Can you use your own snorkel gear on CoCo Cay?

[CosmoLover]

Do you need fins? I'm thinking of getting a snorkel set for CoCoCay next week...are there lockers on the island to store personal bags?

[clarea]

Originally Posted by CosmoLover

Do you need fins? I'm thinking of getting a snorkel set for CoCoCay next week...are there lockers on the island to store personal bags?

Fins are a personal choice. I'm not a strong swimmer, so the fins absolutely help me when the currents are strong.

[kingsgirl]

Originally Posted by clarea

Fins are a personal choice. I'm not a strong swimmer, so the fins absolutely help me when the currents are strong.

Same goes for me.

Actually, I even need the life vest. You want to stay out there so long because it's so awesome. Often, I'm quite exhausted coming back and without the fins and life jacket, I wouldn't make it probably!

[dacsmom]

Originally Posted by CosmoLover

Do you need fins? I'm thinking of getting a snorkel set for CoCoCay next week...are there lockers on the island to store personal bags?

They have lockers. $8 for the day. I like it because you wear a wristbands instead of having a key to lose. The wristbands have a chip in it that locks and unlocks the locker.

[BecciBoo]

Originally Posted by orville99

I found him in the rocky area between the snorkle beach and where they have the floats and the jet ski's

Wow that seems to be him and the location is correct. The water is always clear there. He looks older, bigger and darker than when we saw him in 2008 if its the same one. I know nothing about octopi except that they are very intelligent.

You will see baby shark on the back side in the sea grass on occasion. There are Youtube videos of that. But we only saw rays back there along with jellies and other fish. Lots of the same blenys and tangs and lion fish under the lifeguard stand way out past the plane, but you have to be careful that far out as I almost got hit by a jetski as the guides were bringing back a diver and didn't see me as I was coming across the inlet back to the beach. Always keep heads up out there!

[fishfriendz]

Please do not feed the fish! While they may enjoy it, it is not good for them.

Jenny

[kingsgirl]

Originally Posted by fishfriendz

Please do not feed the fish! While they may enjoy it, it is not good for them.

Jenny

Neither is an oil spill. Or garbage. I hardly think this is something to be concerned about;

[BillOh]

Originally Posted by gatur123fl

I did a chat message with Royal Caribbean and they said to use our own snorkeling equipment and snorkel on CoCo cay it would be the same cost as if we did the excursion. Has that been your experience? Maybe the person who looked it up was mistaken?

Here is what I have done twice, I've been to Coco Cay in 2007 and 2010, I know some of the replies you shall receive, but this is fact as they were then. Both times I did take my own snorkel gear which consists of a mask with a digital camera, snorkel tube and fins. If you rent gear from shop on the island they will require you to also wear an inflatable vest. Some will tell you that if you bring your own gear they will make you rent the vest. That is not totally true. If you go out with a group that is organized by RC they will, but if you and a friend of three go out on your own, you don't have to rent the vest. The vest isn't a bad thing, it can be helpful, but if your a strong swimmer and take breaks on land or flotation device you don't need the vest and I find it cumbersome. There is nobody on the island or in the water patroling looking for vest complaince.

Coco Cay is a great place to snorkel and lots to see. Perhaps I'll upload some of my pictures taken underwater here. Now to read your replies.

[BillOh]

Originally Posted by CosmoLover

Do you need fins? I'm thinking of getting a snorkel set for CoCoCay next week...are there lockers on the island to store personal bags?

No, but fins help you go futher underwater with less effort on one breath, the result is you see more with less effort.

[BillOh]

Originally Posted by reallyitsmema

out to those.

If you don't own a snorkel vest, you will be required to rent one since those are required. They rent for less than $10 as far as I can remember.

Only if you ask and try to join in with the group, otherwise, not actually required to snorkel on your own.

[BillOh]

Originally Posted by Hal from Ohio

My sister works in the health care field, and without sharing graphic details, has told me of unpleasant health issues as a direct result of unsanitary snorkel equipment rentals. Go to your nearest Sam's Club or Costco and purchase a decent quality mask/snorkel for around $50.

As per most things, you get what you pay for, while there is some cheap toy gear at these pleaces there are also decent quality gear for around $50 as this person said. One tip, gear that comes with its own carrying bag/case is very convenient for cruising.

[BillOh]

Originally Posted by WhiteRabbit

So if we want to snorkel around the sunken plane and boat, we need to rent the vests, but if we snorkel just off the beach, do we still need the vests? Can you put the cost of the vest on your sea card, or do we need cash? Is the rental for all day, or by the hour? Thanks : )

Sorry to bomb the thread with messages after it started, but yes you can put the vest on your seapass card, but no you don't have to, if you go in the water and follow people to those locations nobody will bother you. I've done it twice.

[BillOh]

Originally Posted by clarea

The cost of the vest can be put on your Seapass and is for all day. I don't know exactly where the lifeguards will start yelling at you if you don't have a vest, but at some point they will. By the way, snorkeling just off the beach would be pointless because the water is all stirred up and you can't see much of anything until you get away from the beach.

A, they never spoke a word to me in 2 full days.
B. I have had some pretty good snorkeling just off the beach once you get into water deep enough that you can't stand (7 ft or so). I had some of the most clear snorkeling days here just off the beach and a little further out. I'll see if I can find the sting ray photo I took in 7 feet of water in easy reach of the beach.

[BillOh]

Originally Posted by WhiteRabbit

Thanks so much! So are there other places besides the sunken boat and plane that are worth checking out? We leave tomorrow for our July 15th cruise on the Freedom and I'm trying to figure out how much cash to bring with us. We're also going parasailing on Coco Cay and trying to figure the tip. Fun days ahead!

I have yet to go to the other side of the island away from where the ship stays, but on the side where you can see the ship, I have found lots of interesting sea life all up and down that side of the island within 50 yards of the shore and the common places people have been mentioning are good as well.

[BillOh]

Originally Posted by clarea

Yes, if you are on the beach looking at the lifeguard stations, to the left is a large area between rocks that you can swim thru to get to a more interesting reef area. You can't go too far because there are buoys out there to delimit the safe swimming area. Currents can be stronger in this area.

This area does have lots of interesting formations and a lot of schools of colorful fish. Again, I'll see if I can find the photos of this area. The water here is around 12-15 ft deep.

[BillOh]

Originally Posted by we're sailing away....

You have to wear a vest ...

Again totally not my experience, a vest is helpful if your not a strong swimmer, but I've never seen anyone say., "put on a vest" unless you were renting your equipment.

[BillOh]

Originally Posted by orville99

We always use our own gear. There's a spit of land that juts out and separates the snorlke beach from the next section of the beach, and we've had good luck seeing fish, rays, etc. without having to go out to the plane area.

Agreed completely. While there may be days when things get murked up, I've found once you get into area that people can't stand, its been very clear within 50ft of shore

[BillOh]

Originally Posted by BecciBoo

We have never been yelled at or forced to wear anything on all 3 trips to CoCoCay. And visability depends on the beach, we had terrific viz at the sports beach where I saw my first ever octopus:
View My Video Keep looking he's there, clutching a white shell! Heres a still, he is in the upper right corner, pretty in pink:
Try to continue on around the back to the way back beaches, real shallow water and tones of critters and no people. We love it back there.

Outstanding! This looks like some of my pics/video, I didn't see the octopus because of the camaloge, but I wondered why you were fixating on that shell! Nice job, now I need to book a cruise going back to Cococay again! (Maybe Freedom)

[BillOh]

Originally Posted by kingsgirl

Same goes for me.

Actually, I even need the life vest. You want to stay out there so long because it's so awesome. Often, I'm quite exhausted coming back and without the fins and life jacket, I wouldn't make it probably!

You make a good point, but you can learn to take breaks and relax at the surface. You can roll over on your back, breath deep and then in and out slowly not fully exhaling and float pretty good if the seas are calm, which they have been my two trips here. On rough days this is a lot harder.

[BecciBoo]

Originally Posted by BillOh

Outstanding! This looks like some of my pics/video, I didn't see the octopus because of the camaloge, but I wondered why you were fixating on that shell! Nice job, now I need to book a cruise going back to Cococay again! (Maybe Freedom)

Bill we will be on Freedom at the Caye in November and now that I know he's still there, I can share him with my grandkids! I'm excited about that. He would not let go of that shell even though it was empty (I'm sure he had just consumed it's contents!) and that is how I noticed him. I tried to take it from him, he said "No"!

BTW, for all who are going to purchase gear, after many brands and different kinds of snorkels, I can say the US Divers Dry Snorkel which you can purchase from Amazon is the best snorkel ever. You will absolutely not get water in your mouth, even if you dip it in the water above your head. I always had trouble with water getting in my mouth and could hardly blow it out the snorkel, but no more. I love it. Just a hint. Kingsgirl: I believe fins are a must for just that reason. When you're tired, it's really hard to swim back to shore without them. You can buy short fins that pack well just for snorkeling on Amazon also. We take our Teleoz fins on every cruise. They velcro on and you can wear them with or without water shoes. Tried to post link but they would not allow, just google Zeagle Teleoz review. But there are many others, some just look like vinyl web socks but will all work well for snorkeling.

BTW, disappointed that they moved this to an obscure site since it is RCCL specific and very useful.