Sea creatures in GC snorkeling

[chrisuletz]

It may sounds weird... but I have some irrational, innate fear of sea creatures. I'm OK with fish, but anything else gives me the creeps.

 

However.... we're going to GC in April, and everybody in my group is trying to convince me to snorkel, since it's the big attraction. What am I expected to see there? Anything else than colored fish?

 

It would be a leap of faith for me, but what better place than the Caymans? :) Or should I just stay away from snorkeling, go to a beach and drink rum punches?

[broberts]

If you take one of the excursions in the harbor area you'll likely only see fish and coral. Look for "Shore Snorkel", "Reef & Wreck", "Shipwreck & Reef", or similar.

 

Most of the popular excursions are off shore and typically include rays and often eels. Likely you'll want to skip these excursions.

[Fourseventeen]

If your ok with lots of stingrays and the occasional small shark I think you will be fine with everything else.

[drew sailbum]

At any snorkeling site you will see colorful fish and coral.

 

You may see turtles :D if you are lucky.

 

Stingrays (a type of fish) may be seen, but any rays at sites other than the Stingray City/Sandbar are not acclimated to being handled by people.

 

Eels look a bit different but they are fish. There are several types and colors.

 

Sharks are very rarely seen by snorkelers. There are nurse sharks, tiger sharks, hammerhead sharks, Caribbean reef sharks, and more rarely other types of sharks in the Cayman waters. None are even slightly interested in people.

 

Lobsters are scattered all over at various sites. Our Caribbean Spiny lobsters do not have claws like Maine lobsters.

 

Occasionally there are jellyfish.

 

You won't see:

There are no sea snakes in Cayman.

[chrisuletz]

Thank you for your responses. Some are encouraging... some not.

Anyway... if you snorkel and look down... will any of these things come up to touch you? If not, how far down are they? (yeah, I know, I sound like someone who shouldn't do this).

And I think I'm OK with any fish, including sharks, just not jellyfish. I get scared of them even at the aquarium.

[broberts]

Thank you for your responses. Some are encouraging... some not.

Anyway... if you snorkel and look down... will any of these things come up to touch you? If not, how far down are they? (yeah, I know, I sound like someone who shouldn't do this).

And I think I'm OK with any fish, including sharks, just not jellyfish. I get scared of them even at the aquarium.

 

Jellyfish tend to be near the surface. But they are relatively rare. Just ask the dive master if there are any around before you enter the water. If there are you can stay aboard.

 

If you are snorkeling in the GC harbor most life is 10 - 15 feet down. The off-shore ray & reef snorkels actually take place in shallower water. Most sea creatures will avoid or ignore you unless you are in an area where people feed the fish (something they shouldn't do).

 

The only time I've ever come close to being touched by undersea life was snorkeling in Aruba. We were in the middle of a huge school of silvery fish - literally thousands swimming around us. What a fantastic experience that was. Even then nothing touched me.