Snorkeling in S.Caribbean

[Sweetdreams]

Leaving May 1 and will be at following ports: San Juan, Barbados, Dominica, St. Kitts, St. Thomas and Half Moon Cay. Would appreciate tips on best locations & beaches to snorkel (taking own gear). Thanks!

[10X]

In Dominica, take a ship's excursion to Champagne Reef. The shore entry is pretty rocky.

 

In St. Kitts, go to ****ten Bay, again by boat and probably a ship's excursion. If the bay isn't mentioned by name, look for an excursion that talks of large underwater boulders.

 

In Barbados, there isn't much that's great, but you can try a turtle and shipwreck tour. It's OK but not spectacular.

 

Our favorite in St. Thomas is a trip to Buck Island on a 30', or so, sailboat. It's usually called something like "Buck Island Sail and Snorkel."

 

I really can't help you with beaches since we're not beach people. We don't enjoy just laying around on a beach, so we're always looking for something else to do. Snorkeling is one of those things, but when we're done, we leave the beach.

[singersac]

In Dominica, take a ship's excursion to Champagne Reef. The shore entry is pretty rocky.

 

In St. Kitts, go to ****ten Bay, again by boat and probably a ship's excursion. If the bay isn't mentioned by name, look for an excursion that talks of large underwater boulders.

 

In Barbados, there isn't much that's great, but you can try a turtle and shipwreck tour. It's OK but not spectacular.

 

Our favorite in St. Thomas is a trip to Buck Island on a 30', or so, sailboat. It's usually called something like "Buck Island Sail and Snorkel."

 

I really can't help you with beaches since we're not beach people. We don't enjoy just laying around on a beach, so we're always looking for something else to do. Snorkeling is one of those things, but when we're done, we leave the beach.

Hi,

We were thinking of going to Buck Island in St. Thomas. Was the excursion you went on the private yacht (30-45') that only takes 6 people at a time? Do you snorkel from the boat or do they take you to shore and you go from there? I noticed there was also a 65' Catamaran that goes there as well. Have you tried that?

 

Thanks,

singersac

[coppertops]

Snorkeling in Barbados is great if you know where to go.We went on a glass bottom boat cruise with Just Breezing Watersports.We found them on the net and booked everthing on line.It was a 2 hour cruise and stopped twice to snorkel.The first point was over a barge,our captain Jason threw some bread in the water and the fish came to the surface.I don't think we have ever seen so many different types of fish at one time.We then went what seemed to be further north where we anchored up for the secong snorkel point.This is where we saw the turtles.Plenty of them and big ones at that.Some of the children were a little bit weary at first to go in the water with them but jason was very reasuring and even came in the water with us.Everybody really had a great time.There is also a nice reef at the North of Paynes Bay St James.You can hire mask and snorkel here for about $5.00 US this includes a marker.We decided to spend the rest of the day there and had lunch at the Coach house restaurant.Probably our best stop on Carnival Destiny.

[Maxy]

I agree,it really does depend on where you go and who with.A couple we met on the ship went on a snorkeling trip with one of the catamarans and where a bit dissapointed they said that they where crammed in like sardines and treated abit like cattle and that the Snorkeling stops where also abit dissapointing.We also went on a glass bottom boat cruise last year I think it was with Just Breezing aswell.It was not crowded and we where looked after very well.We found the snorkeling to be some of the best we have seen.We did'nt however try the reef that you han mentioned.

[10X]

Singerac,

 

We did the small boats that hold only about 6 people. We've never donw the catamaran. The trip out and back is really nice in the smaller boats. You really get a feel of what sailing is like.

 

I see that surf control has blocked out the name of the bay in St. Kitts, so I'll try spelling it backward and see if that helps, (nettihs).