Best snorkeling from shore on St. Thomas/St. John?

[sstich79]

We will be visiting on the Glory in January and really want to find the best beach for snorkeling from shore. Docking in St. Thomas, of course, but willing to take the ferry over to St. John if it's worth our while. I've read some great things about Waterlemon Cay on St. John, but also that it eats up a big chunk of time to get there. Suggestions, please!!! Thanks!

[paulandfran]

We will be visiting on the Glory in January and really want to find the best beach for snorkeling from shore. Docking in St. Thomas, of course, but willing to take the ferry over to St. John if it's worth our while. I've read some great things about Waterlemon Cay on St. John, but also that it eats up a big chunk of time to get there. Suggestions, please!!! Thanks!

 

To get to Waterlemon Cay you would take the ferry to St. John and then take a cab to Annaberg Sugar Plantation. (When you go to the taxi stand you may find resistance to going there since it's farther out but if you look around you will find a cab that will take you.) Tell the cab driver you want to be dropped off at the trail head for Leinster Bay. It's an easy hike along the water's edge until you reach the point where you can swim out to Waterlemon Cay. If you're a good swimmer it's not that far out. The snorkeling is fantastic but it will eat a good bit of your time on St. John. We're pretty active and we know the island well so we like to go there and we beach hop our way back to Cruz Bay.

 

If it's your first trip and you're concerned with time there are still some great beaches on St. John that take less time to get to. Trunk Bay is where most cruisers go. It has good snorkeling and a nice beach area and a snack bar and good facilities including showers. It will be crowded but it's quite beautiful. If you want a gorgeous and less crowded beach and don't care about amenities Honeymoon Bay is one of my personal favorites. You can also stay on St. Thomas, there are good snorkeling beaches there as well.

 

Have a fun cruise!

Francie

[mitsugirly]

Do a search on Sapphire Beach. From everything I've read on here, it's one of the best places to snorkel right off the beach. No tour needed and they have all the equipment you need for snorkeling right there that can be rented for a good price (I believe it was around $10 for the day). You walk right off the beach into the water and snorkel with some of the best fish, coral and so on right there. It was quoted by several " If you snorkel there you will see a large assortment of fish including rays, squid, sea turtles, barracuda, cow fish, puffer fish and so on."

I'm told a taxi to get there is around $10 pp. There is natural shade at that beach as well.

This is where I have decided to go when we arrive there in 38 days and counting. :eek:

[augie]

A place on St. John where I think the snorkeling is underrated, and is much easier to get to and from than Waterlemon (if you're relying on taxis) is Cinnamon Bay. If you're comfortable in the water there is a reef line that goes from near the beach to the right side of the offshore cay. The back side of the cay is home to tarpon and other bigger fish from time to time. The near side of the cay is home to a lot of different sea life. When we were there a couple of weeks ago we saw some amazing stuff out there. If you're not comfortable enough to snorkel that far off of the beach there is some decent snorkeling to the extreme left end of the beach that may suit you.

 

In January you may have winter swells, but if that's the case they'd affect just about all of the north shore beaches anyway.