Half Moon Cay

[cruisencarol]

Does anyone have experience snorkeling at half moon cay? Can you compare it to princess cay or coki beach in St Thomas?

[sportsterjohn]

there really isn't any snorkling right off the beach, the reef requires a boat ride.

[Host Star]

take the snorkel excursion at HMC.... they take you around to the reef side and there is some really nice snorkeling there

[Stevesan]

I'll second Host Star's recommendation.

Except for the rock barrier at the end of the beach it's all sand bottom, so shore snorkeling ranges from bad to nonexistent.

 

The boat excrusion is quite good. There are very nice coral gardens and marine life less than a 1/2 mile off shore. You're always within sight of the shore and cruise ship.

It's about a 2-3 hour trip, so you still have plenty of time to enjoy the beach.

[cruisencarol]

take the snorkel excursion at HMC.... they take you around to the reef side and there is some really nice snorkeling there

 

I am sure you are correct, but I get sea sick on small boats so I like to snorkel from shore.

[bruce-r]

I am sure you are correct, but I get sea sick on small boats so I like to snorkel from shore.

 

Then you will want to snorkel at the end of the beach by the kids play area along the rocks. You can just see a little bit of the rock in the far right of this photo.

 

 

Where the water is a light blue color is where the bottom is sand which means poor snorkeling. Where the water is a bit darker, that is where there is a rocky bottom and therefore better snorkeling.

[cruisencarol]

Then you will want to snorkel at the end of the beach by the kids play area along the rocks. You can just see a little bit of the rock in the far right of this photo.

 

Where the water is a light blue color is where the bottom is sand which means poor snorkeling. Where the water is a bit darker, that is where there is a rocky bottom and therefore better snorkeling.

 

Is there much to see? I was thinking about some HAL trips but was reluctant to give up the snorkeling at Princess cay which has a fair amount of fish.

[scubaran]

Is there much to see? I was thinking about some HAL trips but was reluctant to give up the snorkeling at Princess cay which has a fair amount of fish.

 

Hi,

 

I was on my second cruise this year to HMC in November and I can second, do the boat snorkel. The water was smooth as glass and the snorkel boat is pretty wide open so sea sickness shouldn't be a problem (you only travel a few minutes to the reef). As far as the swimming area, you won't see much. Like other's have recommended, go left on the beach near the children's area by the rock jetty and you'll see a few things (I saw my first seahorse there in March). But generally it's pretty much a desert in the sand areas (you'll see a small school or two of small fish but nothing worth really looking at).

 

HMC Beach area under water (it's pretty much an underwater desert)

 

 

Only school of fish I saw in the beach area

 

 

Compare the pictures above with the reef on the HMC snorkel trip by boat

 

 

All these pictures were taken last month. Hope this helps!

Randall