Goff's caye info please

[pjinaz]

has anyone been on this snorkeling excursion through Carnival? Please give out the details. Do you get to hang on the beach if you want and snorkel when you feel like it, or are you out in the water in a snorkel boat? How is the manatee research station?

 

Thanks

[kjdj]

We did this excursion through Carnival last week. It's about a 20 minute boat ride to the snorkel site. Once there, you have the option to snorkel off the boat or snorkel from the island. Most of our group wanted to snorkel from the island so the boat docked and those wanting to snorkel from the boat got on another boat which took them back out. Our guide had us meet on the beach and then took us out in the water making sure we all stayed with him. There were a couple of guides bringing up the rear. It was a tough swim to get out to the reef, fighting the current and waves but my 8 and 10 year olds did it. We snorkeled for about 45 minutes total but that includes the swim out and back. If you got tired you could go back in sooner but you had to let a guide know. They were very good about making sure everyone was okay. After swimming back to shore, we had about an hour and a half left of beach time where you could snorkel more, swim, or just relax. You can buy drinks/food and some souveniers right there.

[Sargent_Schultz]

I snorkeled from the boat back to the island and then all around. Here are pictures from a few years ago:

Sep 7, 2006 - Belize Page2 Page3 Page4 Page5 Page6

 

The manatee thing is a different excursion.

[Leon Walter]

KJDJ,

Thanks for the report. Can you comment on what you thought of the snorkling at Goffs? Did you see a lot of fish? Was the reef in good condition? Was it crowded?

I'm considering this excursion. I like the fact that we can get there directly from the ship.

Any input/advise would be appreciated.

Thanks!!

[CMJFamily]

We noticed that private tour operators also go there. Has anyone used them? Does it get crowded? Also, does the Carnival excursion go right from the ship?

 

Thanks!

[kjdj]

The snorkeling is okay but I almost thought it wasn't worth the swim out there as that was pretty tough. Although reading reviews from others here some thought the snorkeling was great. The stay on the island was very enjoyable and the kids played on the beach and in the water afterwards. It wasn't very crowded the day we were there as there were only two boats with snorkelers. One boat took people back out to snorkel from the boat and the other took us on the snorkel tour from the island. We saw lots of fish and one lobster and that's about it.

 

For better (and cheaper) snorkeling, I recommend Eden Rock in Grand Cayman. Once you get off the tender it's a 5 minute walk to the right. You snorkel right off the rocky shore. We paid $45 for two sets of gear and a two lockers.

[LizzieTrowbridge]

We noticed that private tour operators also go there. Has anyone used them? Does it get crowded? Also, does the Carnival excursion go right from the ship?

 

Thanks!

The Carnival excursion goes right from the ship. If you use a private tour, you will need to take the tender to shore and then get a boat out to Goff's, which could easily add an hour travel time. We did the Carnival excursion to Goff's Cay and it was very enjoyable. The water was pretty rough the day we were there so we just snorkeled off the beach, but others went out deeper on the boat and saw more. It was not at all crowded the day we were there in March.

[CMJFamily]

Thanks, sounds like it might be worth the time savings to go from the ship.

[Leon Walter]

KJDJ, Lizzie,

 

Thanks for your input and information on Goffs.

 

I know that the Cruise excution to Goffs is much more expensive, but I think I'd like to avoid the tender and travel time.

[papilliontraveler]

I snorkeled from the boat back to the island and then all around. Here are pictures from a few years ago:

Sep 7, 2006 - Belize Page2 Page3 Page4 Page5 Page6

 

The manatee thing is a different excursion.

 

Awesome pics, thanks for posting those.

[CruisinKim]

Looking at doing this in July, but curious, can you jump from the boat and snorkle to the beach?

[pitterpattershoppe]

I've not made it through all of your pics yet (slow mobile connection), but I've noticed there aren't all that many fish in the pics. Are there not many? And, is this considered good snorkeling for the Caribbean? Not trying to sound rude. Serious questions.

 

The majority of our snorkeling has been done in Hawaii. This will be our first time snorkeling in the Caribbean. In Hawaii, there were sooooooooo many fish. We literally swam with hundreds, perhaps thousands of fish all around us. They were right in front of our masks. Some were very large...the size of a dinner plate or bigger. There were many, many different kinds. Even eels were fairly common.

 

I guess I've been expecting the same for the Caribbean. Am I expecting too much? I've seen other people's pics...they seem a lot like yours.

 

Thanks,

-pitterpattershoppe

 

 

I snorkeled from the boat back to the island and then all around. Here are pictures from a few years ago:

Sep 7, 2006 - Belize Page2 Page3 Page4 Page5 Page6

 

The manatee thing is a different excursion.

[Sargent_Schultz]

Awesome pics, thanks for posting those.

 

Thank you and you're welcome!

 

Looking at doing this in July, but curious, can you jump from the boat and snorkle to the beach?

 

I did! Not sure what the current policy is, however, if you snorkel from the boat, how the heck can they force you back into the boat? :p

 

I've not made it through all of your pics yet (slow mobile connection), but I've noticed there aren't all that many fish in the pics. Are there not many? And, is this considered good snorkeling for the Caribbean? Not trying to sound rude. Serious questions.

 

The majority of our snorkeling has been done in Hawaii. This will be our first time snorkeling in the Caribbean. In Hawaii, there were sooooooooo many fish. We literally swam with hundreds, perhaps thousands of fish all around us. They were right in front of our masks. Some were very large...the size of a dinner plate or bigger. There were many, many different kinds. Even eels were fairly common.

 

I guess I've been expecting the same for the Caribbean. Am I expecting too much? I've seen other people's pics...they seem a lot like yours.

 

Thanks,

-pitterpattershoppe

 

Hawaii is a different environment with many species you will only find there. For the most part, they got no where else to go. ;)

 

I have been disappointed in Belize snorkeling, but have also had some amazing experiences.

 

I would rate Goff's as ok. I don't recall lots of fish. My personal choice for snorkeling would be a shark-ray alley snorkel, but you may not see a wide variety of fish on those, either. The (nurse) sharks and rays have to eat something. ;)

 

Here are some links to some of what I have done there:

Belize: Belize Dec 2008 Cave Tubing

Belize Nov 16, 2006 Page1 Page2 Page3 Page4 Page5 Page6

Sep 7, 2006 - Belize Page2 Page3 Page4 Page5 Page6

Dec 27, 2005 - Belize Pharmacy@BelizeTouristVillage

Belize Nov 16, 2005 (Snorkel and Bannister Island)

[Sargent_Schultz]

This site might be able to provide some more information for some questions:

http://belizefirst.com/

[pitterpattershoppe]

I would prefer to snorkel at Shark-Ray Alley as well, but we have one person in our group who has a shark phobia. :rolleyes: So, that was an absolute no when we mentioned it. This may be the only cruise that person ever goes on, so we want her to have a pleasant experience. We didn't push the subject. :)

 

Next time.

 

Thanks for the additional pics. It's funny, Hawaii was our first snorkel experience...we didn't realize we were doing some of the best first. LOL!

 

-pitterpattershoppe

 

 

Thank you and you're welcome!

 

 

 

I did! Not sure what the current policy is, however, if you snorkel from the boat, how the heck can they force you back into the boat? :p

 

 

 

Hawaii is a different environment with many species you will only find there. For the most part, they got no where else to go. ;)

 

I have been disappointed in Belize snorkeling, but have also had some amazing experiences.

 

I would rate Goff's as ok. I don't recall lots of fish. My personal choice for snorkeling would be a shark-ray alley snorkel, but you may not see a wide variety of fish on those, either. The (nurse) sharks and rays have to eat something. ;)

 

Here are some links to some of what I have done there:

Belize: Belize Dec 2008 Cave Tubing

Belize Nov 16, 2006 Page1 Page2 Page3 Page4 Page5 Page6

Sep 7, 2006 - Belize Page2 Page3 Page4 Page5 Page6

Dec 27, 2005 - Belize Pharmacy@BelizeTouristVillage

Belize Nov 16, 2005 (Snorkel and Bannister Island)

[marshhawk]

We did Goff's Caye last February, picked up from the Legend and taken directly to Goff's Caye(so no time wasted going into the city and back out). The island itself was beautiful, the water coolly refreshing for that time of year, the sun not too hot. But not many fish, and hubby who says scubas too said the reef really wasn't much, pretty much dying.

There were two options, you could stay on the boat, they take you past the reef and you go in, and swim to thte isoand, or you go to the island, and start from the beach out to the water(most of us did that) and we followed a guide. I was told there was no area that you snorkle in that was over your head. NOT. There are times when there is nothing to stand up on. Would I do it again?

In a heart beat. I have never been anywhere so remote and pristine.

I have posted pictures of Goff's Caye, so I will see where they are now. And post them here(since it was a while ago)

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1318458&highlight=marshhawk

 

just scroll down a few

[country-elegance]

Just a little note to let those of you that would be staying on the beach . There is a $5 charge per beach lounge chair.

[marshhawk]

Beach chairs? They now have beach chairs? They did not have anything except the vendors when I was there. Yuck, beach chairs. I know that sounds weird that I would be down on beach chairs, but it was so isolated you really did feel like you were at the ends of the earth which I loved about this place and beach chairs just makes it sound so ordinary.:(