Southern Caribbean NO TURQUOISE WATER?!?

[meatwoodflack]

Cruising on RCCL next week!! I have a dumb question: Friend freaked us out by saying that we wouldn't be able to see any "turquoise waters" IF/when the weather was grey/cloudy/rainy, and I see clouds/rain in forecast... The whole point of going to the Caribbean is to SEE that beautiful, famous turquoise water! So, are they messin' with me?? Should I worry about this?! Never been to the Caribbean before, and not sure what to expect. I've learned the weather comes & goes -but I am just curious. Also, is the water REALLY as it looks in pictures? -Turquoise, clear & gorgeousssss? Or is that just in certain areas/islands/beaches? (or Photoshopped? LOLOLOL) Also, any recommendations re: views, beaches, areas that we should not miss? (St. Croix, St. Maarten, Antigua, St. Luica, & Barbados) Signed, Newbie :confused:

[lucy64]

1) don't expect it to rain and be cloudy the entire time..it is the Caribbean, it does have rain sometimes but not all the time. So no you don't need to worry about the weather. And yes, the water is absolutely the most beautiful water there is! No photo shopped pictures!

I don't have any specific recommendations...I think they are all beautiful!

Enjoy...I am cruising next week too!

[psbtrvlr]

Cruising on RCCL next week!! I have a dumb question: Friend freaked us out by saying that we wouldn't be able to see any "turquoise waters" IF/when the weather was grey/cloudy/rainy, and I see clouds/rain in forecast... The whole point of going to the Caribbean is to SEE that beautiful, famous turquoise water! So, are they messin' with me?? Should I worry about this?! Never been to the Caribbean before, and not sure what to expect. I've learned the weather comes & goes -but I am just curious. Also, is the water REALLY as it looks in pictures? -Turquoise, clear & gorgeousssss? Or is that just in certain areas/islands/beaches? (or Photoshopped? LOLOLOL) Also, any recommendations re: views, beaches, areas that we should not miss? (St. Croix, St. Maarten, Antigua, St. Luica, & Barbados) Signed, Newbie :confused:

 

I've always seen the turquoise water. Rain has always been in the forecast, I think that's the norm. But it's not rainy and cloudy all the time.

[Hstergo]

The blue sky helps give the water that great color... it will still be pretty on a overcast day, but if the skies are clear you will see exactly what you hoped for.

[sail7seas]

They are somewhat correct but don't worry.

This time of year, you will see plenty of gorgeous turquoise water.

 

It is the color of blue mouthwash and I can never freeze that pretty sight in my mind. Everytime I see it I try so hard to mentally hold onto the image and I fail each time. :D

 

[CowPrincess]

Sail, here -- use this to help your "mind's eye" recall that colour :)

[Keith1010]

You will see some very beautiful colors. Your friend is wrong.

 

Keith

[Krazy Kruizers]

Yes -- you may have some rain -- but the rainy season still hasn't arrived when you have rain nearly every day. That has happened to us on a couple of cruises we took in July.

So you should see lots of beautiful waters -- especially around the islands you are going to.

Enjoy your first Caribbean cruise.

[Hflors]

They are somewhat correct but don't worry.

This time of year, you will see plenty of gorgeous turquoise water.

 

It is the color of blue mouthwash and I can never freeze that pretty sight in my mind. Everytime I see it I try so hard to mentally hold onto the image and I fail each time. :D

 

 

Sail ---- I loved your description "blue mouthwash" ! OMG! For some reason I can't stop giggling when I read that!!

 

Thanks for the laugh.

 

Helen

[Bonnie J.]

The water is so clear, you can see 200-300 feet under water!! We have seen fish swimming around the hull of our ship at the pier! Take a throw a way underwater camera with you for underwater photos and sign up for snorkeling so you swim with beatiful fish!

[mn_isla_girl]

Is this water blue enough for you? And NO photo editing here!!

 

Barbados

 

St. Maarten

 

St. Lucia

 

 

Bluest water I've ever seen has been in Mexico...

[sail7seas]

Sail ---- I loved your description "blue mouthwash" ! OMG! For some reason I can't stop giggling when I read that!!

 

Thanks for the laugh.

 

Helen

 

 

I know...... 'colorful' description but really what things can you think of that are of the color we see in Caribbean waters? :D I keep trying to find things that color and never seem to. :cool:

 

[Krazy Kruizers]

Is this water blue enough for you? And NO photo editing here!!

 

Barbados

 

St. Maarten

 

St. Lucia

 

 

Bluest water I've ever seen has been in Mexico...

 

Those pictures work for me.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Barbados:

 

 

Approching St Kitts:

 

 

 

Half Moon Cay:

 

 

 

Aruba:

So -- yes -- you will see lots of blue water on a sunny day.

[flamomo]

Being a tropical area, this time of year rain can definitely happen, but in that climate it's rarely an all-day rain. The forecast can say 70% chance of rain, but that does not mean you will get rained on where YOU are!

I live in FL and that's the way it is in the summer.

 

BTW, when the sky is covered with dark clouds, the ocean color changes to a steely gray. And that's the way it looks in any part of the world under those conditions. The blue of the ocean is a result of it reflecting the blue of the sky!!

[agabbymama]

OP, not to rain (pun) on your parade, but if it says rain every day, it very well may not be the water you see in the photos attached.

 

We arrived in Puerto Rico to rain, and it poured for the 6 days we were in the Caribbean. St. Martin and St. Thomas were pretty, but the water was definitely gray to black the entire time we were there. We veered around a storm (per the Captain) but still had pouring rain.

 

One tour we took had an open bus, but there were clear plastic roll down curtains and at every stop that poor driver was either raising them or lowering them, getting soaked in the process, so we visitors stayed dry.

 

I didn't get a lot of photos, as I try to keep my camera out of the water and that was hard to do with the pouring rain. Just go knowing you can get any kind of weather, and go with the flow.

[heatherandfred]

In St. Maarten.

[meatwoodflack]

THANK YOU Alllll SO much!! All of your info. is very helpful! And THANKS for the gorgeous pictures, tooooo~! Yay!!:)

[Krazy Kruizers]

Bon Voyage and have a great cruise.

[Curtzilla]

The water actually has little, if any color unless there are pollutants suspended in it. The ocean, however does REFLECT what underneath it and above it. A blue sky will give the ocean a dark blue appearance. On the beach, the color will appear lighter blue due the sand beneath.

 

On a gray day, the ocean will reflect that as well. That's also why the ocean isn't typically blue at night. (with the wonderful exception of the ship's wake under a full moon).

[AKman2495]

Here is Aruba:

[navybankerteacher]

The colorless water reflects the light from the sky, that is why it looks blue when deep, fading to turquoise as the light reflects off the yellow sand bottom in the shallows. At night it looks black. You are unlikely to have so much overcast that you will not see the amazing colors of so many shades.