Eastern Caribbean Snorkelling

[L33_RYM]

Hi,

 

Our port days are Coco Cay, San Juan & St Maarten. I enjoy snorkeling & wondered if any of these places are any good for it. I don't want to pack snorkel, fins etc if it's not really worth it.

[publicpersona]

Hi,

 

Our port days are Coco Cay, San Juan & St Maarten. I enjoy snorkeling & wondered if any of these places are any good for it. I don't want to pack snorkel, fins etc if it's not really worth it.

My vote is St. Maarten, and the Golden Eagle excursion. However, the snorkeling is not excellent, just better than the other two ports.

[L33_RYM]

My vote is St. Maarten, and the Golden Eagle excursion. However, the snorkeling is not excellent, just better than the other two ports.

 

Thanks for the reply. I wasn't really thinking so mush of doing an organised excursion more a case of just going for a dip off the beach. Maybe I won't bother packing them on this trip then.

[theplanner2010]

Two years ago when we were in Coco Cay in June there was a little section of the beach where there were tons of small sharks (1-2 ft maybe) swimming around in the surf. I would have loved to have been able to see them with snorkel gear as they were really hard to see from above until they were right on you. Not sure what kind they were but we had a blast looking for them and trying to snap pictures. Spent over an hour there. I am not sure if this is a regular occurrence there or not, but it was really neat.

 

[reallyitsmema]

Thanks for the reply. I wasn't really thinking so mush of doing an organised excursion more a case of just going for a dip off the beach. Maybe I won't bother packing them on this trip then.

I would bring the mask and snorkel and then rent fins. At Coco Cay, there is a submerged plane that there are usually lots of fish around. The plane and part of a ship are marked by buoys so they are easy to find. You have to wear a dive vest at Coco Cay, you can rent that there too if you don't have one. There is a lifeguard tower out by where the plane is and if you don't have a vest on, he will send you back in. We were just there in August and we saw lemon sharks and a huge sting ray over at Barefoot Beach.

[L33_RYM]

Two years ago when we were in Coco Cay in June there was a little section of the beach where there were tons of small sharks (1-2 ft maybe) swimming around in the surf. I would have loved to have been able to see them with snorkel gear as they were really hard to see from above until they were right on you. Not sure what kind they were but we had a blast looking for them and trying to snap pictures. Spent over an hour there. I am not sure if this is a regular occurrence there or not, but it was really neat.

 

I read a few reviews last night after I had asked this question & from what I read Coco Cay appears to be a decent proposal for snorkeling. I think I will pack just masks & snorkels & perhaps leave the fins at home in the UK to save space & weight on the plane.

[L33_RYM]

I would bring the mask and snorkel and then rent fins. At Coco Cay, there is a submerged plane that there are usually lots of fish around. The plane and part of a ship are marked by buoys so they are easy to find. You have to wear a dive vest at Coco Cay, you can rent that there too if you don't have one. There is a lifeguard tower out by where the plane is and if you don't have a vest on, he will send you back in. We were just there in August and we saw lemon sharks and a huge sting ray over at Barefoot Beach.

 

Thanks. That sounds like the way to go then. I have never heard of a snorkeling vest I suppose it's another way for them to extract a few shekels.

 

A number of people have mentioned sharks ...... gulp! :)

[reallyitsmema]

Thanks. That sounds like the way to go then. I have never heard of a snorkeling vest I suppose it's another way for them to extract a few shekels.

 

A number of people have mentioned sharks ...... gulp! :)

We haven't rented the vests from them for a a few years, last i remember they were around $7 for the day. They are a thin, blowup vest that you can put as little air or as much as you want into it.

 

The sharks we saw were small and just cruised up and down the beach. We heard a guide telling a kayak tour that was passing by that they were lemon sharks. If you check out the map of the island, it was at Barefoot Beach that we saw them and that is where I have heard others say they saw them. The plane is in a different area but there were lots of pretty fish there. Leading out to the plane area, the water gets really churned up with sand and you can't even see your feet. Once you are past that shallow area, it clears and you will be able to see stuff. The cruiseline offers a paid excursion to snorkel on Coco Cay, but we didn't do it. We did fine on our own.

[reallyitsmema]

Forgot to add picture of what vests look like.

 

[L33_RYM]

We haven't rented the vests from them for a a few years, last i remember they were around $7 for the day. They are a thin, blowup vest that you can put as little air or as much as you want into it.

 

The sharks we saw were small and just cruised up and down the beach. We heard a guide telling a kayak tour that was passing by that they were lemon sharks. If you check out the map of the island, it was at Barefoot Beach that we saw them and that is where I have heard others say they saw them. The plane is in a different area but there were lots of pretty fish there. Leading out to the plane area, the water gets really churned up with sand and you can't even see your feet. Once you are past that shallow area, it clears and you will be able to see stuff. The cruiseline offers a paid excursion to snorkel on Coco Cay, but we didn't do it. We did fine on our own.

 

I'm liking the sound of those 2 tips. I think I will visit Barefoot & the plane. I have a couple of keen young explorers with me (aged 6 & 9 but both good swimmers for their ages) so I will get them a vest but I won't need one, unless I am forced to have one. I don't want to have to pay for snorkeling, I prefer to go off on my own, under my own steam & see what I can see :)

[fishin' musician]

DW and I snorkeled right off the swim beach and saw a good variety of fish, most notable was a giant eagle ray with about a 10ft span.

[L33_RYM]

DW and I snorkeled right off the swim beach and saw a good variety of fish' date=' most notable was a giant eagle ray with about a 10ft span.[/quote']

 

I'm liking the sound of that too. I can see me spending the whole day in the water at this place.