Better "Beach Day" vs Better "Stay Onboard Day" ?

[AFNavigator]

15 hours ago, DCThunder said:

You realize, of course, that the normal difference between high and low tide in the Caribbean is measured in inches, not feet.  This is especially true in the Bahamas as there is no large landmass that would restrict the flow of ocean water as the earth and moon rotate and orbit and interact with gravitational forces which cause the tides.

 

If there's been beach erosion, it's more likely the result of a hurricane storm surge and IIRC there have been several large hurricanes in the Bahamas over the past couple of years.

Looking at the tide tables for Eleuthera Island (about 15 miles from Little San Salvador island, aka, HMC) the tides in November 2021 differed as much as 3.5' from low to high tide in parts of November 2021.  That's 3.5 feet, not inches.  Yes, sometimes the tide in the Bahamas is mere inches between low and high tide but that didn't appear to be the case in November 2021.

[AFNavigator]

On 7/27/2022 at 6:05 PM, Nymich said:

Would love to see one or two of your pics with the extra 30-40 feet wide of beach.  As for Coco on the non water park side it is not anymore artificial than HMC.  I won't debate the nicer island because I like them all.

Here's is a Dec 16 2021 view of the same Villa area that your Nov 2021 photo showed the waterline 4 feet behind the top row of loungers.  The villas in your photo appear to be the second set down in my photo.  This is why I estimated the waterline was 30-40' further out than in your photo.

 

I can only guess that you may have had the bad luck of timing to be there during high tide.  I read that tides in the Caribbean were unusually high (and low) during parts of Nov 2021.  Looking at tide tables, we were there at low tide.  Depending on when you were there in Nov, your tide could have been as much as 3.5' higher than when we were there on Dec 16.  If you visually picture the water up to the waist (about 3') of the person in my photo that is next to the water, that would place the waterline back behind the top row of loungers, right where your photo showed.

[Nymich]

31 minutes ago, AFNavigator said:

Here's is a Dec 16 2021 view of the same Villa area that your Nov 2021 photo showed the waterline 4 feet behind the top row of loungers.  The villas in your photo appear to be the second set down in my photo.  This is why I estimated the waterline was 30-40' further out than in your photo.

 

I can only guess that you may have had the bad luck of timing to be there during high tide.  I read that tides in the Caribbean were unusually high (and low) during parts of Nov 2021.  Looking at tide tables, we were there at low tide.  Depending on when you were there in Nov, your tide could have been as much as 3.5' higher than when we were there on Dec 16.  If you visually picture the water up to the waist (about 3') of the person in my photo that is next to the water, that would place the waterline back behind the top row of loungers, right where your photo showed.

Fair enough BUT if a beach is not wide enough to handle high tide then it just isn't wide enough imo. 

I was only comparing it to CC and GSC because both beaches blew HMC beach away when i visited all 3 in a 3 month period a few months ago. 

Thats still imo a picture of an average beach which isn't saying much considering that's the the best its ever going to get.   Thanks for posting it.

Edited July 31, 2022 by Nymich

[DCThunder]

I'm not sure where the HMC island is in relation to Abaco Cay, but a major Cat 5 Hurricane (Dorian) devastated that area in 2019 and they're still recovering 3 years later.  That would have had a major impact on beach size.  Bahamas Dorian survivors still rebuilding 3 Years after Category 5 (msn.com)

[Nymich]

42 minutes ago, DCThunder said:

I'm not sure where the HMC island is in relation to Abaco Cay, but a major Cat 5 Hurricane (Dorian) devastated that area in 2019 and they're still recovering 3 years later.  That would have had a major impact on beach size.  Bahamas Dorian survivors still rebuilding 3 Years after Category 5 

Very possible DC.  While they are 400 miles away from each other with a storm that powerful that makes sense.

 

We actually prepared our home for the hurricane and left on a cruise.  It was nuts as Celebrity moved up our departure time to leave. 

 

Here's our stateroom TV and the track.  The last picture is many of us passengers prepared boxed meals for the people of the Bahamas.  They used the tenders to deliver the meals.

[DCThunder]

40 minutes ago, Nymich said:

Very possible DC.  While they are 400 miles away from each other with a storm that powerful that makes sense.

 

We actually prepared our home for the hurricane and left on a cruise.  It was nuts as Celebrity moved up our departure time to leave. 

 

Here's our stateroom TV and the track.  The last picture is many of us passengers prepared boxed meals for the people of the Bahamas.  They used the tenders to deliver the meals.

God bless you and the other passengers who helped make those sandwiches and to Celebrity for donating the food and time to make and deliver them.

[Nymich]

4 minutes ago, DCThunder said:

God bless you and the other passengers who helped make those sandwiches and to Celebrity for donating the food and time to make and deliver them.

The turnout was phenomenal! They had long assembly tables that covered one half of the MDR.  Everyone worked hard and made thousands of meals. All those people in the pic below were passengers at assembly tables volunteering to help.  It was pretty special to see.

 

  I was more freaked out leaving my home but Dorian just rode the coast and missed us.  

 

I can't believe it took you to point out Dorian especially after this personal experience but I think you nailed it.

[LMaxwell]

I'll have to look at something ultra portable.  It's not the cost of the clam shell; it's that I always feel like i'm in a slow cooker in them - still need a breeze.  I'll see what Amazon has and if I want to drag it.  Just surprised there's not umbrellas all over for free usage. 

[oakridger]

I don't have experience with the clamshells, but people have reported that if you lift up the back section about a foot, the breeze gets through and it's more comfortable.

[Caribbean Chris]

4 hours ago, oakridger said:

I don't have experience with the clamshells, but people have reported that if you lift up the back section about a foot, the breeze gets through and it's more comfortable.

Good suggestion. Besides the lack of ventilation inside a clamshell, when we rented one last November (first time), I was surprised that they were all set up in a long line touching each other. No space in between. It seemed kind of dark & dreary inside.
 

We waited to go ashore until after the first rush for tenders and when we got on HMC, had to walk a long distance to one of the huts and finally find an attendant to set one up for us after they were finished with people ahead of us. Took a while.
 

We won’t rent one again. Might as well just walk a little further and find tree shade, then pull over a couple of loungers as we used to do in the past.

[sofietucker]

3 hours ago, Caribbean Chris said:

Good suggestion. Besides the lack of ventilation inside a clamshell, when we rented one last November (first time), I was surprised that they were all set up in a long line touching each other. No space in between. It seemed kind of dark & dreary inside.
 

We waited to go ashore until after the first rush for tenders and when we got on HMC, had to walk a long distance to one of the huts and finally find an attendant to set one up for us after they were finished with people ahead of us. Took a while.
 

We won’t rent one again. Might as well just walk a little further and find tree shade, then pull over a couple of loungers as we used to do in the past.

This one has windows, cheap, and best of all, it's compact, in an enclosed ring, not straight poles to deal with. We're getting it:  https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07Z9D35DS/ref=syn_sd_onsite_desktop_181?pd_rd_plhdr=t&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUE5OVZFRkdISlpXMjEmZW5jcnlwdGVkSWQ9QTAyODcyNjkyVlIzSEEyUThRMEFDJmVuY3J5cHRlZEFkSWQ9QTAwNzE5NjIxVUxSVDJVWkNQS1dWJndpZGdldE5hbWU9c2Rfb25zaXRlX2Rlc2t0b3AmYWN0aW9uPWNsaWNrUmVkaXJlY3QmZG9Ob3RMb2dDbGljaz10cnVl&th=1

[Caribbean Chris]

Nice, sofietucker! And it only weighs 3 pounds.

 

The things we end up packing... I have an inflatable footrest - bought it to go on Celebrity Edge after learning that their "infinite verandas" had little chairs only, but no footrests. Worked pretty well. 

 

[Florida_gal_50]

4 hours ago, Caribbean Chris said:

Good suggestion. Besides the lack of ventilation inside a clamshell, when we rented one last November (first time), I was surprised that they were all set up in a long line touching each other. No space in between. It seemed kind of dark & dreary inside.
 

We waited to go ashore until after the first rush for tenders and when we got on HMC, had to walk a long distance to one of the huts and finally find an attendant to set one up for us after they were finished with people ahead of us. Took a while.
 

We won’t rent one again. Might as well just walk a little further and find tree shade, then pull over a couple of loungers as we used to do in the past.

I had the same experience.  These are a waste of money for me personally.  I’m not speaking for others.

[Horizon chaser 1957]

On 7/30/2022 at 10:52 AM, jhsocal said:

Those clamshels book up fast. book before boarding if that is allowed.

Definitely allowed. I’ve already booked a clamshell for our stop at HMC on our Christmas cruise.

[marshhawk]

If mobility is an issue I would say, got to HMC, the tenders are good at moving wheel chairs. But once there, except for the shops you are on sand.  Better shops at the pier area at Grand Turk, but in the ocean you go from sand to a significant drop off.

 

If there is no issue, I wouldn't stay on the ship at either one.,  If you like a soft sand beach with no drop off, then HMC would be my choice.  However if you like snorkeling, Grand Turk is great.

 

It's true that over the last 10 years of cruising to HMC, the beach gets smaller every year.  Welcome to global warming.