Combo Dive/Snorkel Trip

Hello all,

My husband is a diver, my son and I are not. We're doing the southern Caribbean...San Juan, Dominica, St. Lucia, Barbados, St. Thomas and St. Maartin. I would love to find a dive operator that will also take snorkelers, so that we don't have to split up. Does anyone know if such a thing exists? Leaning towards doing this in Barbados because of the turtles.

Thank you in advance!

The problem with a boat mixed with snorkelers and divers, is that most good dive sites are too deep to snorkel. People who are divers want the most bang for their buck, so they are not going to want to be stuck at a shallow site just to please snorkelers on the boat. Just the way it is.

Just my opinion... let your hubby go divea couple of days, and you and son do a snorkel tour those days.

The only exception to this is that in St Thomas there is shore diving at a location (from what I have read, not been there) that would work for a snorkeler, too.

Agree with ABQRobin. As a snorkeler who has been there done that, its just not worth it. Sure, the dive operator will tell you it will be good snorkeling, but its usually just to take your money. I remember one trip in Hawaii when DH was diving and I stayed on the boat because it was pretty deep and really not much to see - the boat was pitching and rocking - I thought I was going to hurl even having taken Dramamine. yikes.

If you want to see the turtles in Barbados, there are usually guys walking along the beach that will take you out there for about $20 (from the beach), so not really necessary to pay for a boat excursion.

We'll be in almost to the same ports - swap out Dominica for St. Kitts - and I've been looking for the same thing. I'm the only diver, and hope not to be completely separated from my family. The closest match I've been seeing is the shore dive from Coki in St. Thomas, where they could hang out at the beach and snorkel. See here.

We've tried the combo with me diving and my husband snorkeling and would agree it ends up being a compromised experience for both of us.

I've been certified for 12 years and have yet to dive in the Caribbean so I'll ditch them if I have to... I'm not missing out this time! But if we can find an arrangement that keeps us (almost) together that'd be great.

I second Coki Beach Dive. I have dove there a couple of times. When I am finished I just walk down the beach and find the family and then snorkel later on in the day. It is shore diving but easy ,no waves, and I have seen more rays and fish with the shore than I did from the boat. Food and drinks to buy on the beach and it was clean (last time I was there anyway).

I've just booked with Aqua Action Divers in St. Thomas (Jan. 31). We have 3 snorkelers and I'm a diver. The one stop I'm pretty sure we are doing is Buck Island. I snorkeled there last January and there were turtles and stingray everywhere. It was awesome. They even offered to pick us up at the ship for no extra charge. They have very good reviews, so here's hoping. I did the beginners scuba at Coki Beach last January. It was great too. But the beach where the snorkelers were looked very crowded. Not sure how shallow the coral reef is, we dove to 40' while there.