Half Moon Cay - Snorkeling off the beaten path? Need advice!

Half Moon Cay - Snorkeling off the beaten path? Need advice!

Howdy, folks!

The wife and I are going to be taking a Carnival cruise and our first stop will be Half Moon Cay. The main reason we get off the ship during cruises is for snorkeling, but the beach at HMC is sandy and will be poor snorkeling. We don't want to pay for an excursion. We have our own equipment and will likely snorkel for at least four hours without a break.

Since the beach will be poor for in-depth snorkeling, I was looking at the island on Google Maps, and it appears the northern and northwest portions of the island are just *covered* in coral (from satellite).

What's the best way to get to the northern end by way of the thin part of the island? Can we walk the horse trail and then branch north and just walk through 500 feet of jungle to get to the northern shore (that would be fine with us)? Is there a tram to the horse trail? That would cut a large amount of time from the walk, both ways. Are there any other spots on the island that are more quickly and easily accessible that we could snorkel at? What about the lagoon? Is it fit for snorkeling? Is the water clear? Are there fish? Can we just walk into the lagoon or will we be chased off for not paying to snorkel the area?

Thank you for your help!

Erik

If you walk straight down the beach about a mile hike as the island turns there is a small wreck on hard coral that offers very good snorkeling. We have been there twice. The last time was about 2 years ago. It is not an easy walk in places the beach is broken by a rocky low hill. If your fit and enjoy a hike it`s well worth the effort.

What's the best way to get to the northern end by way of the thin part of the island? Can we walk the horse trail and then branch north and just walk through 500 feet of jungle to get to the northern shore (that would be fine with us)? Is there a tram to the horse trail? That would cut a large amount of time from the walk, both ways. Are there any other spots on the island that are more quickly and easily accessible that we could snorkel at? What about the lagoon? Is it fit for snorkeling? Is the water clear? Are there fish? Can we just walk into the lagoon or will we be chased off for not paying to snorkel the area?

I've never had any interest in Bone Fish Lagoon and doubt it's fit for snorkeling, but I have tried to get to the north side of the island... unsuccessfully. The island is not flat. It has steep, rocky terrain and thick brush. The place G.C mentioned is the best place we've found.

You may be able to get a ride as far as the horse stables, but they cater to the horse riders, so you need to have good timing and a little luck. A bit further down the beach from there, you'll have to wade past a section of rock. Then, there's one last stretch of beach before you get to the Warning signs. This is where we like to get in the water. :cool: If you swim out in front of the rocks, to the wreck, you'll pass a couple nice patches of coral and some old pilings. The wreck itself is an old barge and holds a lot of life. The arrow in the picture shows it's approximate location...

Are those dark patches to the left of the arrow all coral?

Are those dark patches to the left of the arrow all coral?

The area there is rocky, with scattered patches of coral and debris from the wreck. Either way, it's 100 times better than the handful of structures they sprinkled off the other end of the beach. :cool: