kayak, hike, and snorkel tour offered by MSC for St. Thomas

[ginger123snaps]

We are on Seashore the Week of June 25th.  They are offering a Kayak, hike, and snorkel tour in St. Thomas.  Has anyone done this tour?  wondering how long the kayak part is?  I'm not in the best of shape...I don't mind kayaking for a while...I don't want to kayak majority of the time.

[capriccio]

I see your question hasn't received any responses and very few views so I'll put this out there...

 

Earlier this month, DH and I along with my 2 DB and SILs took a similarly named excursion in St. Thomas offered by another cruise line but maybe they are the same outfitter.  I know that the group getting ready to go out when we returned was from a different ship but can't remember if it was an MSC ship.

 

We are all experienced kayakers, mostly river but some open water.  We are also experienced kayaking in double kayaks and the coordination that requires.  The kayak portion was about 2/3 of the excursion out to - but not entering - the ocean.  The guide warned that winds and currents could impact the paddling but we would all keep together.  He took the lead and his associate was in back.  It was some strenuous paddling out to the hike.  We would stop at times and the guide would point out things but the group was too large (about 8 or 10 kayaks) to always be able to hear him.  The hike itself was okay over flat land to the blow hole.  Approaching the blow hole it was rocky and slippery (lots of us watched instead of scampering over the rocks for a photo opportunity).  Then we snorkeled at the little beach.  We saw some - but not that many - interesting fish 'hiding' in the mangroves (we had been instructed to swim along the mangroves) and one SIL, who same further out, saw a couple of barracuda.  It was nice to cool down in the water before the return paddle to the dock.

 

Having done it once, would I do it again?  Probably not.  Would I recommend it for a first excursion?  In general, yes.  It was fun to be out on the water and I thought the guides did a decent job and were safety conscious.  If you have never kayaked I don't think it is the place for an introduction to kayaking, at least on a day with some wind and stronger currents, unless you are fit.