CocoCay and Snorkeling

[ReneeFLL]

What is the snorkeling like on CocoCay? I read that I would be required to rent one of their vests. I don't want to rent one if the snorkeling sucks. I would probably stay on the ship.

[Merion_Mom]

It mostly depends on how the weather has been lately.  If the bottom has been stirred up, the snorkeling is lousy.  This can happen quite a lot.

[Clarea]

40 minutes ago, ReneeFLL said:

What is the snorkeling like on CocoCay? I read that I would be required to rent one of their vests. I don't want to rent one if the snorkeling sucks. I would probably stay on the ship.

 

Last two times at Coco Cay, the vests were free. 

 

There is a reef that used to be out to the left of the first beach area.  However, since the changes at Coco Cay, I'm not sure if those directions still apply.

[twangster]

I brought my own snorkel gear and didn't use one of their vests, I just started snorkeling.

 

September 2018:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It's the ocean so no guarantees what you'll see but I saw rays, turtle and sharks. 

 

Few people realize that the area over by the floating bar where the sand allows you walk out knee deep quite far will often have several juvenile lemon sharks hanging around.  There isn't great snorkeling over there because it's just barely deep enough to snorkel but it's good for watching sharks.  

 

 

 

As you walk around you'll see what looks like a large rock in the water there but as you walk towards the rock it will move.  It's not a rock...  

 

 

This isn't just any old shark, it's a Perfect Day shark.

 

 

 

And yes there are Perfect Day jelly fish sometimes at Coco Cay:

 

Edited April 15, 2019 by twangster

[Clarea]

Gorgeous photos!

[BobNoxious]

Nice!   Did you just swim out from shore for all those, including the sunken wreck photos?

[blueridgemama]

Are these veggie eating sharks??😊😊

[ReneeFLL]

Thanks everyone for the fast replies and twangster for the pictures. I had just read last night about the vests. I leave in about an hour so it helped me decide if I wanted to bring my snorkel stuff. I guess I'll give it a shot.

[twangster]

1 hour ago, BobNoxious said:

Nice!   Did you just swim out from shore for all those, including the sunken wreck photos?

 

Yep.  Found an empty lounger, put my towel down walked into the water.  Put on my snorkel fins and swam around in the swim/snorkel area. 

 

I'm a certified diver so I have my own gear but don't bring my scuba fins for snorkeling.  I have a smaller set of snorkel fins that pack better in a suitcase when I have no plans to go on scuba diving excursions for that cruise.

[Judyrem]

2 hours ago, twangster said:

I brought my own snorkel gear and didn't use one of their vests, I just started snorkeling.

 

September 2018:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It's the ocean so no guarantees what you'll see but I saw rays, turtle and sharks. 

 

Few people realize that the area over by the floating bar where the sand allows you walk out knee deep quite far will often have several juvenile lemon sharks hanging around.  There isn't great snorkeling over there because it's just barely deep enough to snorkel but it's good for watching sharks.  

 

 

 

As you walk around you'll see what looks like a large rock in the water there but as you walk towards the rock it will move.  It's not a rock...  

 

 

This isn't just any old shark, it's a Perfect Day shark.

 

 

 

And yes there are Perfect Day jelly fish sometimes at Coco Cay:

 

I love these photos and am extremely JEALOUS of your pics and camera!  God, I love to snorkel!😍

[Judyrem]

1 hour ago, twangster said:

 

Yep.  Found an empty lounger, put my towel down walked into the water.  Put on my snorkel fins and swam around in the swim/snorkel area. 

 

I'm a certified diver so I have my own gear but don't bring my scuba fins for snorkeling.  I have a smaller set of snorkel fins that pack better in a suitcase when I have no plans to go on scuba diving excursions for that cruise.

I am a certified diver also,  but have not been diving in a while, so it is snorkeling for me 🙂.  I did buy vests from Amazon for my granddaughter and I because I read they were required.  I won't inflate mine.

[stevea36]

2 hours ago, Host Clarea said:

 

Last two times at Coco Cay, the vests were free. 

 

There is a reef that used to be out to the left of the first beach area.  However, since the changes at Coco Cay, I'm not sure if those directions still apply.

The map that I have for the "opening" shows the airplane wreck is still about 150 feet from shore off of Chill Island (the first beach to the left after you get on the island.   (map attached)

[Clarea]

3 minutes ago, stevea36 said:

The map that I have for the "opening" shows the airplane wreck is still about 150 feet from shore off of Chill Island (the first beach to the left after you get on the island.   (map attached)

 

 

Thanks Steve, looks like the directions will still work!

[mammap]

in the map above, where is the floating bar referred to above where Lemon Sharks hang out?

 

[Clarea]

13 minutes ago, mammap said:

in the map above, where is the floating bar referred to above where Lemon Sharks hang out?

 

 

Unless it's been moved, it's off of what they call South Beach now.

[twangster]

17 minutes ago, mammap said:

in the map above, where is the floating bar referred to above where Lemon Sharks hang out?

 

 

The old map was oriented differently (upside down compared to the new map).

 

 

On this map, the snorkel beach is at the upper right while the floating bar is at the bottom numbered 23 with the dashed line to shore.  

 

Rotating this map to put it in the same orientation as the new Perfect Day Map:

 

 

You can see the floating bar today is in the area where the future over water cabanas will be.

 

That places the shallow sandy "shark" area in the vicinity of where the overwater cabanas will be in the future.  

 

The snorkel beach remains unchanged.

Edited April 15, 2019 by twangster

[Biker19]

3 hours ago, Judyrem said:

  God, I love to snorkel!😍

How about excessive scrolling?

[IRMO12HD]

I snorkeled there in February -- it was great!  My (very old!) fins broke while I was swimming out to the first raft.  I went ("limped" back in, went to the Snorkel Shack, and they were kind enough to give me a set (rent-free!) to complete my snorkeling expedition.  I didn't have my GoPro with me, and didn't see as much as Twangster did, but did see the airplane wreck, an (uncharted!) anchor, and lots of fish.  I had purchased a snorkel vest from Amazon before going on the cruise, and actually felt quite comfortable in it -- and it proved its worth on my first trek back in to shore with my nonfunctional flippers!

[Johnamac123]

6 hours ago, twangster said:

 

Yep.  Found an empty lounger, put my towel down walked into the water.  Put on my snorkel fins and swam around in the swim/snorkel area. 

 

I'm a certified diver so I have my own gear but don't bring my scuba fins for snorkeling.  I have a smaller set of snorkel fins that pack better in a suitcase when I have no plans to go on scuba diving excursions for that cruise.

Twankster, I'm sure you've thought about this but you have a real gift/talent. Ever thought about doing a "coffee table book" of some of your photos, mb of the Caribbean?? I'd buy it....

[brillohead]

Anytime I've seen snorkel vests "required" was on a paid snorkeling excursion, not just people swimming from shore.  It's typically a requirement of the tour operator's insurance company.

If they're not requiring every single person swimming at the beach to wear a life jacket, they aren't going to require you to wear one just b/c you happen to have a snorkel mask.

[perfect match]

Great pictures, Twangster! I’ve only made it to Coco Cay once so far. I thought I saw a lot, but you’ve got me beat for sure. Next time I get there I’m going to have to make my way over to South Beach or whatever they decide to call that area and see if there are still any lemon sharks still hanging out there. If they are, that would be a Perfect Day at Coco Cay for me!  🦈 Wouldn’t mind seeing a turtle 🐢 or a stingray while I was at it either! 

 

I wouldn’t be at all surprised, though, if the sharks, turtles, and stingrays want no part of the construction process of those cabanas

Edited April 16, 2019 by perfect match

[ReneeFLL]

Thanks for the maps. I will be there tomorrow. Hoping to also see some interesting stuff.

[Mikew0805]

On 4/15/2019 at 10:28 AM, twangster said:

I brought my own snorkel gear and didn't use one of their vests, I just started snorkeling.

 

September 2018:

 

 

 

 the ocean so no guarantees what you'll see but I saw rays, turtle and sharks. 

 

Few people realize that the area over by the floating bar where the sand allows you walk out knee deep quite far will often have several juvenile lemon sharks hanging around.  There isn't great snorkeling over there because it's just barely deep enough to snorkel but it's good for watching sharks.  

 

As you walk around you'll see what looks like a large rock in the water there but as you walk towards the rock it will move.  It's not a rock...  

 

This isn't just any old shark, it's a Perfect Day shark.

 

And yes there are Perfect Day jelly fish sometimes at Coco Cay:

 

I cannot see the pics at work, I will see them when I get home... BUT  Over by the floating bar is where I ALWAYS hang out, I have never seen a shark, and now you have me scared to go back out there. 

 

Are these sharks dangerous to humans? Ugh.. now I am going to be stressed. Usually I just float around in the water, and now I think I will be scared to.... I don't want to just stay on land. ok this is me freaking out... just looked up lemon shark.. that thing looks like jaws. 🙄  Tell me these are not aggressive?

 

I think I need a xanax now.

Edited April 18, 2019 by Mikew0805

[brillohead]

1 hour ago, Mikew0805 said:

I cannot see the pics at work, I will see them when I get home... BUT  Over by the floating bar is where I ALWAYS hang out, I have never seen a shark, and now you have me scared to go back out there. 

 

Are these sharks dangerous to humans? Ugh.. now I am going to be stressed. Usually I just float around in the water, and now I think I will be scared to.... I don't want to just stay on land. ok this is me freaking out... just looked up lemon shark.. that thing looks like jaws. 🙄  Tell me these are not aggressive?

 

I think I need a xanax now.

Easy on the alprazolam.... 

Totally benign, and very small.  No worries.

 

[brillohead]

1 minute ago, brillohead said:

Easy on the alprazolam.... 

Totally benign, and very non-aggressive.  No worries.