Need some advice Southern Caribbean

[mj cruiser]

Can anyone recommend which islands are best for snorkeling and if so which tour guide they used??

 

Miami

Samana

Tortola

Antiqua

Barbados

St. Lucia

 

This will be in Feb of next year! Thanks

[ncboatdrvr]

I can only comment on Barbados from experience. We were there last November and took a tour with Stephen Tryhane of Thriller tours. It was a great trip.

 

He makes three stops. One is a reef, one is a wreck with two boats on the bottom, and one is a small bay where sea turtles gather. That is a great stop as they feed the turtles off the back of the boat and so you get an opportunity to get up close with them. The tour costs about $50/pp.

 

Here is a link to a review of his trip. His email is at the bottom of the page.

 

http://familytravelfun.com/thrillertourbarbados.html

 

We are visiting Tortola on a cruise this December and planning on catching a cab to snorkel from the beach in Brewer's Bay. Have seen some good info on it on these boards.

 

Hope this helps!

[Stevesan]

Can anyone recommend which islands are best for snorkeling and if so which tour guide they used??

 

Miami

Samana

Tortola

Antiqua

Barbados

St. Lucia

 

This will be in Feb of next year! Thanks

 

The highlighted ports are all excellent. I have taken only boat trips on these islands so I'm not familiar with the shore snorkeling.

 

Here are a few snorkel suggestions. All are first rate operators and never crowd their boats:

 

Tortola: http://www.patouche.com/

 

Antigua: http://www.adventureantigua.com/tour.html (In my experience, the best snorkel trip in the Caribbean)

 

Barbados: http://www.silvermoonbarbados.com/

 

St Lucia: I haven't found a snorkel trip that matches up with my cruise ship schedules so I've only booked thru the cruise ship. Most have been acceptable, although crowded, catamarans. The snorkeling has usually been good around Anse Chastenet. Not good at Marigot Bay.

 

Any other suggestions for St Lucia will be appreciated for my next trip.

[Snorkel Dawg]

I can only comment on Barbados from experience. We were there last November and took a tour with Stephen Tryhane of Thriller tours. It was a great trip.

 

He makes three stops. One is a reef, one is a wreck with two boats on the bottom, and one is a small bay where sea turtles gather. That is a great stop as they feed the turtles off the back of the boat and so you get an opportunity to get up close with them. The tour costs about $50/pp.

 

Here is a link to a review of his trip. His email is at the bottom of the page.

 

http://familytravelfun.com/thrillertourbarbados.html

 

 

Sounds great as I have booked the Thriller tour for our sailing in March. What kind of interaction do you have w/the turtles? Not to be stupid but I have to ask? Do the guides only feed them or does everyone? I ask this because during the stingray city tour we were on in GC, anyone that wanted to could feed the stingrays. Also can you touch the turtles? They look pretty gentle, are they? I will have my 13 & 9 year old daughters with. They are both veteran snorkels, they both ask if they can actually hold onto the turlles & "ride" them?

 

Please forgive me for all the questions & if they seem stupid...:o

[ncboatdrvr]

You can have as much interaction with the turtles as you wish. We didn't feed the turtles, but it seems like maybe one or two of the others in our group did, I can't remember for sure. However, you can definitely touch and get very "up close" with them.

 

Keeping in mind of course they are wild animals, they seemed very gentle. Several in the group tried to grab the larger turtles for a "ride", but they are very good at causing you to lose your grip by rolling. I am sure your daughters will enjoy trying though.

 

One thing to know, Stephen asks everyone to keep their fins off (at this stop only) to prevent a turtle, or another snorkeler from getting slapped in the face. When they begin feeding it becomes a pretty crazy group of people and turtles mixed together.

[Snorkel Dawg]

Thanks boatdrvr, I appreciate the info & can't wait to go.

[ncboatdrvr]

Hope you enjoy it, can't imagine you won't.

[Snorkel Dawg]

hI boatdvr, did you take any photos of the turtles? I usually buy several disposable underwater cameras for excursions like this. How were the photo opportunities? Were you able to get some good shots while in the water? Or is taking pics of the turtles better from the boat? Also how many turtles are around when they are fed? The excursion looks like it might be somewhat similar to the stingray city tour we did in Grand Cayman (which was 5*****!)

 

If you don't mind I'd love to see a pic or 2, could you possibly send them to me at snorkeldawgs@verizon.net thanks again for your input

[ncboatdrvr]

I don't think we have any pics. I check with my wife to see for sure, we normally crry an underwater disposable also, but for some reason I think we didn't have one along.

 

I would say there were 12-15 turtles total. It was pretty hectic with turtles swimming in the midst of people, but I would think you could get some good pics.