Good snorkeling beach for kids?

Hello All. We are cruising to St Thomas for the first time on board the Carnival Fascination. Our cruise leaves in about 10 days! Woo Hoo!! With so little time left, I am a little nervous we can't yet decide on the beach. There are just too many choices in St Thomas. :)

We will be traveling with our two kids (DS 8, DD 5), and will want to just spend half a day on a nice beach and head back to ship early. We love to snorkel and have been teaching our kids to snorkel in the pool. DS swims and snorkels well but DD is still getting the hang of it. I'd like to take them to a beach with easy and safe snorkeling close to shore so they can try their skills in the ocean. From my research the best snorkeling beaches seem to be Coki, Sapphire and Secret Harbor. I love the snorkeling pictures from Coki (so many fish!)but with 3 ships in port and close to 10,000 passengers would it be too crowded and the party atmosphere unsuitable for young children? Can we avoid the crowd if we go early and return around noon? Our ship arrives port at 7AM. What time does the cruise crowd really hit the beach? Sapphire and Secret Harbor seem to be quieter and more relaxed but I have also read you need more skills to safely snorkel the reefs there? (More rocks and sea urchins, good snorkeling farther out in the sea etc?) Can anyone tell me if that's true?

I know I am overthinking. In the end, my kiddos will probably be perfectly happy playing with sand in any beach. But well, what better way to vent my anticipation than to plan and plan and plan a little more. :D

Any of your input will be greatly appreciated! :)

If you go on one of the Pirate boat tours to Buck Island and Turtle Cove, there is usually great snorkelling there, depending on the viz. Book direct with them or via your cruise line.

Check out http://www.coolboatsusvi.com

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You're fortunate that your ship comes in early! Best way to avoid the crowds is to get there early.

Coki won't get crowded until aftef 10 closer to 11. It is hands down the best beach for beginner snorkelers. The loud music may not even start until after 10 so the earlier you get there the better.

Thanks for the tips.

The pirate boat tour looks nice but our budget won't allow it this time.

I think we are going to go with coki and try to get there early. : )

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I have heard that both Coki beach and Sapphire beach are great for snorkeling from shore. Sapphire beach looks bigger from photos I've seen, but I have never been to either. The Coral World Ocean Park is adjacent to Coki beach, and could make for a good combined day.

Which beach is better for an overall day (snorkeling quality, availability of chairs/umbrellas, food, atmosphere)?

We sail in 2 weeks! Woo hoo!

In St. Thomas you might also want to consider going to St. John and snorkeling from Trunk Bay.

Sapphire is a great beach for beginners and a little bigger than Coki (and cleaner). Coki gets VERY crowded by noon and there seems to be a lot more nonfamily things going on there then some of the other beaches :rolleyes:. This is our least favorite beach of the ones we have visited.

Sapphire was good when DS was just learning to snorkle around age 7 maybe, he is about to turn 14 and still enjoys it if we happen to go.

Definitely get to Coki early and you'll have the place to yourself. It's a wonderful place to learn to snorkel and plenty to see. :)

If you go on one of the Pirate boat tours to Buck Island and Turtle Cove, there is usually great snorkelling there, depending on the viz. Book direct with them or via your cruise line.

 

Check out http://www.coolboatsusvi.com

 

 

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We did the power cat tour by this company and to these places last year. It was a great experience but for kids starting out, you snorkel in some fairly deep water at times. It threw some kids, including our's, for a loop at first until they got used to it. It was a lot of fun and I'd recommend it, but would start from a beach like you are planning and then consider the boat trips.

Coki is in a protected cove so water is more predictably calm whereas Sapphire waters can be rougher depending on conditions. Check both beaches on Google Maps so you can see the difference.