HMC - snorkeling from the beach

[enjoyinglife]

How good is the snorkeling in the designated snorkle area? Or would it be worth it to go on a snorkle tour instead?

[rotomu]

The main beach does not have much coral/structure so very few fish. Only area that is any good is by the tender area or all the way to the northern point before you can find areas that hold fish. The snorkle tour goes to the back side of the island, very nice colorful shallow reefs, corals, fans,etc. Very nice selection of colorful and plentiful fish. Very healthy reef! I've dove quite a bit so know what a healthy reef and damaged reef looks like.

[enjoyinglife]

The main beach does not have much coral/structure so very few fish. Only area that is any good is by the tender area or all the way to the northern point before you can find areas that hold fish. The snorkle tour goes to the back side of the island, very nice colorful shallow reefs, corals, fans,etc. Very nice selection of colorful and plentiful fish. Very healthy reef! I've dove quite a bit so know what a healthy reef and damaged reef looks like.

 

So to get to the back side, can you walk there or need to sign up for a tour? And if it was a tour, would you go again?

 

Thanks for your help,

 

Gwyn

[rotomu]

The only way to the back side of the island is the tour. Yep, I'd do it again tomorrow. The reef is not huge, but very healthy and colorful. Three small reefs in the same general area. Be ready to be one of the first ones in when they stop the boat to get away from the group and get your $ worth. I cheated a little and took a ziplock bag of mini chunk dog food with me and the fish loved me

[enjoyinglife]

The only way to the back side of the island is the tour. Yep, I'd do it again tomorrow. The reef is not huge, but very healthy and colorful. Three small reefs in the same general area. Be ready to be one of the first ones in when they stop the boat to get away from the group and get your $ worth. I cheated a little and took a ziplock bag of mini chunk dog food with me and the fish loved me

 

 

Do you remember how much the tour cost? I am glad to know that dog food works?

[Emmabelle]

How good is the snorkeling in the designated snorkle area? Or would it be worth it to go on a snorkle tour instead?

 

Just back from Triumph July 28th sailing. The area of snorkling from the beach has hardly anything to see. My daughter wasted about half a roll of film on it, so I know first hand. :)

 

 

Slightly off topic but,

 

We rented a car in St. Thomas to go to Sapphire Beach, now that had much better snorkling right from the beach, lots of fish and my family were also able to watch a sea turtle for a while.

[enjoyinglife]

Just back from Triumph July 28th sailing. The area of snorkling from the beach has hardly anything to see. My daughter wasted about half a roll of film on it, so I know first hand. :)

 

 

Slightly off topic but,

 

We rented a car in St. Thomas to go to Sapphire Beach, now that had much better snorkling right from the beach, lots of fish and my family were also able to watch a sea turtle for a while.

 

 

Did you write a review of the cruise? I cant wait! We are doing the same route in February. At Sapphire Beach, was there any coral? Did u bring 'fish' food, or they were there on their own?

[rotomu]

I'm thinking the snorkle trip was $30-35 per person. They provide the equipment. We took our own mask/snorkles. They had a trash can of water to rinse your mask/snorkles before you used them, but I like the fit of ours and knowing whose mouth they were in. We used their fins and vest however. Mask and snorkle takes up little space in your luggage and a good fit makes a world of difference. The dog food trick also worked great on the Stuart Cove trip we did in Nassau. I look like the pied piper with a trail of fish.

[HookedOnCruisin'2]

DH and I were just there from the Triumph a week and a half ago. We didn't do the formal excursion but wish we did. We rented the snorkeling gear for about $32 for both of. We were disappointed for a while in the designated snorkeling area until we went over by the rocks. There it was pretty decent and we had a good time.

 

OT but to add to this, we scuba'd in St. T. at Coki Beach. I'd lost my water camera when another diver knocked out my regulator and I was trying to retrieve it. After the dive we followed the flow of the water over to the far end of the beach hoping to find my camera floating there. We didn't ind the camera but found wonderful snorkeling! We even swam around with about 10 small octopi!

 

Grand Turk has some nice snorkeling and after it was said and done we wished we'd scuba'd there too. The reef where we had our excursion was very much alive and was the best we'd ever seen outside of Hawaii. We'll dive there next time.

[HookedOnCruisin'2]

DH and I were just there from the Triumph a week and a half ago. We didn't do the formal excursion but wish we did. We rented the snorkeling gear for about $32 for both of. We were disappointed for a while in the designated snorkeling area until we went over by the rocks. There it was pretty decent and we had a good time.

 

OT but to add to this, we scuba'd in St. T. at Coki Beach. I'd lost my water camera when another diver knocked out my regulator and I was trying to retrieve it. After the dive we followed the flow of the water over to the far end of the beach hoping to find my camera floating there. We didn't find the camera but found wonderful snorkeling! We even swam around with about 10 small octopi!

 

Grand Turk has some nice snorkeling and after it was said and done we wished we'd scuba'd there too. The reef where we had our excursion was very much alive and was the best we'd ever seen outside of Hawaii. We'll dive there next time.