser]

Hi, my husband and I were at Carlisle beach last week and there are guys on the beach that will take you our to where the shipwrecks and turtles are for snorkeling. We paid $20 per person and it was well worth it. Husband is not the strongest swimmer and was much more comfortable with a boat bringing us out and having a life jacket. We were out there for around 1 hour. Hope this helps.

[Fiferatsea]

I'm thinking of booking a swim with turtles before our RC Jewel of Seas trip...it's the trip the ship,offers...my mom is 82 and does not want to swim with the turtles...does this trip start/ end at a beach she can sit on? She seems to think she can do this...want to make sure before I book it...

[happy40th]

Here is a less expensive option:

 

http://barbadosahoy.com/whynot.htm

 

Here is an email I got from another CC'er about sailing with Captian Ron...

By the way you can talk to him in person to set it up and can even do a

private charter. The more the people the cheaper.. You can do a charter for a reasonable price also... We sail with him in 2 weeks ..YIPEE!!

 

***from fellow CC'r*****

 

Jim,

I saw you are booked through Captain Ron. A group of 6 of us took the sail in March of 2004. It was a blast, in fact we are sailing with him again in 4 days! He sails the same as the other catamarans, going to swim with the turtles and stop at the sunken ship, complimentary drinks, (beer and rum punch) and lunch. Bring your underwater camera. I can let you know how it goes this time when we return. There will be 8 of us neighbors and 4 others from the Carnival Destiny aboard.

Bon Voyage

Pam

 

**********

 

Jim

What was the price?

[phannie]

Just off Jewel of the Sea and we used Cool Runnings Catamaran. We had such a great time and the crew and food were amazing. We had our kids (12,9) with us and they can't stop talking about it.

[Aplmac]

Has Anyone ever seen or heard from Any tour groups that they have seen any sharks while snorkeling

Sharks are an extreme rarity anywhere around Barbados. ;)

 

Our waters are too clean, as a Marine Biology Prof. once explained to me.

Sharks prefer muddy-ish waters around Big River mouths

where much biological interaction occurs between fresh and salt-water masses,

creating life forms that sharks benefit from(at the other end of the food chain).

 

 

You needn't worry about sharks in Barbados.

 

 

You be sure to come back here and let us know

if you saw anything scarier than a large turtle, in Barbados waters, OK?

 

.