Boca Catalina with a toddler?

My husband and I are considering taking the bus to Boca Catalina during our cruise stop in late October. We will have our 19 month old with us. We would like to hire a local guide to snorkel with one of us at a time while the other plays with our daughter on the beach. Are there snorkel guides at this beach? Will we be able to swim with our toddler at Boca Catalina or is it to rocky? Are we better off at Baby Beach?

I don't know of any local snorkel guides.

Boca Catalina is a tiny beach and we have seen little ones there multiple times, but there can be waves.

Overall Baby Beach though more difficult to get to, would be best for everyone- calm water for the toddler and some snorkeling for the adults.

We often drive over to Arashi Beach, which is a stone throw from Boca Catalina. There is a pretty decent snorkel area off the coast that sits between those two beaches. But there are no facilities which might be an issue with a toddler. It is in a residential area out past the tourist-popular Palm Beach area. We have never heard of anyone hiring a "guide" to take them snorkeling off that beach. We go there or to Arashi with our own equipment and just swim out to the reef (it is a fair distance). Its pretty easy to spot the main snorkel area during the mornings (especially when there is a cruise ship in port) because some of the snorkel boat tours will drop anchor off Boca Catalina and take their charges into the sea to snorkel. So you can just swim out to near the boats and you will be right over the reef.

As a lifelong snorkeler/diver (who has been doing this for around 50 years) we would never (ever) recommend that anyone snorkel alone! And since this snorkel area is a bit off shore we would emphasize that going into the sea by yourself is never a good idea. You would be well advised to try and find another couple (you might be able to do this on your CC Roll Call board) to go with you so there will be at least 2 in the water at a time. You also will need your own snorkel equipment (there are no rental places near this beach) and should definitely have fins since you would be going some distance from the beach.

Regarding the buses, as I recall (and I could be wrong) there is only one bus per hour out to this location. This means if you want or need to leave it can be up to an hour wait! There are generally no taxis or other rides available.

Hank

Thank you both very much for the helpful info and advice. We are experienced snorkelers too and wanted to hire a guide so we wouldn't snorkel alone. Always sound advice!

I have been to Boca Catalina a number of times and while I can't offer any guarantees my experience has been it is very much a locals' beach and there are always snorkelers there that you can team up with. As you enter the water move to the right, there are a number of shallow reefs close in and the snorkeling is pretty good. The beach is white coral sand so it can get stirred up with wave action but again if you move to the right it does tend to clear. You will also find a number of snorkel excursions anchor off the beach.