2.5 days shore snorkel/beach suggestions?

We (2 adults, no kids, active walkers) arrive 9 am on day 1, depart 4pm day 3 in late August. We want to shore snorkel, tour around and beach it. We will get the transportation passes. We have our own snorkel gear. Please suggest good snorkel spots that are relvatively safe (no bad undercurrents, etc.) that we can get to by bus/ferry/etc. If you add bus numbers/stops (and where might have bathrooms along the way---including spots where they have a WC if you buy a drink), that would be great! thanks, Elaine

Why not check out both the websites and travel books on Bermuda from Frommers, Fodors and others?Also TripAdvisor.

Why not check out both the websites and travel books on Bermuda from Frommers, Fodors and others?Also TripAdvisor.

Because the answers around here are usually better, especially when the locals respond.:)

Please suggest good snorkel spots that are relvatively safe (no bad undercurrents, etc.) that we can get to by bus/ferry/etc.

Snorkel at Tobacco Bay, out by the rocks. It's a protected cove, very safe.

Be sure to see the south shore beaches too, they're beautiful. Church Bay is a south shore beach with good snorkeling but pretty stiff currents and a treacherous rocky bottom. So, snorkel at Tobacco Bay and spend some time at Horseshoe Bay, Elbow or Warwick for their south-side beauty. (They're all pretty close to each other.)

Since you are here for 2.5 days, why not use part of one of your days to go on one of the snorkel trips with a local tour operator and another day to explore the South Shore beaches?

Jessie James - http://www.jessiejames.bm and Snorkel Bermuda http://www.snorkelbermuda.com both offer great snorkelling tours - not only will you get to see some great sea life but some pretty neat shipwrecks as well. You can see some good things snorkelling along the shore but you'll see much more out on the reef. Also, the current isn't strong at the sites they take you to. I'm not a strong swimmer and have never had any issues on any of the snorkel tours I have done with friends I have had visiting the island. Most snorkel trips are 2-3 hours long so you'll have either a morning or afternoon to still do other things. The Snorkel Bermuda tour actually leaves from right by your ship so you won't have far to go. Jessie James leaves from Hamilton but if you book in advance and request it, they will come and pick you up and return you to your ship for free.

To visit the beaches, take the no. 7 bus to Horseshoe Bay, which has dining and washroom facilities (save some dollars for a ride up and down the hill - it's a bit of a hike). If you don't like Horseshoe, walk along the dunes behind the beach and beach hop until you find a spot you do like - you can access all the beaches between Horseshoe and Warwick Long Bay, just by walking in the trails behind the beach.

I will certainly consult fodors, frommers, etc., but I prefer to get suggestions from people on CC. We prefer to tour around with our gear and just do a bit of shore snokeling each day vs. taking 1/2 day to do a boat snorkel.

so, best shore snokeling is Tobacco, from what I hear?

Yes, Tobacco is the best public place for shore snorkelling. There are bathroom facilities there and there is also a restaurant, plus, the water is nice and calm.

There is also Snorkel Park in Dockyard, right by your ship, however, they charge admission and the beach there is man made. Personally, I wouldn't pay to go in there with so many natural beaches which you can visit that are free of charge.

Also, St Georges itself is a great town to explore, definitely worth visiting and checking out while you are on your way to Tobacco Bay. iheart and SBtS have great suggestions for things to do in St Georges in this thread: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1352167