Eco Lagoon Tour - HMC

Hi,

Has anyone been on the Eco Lagoon Tour (Half Moon Cay) recently? Read some older posts/reviews that were not great . . .but, we are a homeschool family and the educational part of the tour sounded interesting. . . Any thoughts from other parents???

Thanks!

Is it a boat tour or the Kayak tour?

We went on the Kayak eco lagoon tour several years ago and it was awesome. The only caution is if either of you have little or no kayaking experience, DO NOT get on a 2 person kayak with your spouse! (long story).

The guide took us along the mangrove root areas and showed us various marine life living in that area (eels, various fish, octopus) and we also picked up some huge starfish which he passed around for everyone to see. The guide seemed pretty knowledgeable regarding teh ecology of the lagoon. You also get to go out the narrow section where the lagoon meets the sea and kayak in the waves for a short period (this is where team kayaking skills come in!).

Is it a boat tour or the Kayak tour?

 

We went on the Kayak eco lagoon tour several years ago and it was awesome. The only caution is if either of you have little or no kayaking experience, DO NOT get on a 2 person kayak with your spouse! (long story).

 

The guide took us along the mangrove root areas and showed us various marine life living in that area (eels, various fish, octopus) and we also picked up some huge starfish which he passed around for everyone to see. The guide seemed pretty knowledgeable regarding teh ecology of the lagoon. You also get to go out the narrow section where the lagoon meets the sea and kayak in the waves for a short period (this is where team kayaking skills come in!).

The kayak tour sounds great . . .but, I was thinking of the boat tour. Two daughters are 9 and 11 . . . not sure if I trust myself in a kayak with one of them . . . sounds like you had an interesting experience and I should use caution!!!!

I was hoping the boat eco tour was similar to what you had in the kayak tour. I would like to have someone with knowledge explain the ecology of the island.

We took the Eco Lagoon Tour last year, and were a little disappointed. This isn't to say it is a bad tour, the tour guide had a lot of good info to impart. What disappointed us was the boat itself. The driver, IMHO, was not very good, and kept having to back up and re-position the boat. Every time she did, the engine kicked a zillion bubbles under the boat (glass bottom), so you couldn't see what she was trying to position the boat over. Added to that, the "glass" was rather dirty, so the view was a bit cloudy, never mind trying to focus a camera, and with the shallow water, by the time you saw something interesting, you passed over it in about 2-3 seconds.

All that being said, keep in mind, I am an experienced snorkeler, so compared to what I have seen while in the water, this was pretty low key. Your kids, for whom this may be a first experience, it may be good, though if they like swimming, I would recommend the "Snorkel By Boat" excursion as a much more enjoyable one. You don't get the guided tour explaining things, but what you will see in the water is so much more exciting. (If you are going to Grand Turk, "Ultimate Snorkel" is even better.)

We took the Eco Lagoon Tour last year, and were a little disappointed. This isn't to say it is a bad tour, the tour guide had a lot of good info to impart. What disappointed us was the boat itself. The driver, IMHO, was not very good, and kept having to back up and re-position the boat. Every time she did, the engine kicked a zillion bubbles under the boat (glass bottom), so you couldn't see what she was trying to position the boat over. Added to that, the "glass" was rather dirty, so the view was a bit cloudy, never mind trying to focus a camera, and with the shallow water, by the time you saw something interesting, you passed over it in about 2-3 seconds.

All that being said, keep in mind, I am an experienced snorkeler, so compared to what I have seen while in the water, this was pretty low key. Your kids, for whom this may be a first experience, it may be good, though if they like swimming, I would recommend the "Snorkel By Boat" excursion as a much more enjoyable one. You don't get the guided tour explaining things, but what you will see in the water is so much more exciting. (If you are going to Grand Turk, "Ultimate Snorkel" is even better.)

Thanks -- good food for thought . . .you are right the hands on/in the water snorkeling would be great for them. I keep thinking someone will tell me that the tour was great for the educational aspect of it . . .

Just as a little incentive, on the "Snorkel By Boat" excursion, this is what met me as I jumped in to the water.

P7130046 by WillieD13, on Flickr

There are plenty of fish, some of which are not at all shy.

P7130085 by WillieD13, on Flickr

Click on the picture number below the bottom left corner, and it will take you to the album, where you can see the full sized pictures, as well as several more from that excursion. From there, if you click on the link (to the right of the photo - WillieD13's Photostream) then at the top of the page where it says "Sets", and go to page 2, the album titled "34th Anniversary, Cruise Pt 2 - Half Moon Cay" (last year's trip), there are some pictures from Eco Lagoon Tour (down toward the bottom of page 1).